If you’ve wondered why so many young people today think socialism is a good idea, the answer might be closer to home than you think.
It starts in our classrooms, and right here in Nevada, the teachers’ union has its hand on the steering wheel.
Across the country, groups like the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association set the tone for what kids learn about history, economics, and government.
In Nevada, the Clark County Education Association is one of the most powerful political players in the state. And their influence doesn’t stop at contract negotiations over pay and benefits.
It extends straight into lesson plans.
What’s missing from those lessons? The truth about socialism.
Students are told it’s about fairness and equality, but they don’t hear about the bread lines in the old Soviet Union, the poverty in Cuba, or the collapse of Venezuela’s economy.
Instead, capitalism often gets painted as greedy and selfish.
When kids grow up only hearing one side of the story, it’s no wonder they think socialism sounds better than freedom and free markets.
A recent Gallup poll found that 43% of young adults view socialism favorably. That’s not by accident. It’s the result of years of careful messaging.
And it’s no secret that teachers’ unions donate heavily to Democrat candidates.
In Nevada’s last election cycle, union money poured into campaigns that backed more government control of housing, energy, and healthcare.
These are the same policies pushed by socialist-leaning politicians like Zohran Mamdani in New York, who openly call for state-run housing and wealth redistribution.
The union agenda lines up neatly with the broader socialist playbook: more government, higher taxes, less freedom for parents and businesses.
Here in Nevada, union-backed lawmakers have blocked school choice programs that would give parents control over where their kids go to school.
Why? Because real choice threatens the union’s grip on power.
Ask a Nevada high schooler what socialism means, and you’ll likely hear words like “fairness” or “sharing.”
But ask if they know about the Berlin Wall, or why millions fled communist countries, and you’ll probably get a blank stare.
That’s because lesson plans skip the ugly parts. They don’t teach how socialist regimes seized property, silenced free speech, and jailed or even killed those who resisted.
Instead, students are told that socialism just means “free healthcare” or “affordable housing.”
In New York, Mamdani campaigns on exactly that, promising state-backed housing.
But history shows us how government housing projects, from Eastern Europe to New York City itself, ended up unsafe, poorly managed, and riddled with crime.
Parents in Nevada are starting to push back.
During legislative hearings, moms and dads have demanded more transparency about what’s being taught. And groups like Power2Parent have fought for school choice and parental rights.
Gov. Joe Lombardo has championed education reforms to give families more options – but union-backed lawmakers in Carson City continue to stand in the way.
Critics of this view argue that unions are simply protecting teachers and ensuring fair pay.
That’s fine, but when those same unions also control curriculum and politics, they wield far more power than most parents ever will.
If we don’t reclaim balance in our schools, Nevada risks raising another generation that sees socialism as a harmless idea.
The truth is, socialism has failed everywhere it’s been tried. Our kids deserve to learn that history, not just a sugar-coated version written to fit the union’s political agenda.
Parents, not unions, should have the final say over what children are taught.
Because once a generation is trained to believe the government should control everything, it’s very hard to convince them that freedom is worth fighting for.
The opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Nevada News & Views. This article was written with the assistance of AI. Please verify information and consult additional sources as needed.
