Op-ed: At-risk students aren’t lazy; they’re battling barriers

It’s easy to assume that a high school dropout chose to abandon his or her education. Nevada’s low education ranking on a national scale can also contribute to the myth that our schools are made of unmotivated, disengaged or lazy students — but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Many of the disadvantaged students we serve are facing barriers at home and in life that are inconceivable for most of us. There are various socioeconomic factors that can lead a student to drop out, and we as a community can help.