January 7, 2021

CARSON CITY, Nev. – Yesterday’s events at our nation’s Capitol are a teachable moment. The violent insurgence we all witnessed was traumatic and alarming for many Nevadans, and certainly for some of our children. It is natural for students to have questions, and as adults we need to engage in these conversations with our students.

I encourage Nevada’s educators to welcome reflection and critical thinking around yesterday’s riot and about the consequences for our democracy. As we work to prepare our students to fully participate in civic life, we cannot be silent or complacent. If we fail to engage our students in these issues in the classroom, we are not preventing them from learning about them. In fact, we are pushing the challenges that are at the forefront of our nation’s dialogue into corners and hallways, texts and forums. We cannot afford to miss this opportunity to support our students and cultivate a future for Nevada that is fair, free, and just.

For teachers who are actively planning lessons or hoping to, I share the resources listed on this page. I urge those leading conversations to do so with intention and care that recognizes that learning about justice does not happen in one lesson, one week, or one year. We must continue to embed appropriate and courageous conversations about race, equity, and inclusion across content areas and grade levels.

About the Nevada Department of Education

The Nevada Department of Education (NDE) leads and collaborates with Nevada’s 17 school districts and the State Public Charter School Authority to advance educational equity Statewide. With offices in Carson City and Las Vegas, NDE oversees all pre-K-12 education in the State, working to achieve its mission to improve student achievement and educator effectiveness by ensuring opportunities, facilitating learning, and promoting excellence. Under the leadership of the State Board of Education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction, NDE impacts the achievement of nearly half a million children and 30,000 educators.