A Wyoming district court has spoken, and its ruling is more than just a legal decision — it is a reminder of who we are as a state and what we stand for. At its core, Wyoming has always been a place where hard work, resilience and community define success. We don’t hand out entitlements. We don’t bow to outside influences. We earn our way with grit, determination, and, most importantly, education.

Opinion

But make no mistake — public education in Wyoming is under attack. This legislative session has made it clearer than ever. The very people elected to serve and protect the interests of Wyoming’s citizens are instead working to dismantle one of our greatest institutions, modeling their agenda after the failed experiments of states like Arizona and Montana. They seek to weaken public education, devalue educators and strip future generations of the very tools they need to succeed.

And yet, standing in their way is the Wyoming Constitution, a document crafted by our forebears to ensure that every citizen — no matter their background, no matter their station in life — has access to a high-quality education. It is a legacy of opportunity, a commitment that education is not a privilege reserved for the wealthy or politically connected, but a right for all.

The court’s ruling serves as a stark reminder of this commitment, a voice from our founders that rings across time, declaring that we do not abandon our principles for political convenience. The ruling exposes what we already knew — our schools have been underfunded, our teachers undervalued and our students shortchanged. The Legislature has turned educators into scapegoats, blaming them for every societal failure while refusing to provide the resources necessary for success. But here’s the truth: Education is not the problem — it is the solution.

Strong schools build strong communities. They create opportunities where none existed before. They instill character, foster independence and provide the foundation for prosperity. Wyoming does not give handouts, but we have always believed in the power of lifting people up — through hard work, through perseverance and through learning.

This ruling is not just a legal victory; it is a call to action. Let it be a reminder of what it truly means to be a Wyomingite. Not a political import marching to the orders of a coastal puppet master, but a true steward of this state — someone who understands that education is not a bargaining chip, but the bedrock of our way of life.

Our legacy is not for sale. Our schools are not for dismantling. And our teachers, students and communities will not be sacrificed for an ideology that has already failed elsewhere. We are Wyoming. And we will stand for what is right. Stay strong. Stay Wyoming. 

Christy Mathes, a Wyoming native, is a secondary science facilitator and educator specializing in curriculum development for grades 7-12. She teaches life sciences at the high school level and strives...

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  1. I agree with a lot of your premise but have you truly taken a critical look at our schools? They are a mess and it’s not really a funding issue, it’s a priority issue. I’m terrified to give our district more money because they will probably spend it on athletics and administrators not teachers and students and certainly not literacy. We have been failing the students of Wyoming for years with our public school system. Over half can’t read on grade level and that’s a statistic you can track for several years. Everyone continues to ignore the giant, bedazzled elephant in the room that is our poor teaching of reading that sets our students up for failure in the real world.

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