A July 28 Las Vegas Review-Journal article blares the following headline, “New Reid ad stars teacher whose job wasn't on the chopping block.” The article suggests that Sen. Harry Reid's campaign ad featuring a kindergarten teacher praising Reid for saving Nevada teachers' jobs by getting the stimulus passed is disingenuous because the teacher's “specific job wasn't on the chopping block.” However, as you read on, you'll see the article's own reporting undermines its premise.

First, the teacher in question, Bridget Zick, never claimed in the ad that her “specific job” was saved. Indeed, it is clear to anyone with any sense that she is a speaking generally on behalf of those whose in the education field whose jobs were saved by stimulus funds. The article features Zick saying, “We were really worried about our jobs and our kids,” then airs a graphic, reporting that “Harry Reid got funds to save 3,500 education jobs in Nevada.” After this graphic airs, Zick says, “We're still teaching because of Harry Reid.” And, moreover, the Las Vegas Review-Journal article reports this:

Jon Summers, a spokesman for Reid's campaign, said in the ad Zick is representing all Nevada educators whose jobs have been saved by the stimulus.

“She is speaking on behalf of teachers,” Summers said in an e-mail when asked to clarify whether her job had been saved.

Summers said the Nevada Department of Education “didn't specify in its reports which schools would have had to lay off teachers.”

Further, what the article's premise and lead does not make clear is that, as they later reported, the school district for which Zick works did receive stimulus money which allowed them to stave layoffs that the district claims it would have had to have made without those funds. The school district had “initial[ly] estimated” that there was a “potential” for 2,000 layoffs if they had not received stimulus funds. According to Clark County School Board member Carolyn Edwards, “in the case of layoffs, the teachers' contract requires they be made according to seniority. Newest employees would be the first to go. Zick, who is in her third year of teaching, might only have been in jeopardy if the initial estimate of 2,000 potential layoffs materialized.” The article added: " 'The fact is we don't know how many teachers would have been laid off if we hadn't gotten that money,' Edwards said. 'The (stimulus) money saved jobs, but it didn't save specific jobs.'"

So, what it boils down to is that Zick's school district was in trouble and facing the prospect of potentially having to lay off 2,000 employees. Being a relatively new teacher, Zick could have been “on the chopping block,” but, since the district got the stimulus money, they were able to avoid layoffs and didn't have decide which employees would have gotten the axe. Zick, a Reid supporter, appears in a campaign ad touting the teacher jobs saved in Nevada due to Reid's help in passing the stimulus. And, this is supposed to be evidence of the Reid campaign's dishonesty? Sorry, guys, I'm just not seeing it.