Monday, Jan. 8, 2018 | 2 a.m.
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Editor’s note: About 1,000 students from high schools throughout Southern Nevada participated in the 61st annual Sun Youth Forum on Nov. 8. The students were divided into groups to discuss a variety of topics. A representative was chosen from each group to write a column about the students’ findings. This essay addresses the issues covered by the Home in Nevada group.
I was anxiously mingling with other students when our moderator, Brian Greenspun, entered our room and let us know that he would be overseeing our discussion on state affairs. At that moment, it became clear to me that this was a rare occasion where my fellow peers and I would be able to discuss problems facing the city and state that I have been able to call home my entire life.
Our first topic area was higher education. We generally agreed that students in Nevada’s public schools have such bad experiences in K-12 classes that we don’t even want to consider attending a higher education institution in Nevada. The concensus among our group was that instead of continuing to pour money into public schools like we have been, we should foster a better perception of K-12 schools and put more resources into mentoring programs for teenagers. This, we agreed, would help higher education in Nevada because more people would want to stay here for school.
Moving on to sexual offenses in education, we noted that more than 10 Clark County School District employees had been accused of sexual misconduct since July. Although we acknowledged that CCSD’s need to fill thousands of teaching vacancies meant that pretty much anyone with a bachelor’s degree could get a job in the district, we felt the district’s personnel situation didn’t absolve it of the need to properly vet applicants. On a related question — whether we offer more instruction to children in our public schools on what sexual harassment is and how to report it — one student offered a personal story. She said she and her friends never noticed a teacher’s sexual actions until one student came forward, after which it took months for officials to remove the teacher. We agreed that CCSD must take an in-depth look at the hiring of all school officials, foster more lessons about how to spot and speak up about sexual harassment, and take action more quickly when school personnel are accused.
We then turned to the Oct. 1 shooting, starting with a discussion on background checks for gun purchases and how gun shows and the internet offer loopholes for those wishing to buy a gun without being vetted. We examined the fact that Nevadans voted to close those loopholes in 2016 by approving expanded background checks, yet the checks have yet to be implemented because of a provision requiring federal officials to conduct them — something the FBI informed the state it was not inclined to do. Some of us came away thinking that Attorney General Adam Laxalt, who issued an opinion saying the law could not be implemented, was too busy running his campaign for governor to forge a solution to the problem and carry out the will of the people.
We compared our gun laws to those of other countries and discussed how places like Japan, which have strict gun regulations, have low rates of gun violence. We agreed that in the U.S., we should impose stricter gun laws and/or require people earn the right to use guns through different courses and classes.
With emotions running high after the Oct. 1 shooting, we disagreed with those saying “now was not the time” for a political discussion on guns. We believe Nevada officials must do their job by requiring more psychiatric evaluations, not allowing practically anyone to buy a semiautomatic weapon, and limiting the amount of ammunition sold.
This forum was an amazing way to allow the youth to discuss — not bicker or attack, but honestly and openly debate controversial topics and find solutions to our problems.
Victor Calderon is a senior at Clark High School.
