Following the death of Sen. Debbie Smith, WCSD Board President Dr. Angie Taylor and Superintendent Traci Davis issued the following statements:
“I am heartbroken to hear of the passing of Sen. Debbie Smith,” said Board President Dr. Angie Taylor, who spoke on behalf of the entire Board of Trustees. “She was a fierce and selfless advocate for education and for our children, and the effects of her tireless dedication will be felt in this state for decades to come. Through her work with the Nevada State Senate, Nevada State Assembly, Education Alliance of Washoe County, Nevada PTA, and a host of other agencies, she established herself as a powerful defender and supporter of children, families, and public education. This is a tremendous loss for Nevada, but her legacy will live on through all of the lives she touched. I offer my condolences to her wonderful family and friends. It was a privilege and an honor to know her.”
“Sen. Debbie Smith was an extraordinary champion for children,” said Superintendent Traci Davis. “She waged courageous, sometimes lonely, battles to improve education in our state. She was instrumental in improving education policy and safety measures in schools. She introduced and helped pass legislation to put epi-pens in every school, a measure which saved the lives of two of our students who suffered life-threatening allergic reactions within the first month after the devices were placed in our schools, and many more lives since. For years, she fought for increased classroom funding, capital funding to relieve overcrowding and repair older schools, and established family engagement as a priority for school districts across Nevada. In Carson City during the last session, she helped pass legislation to combat bullying and abuse.
“She fought the good fight, both in the public forum and in her final, personal battle against cancer. I will miss her leadership, her commitment, and her devotion to education. This is a profound and painful loss for all of us in the Washoe County School District, and for the children of Nevada.”
Sen. Smith died Sunday one year after doctors started treating her for a malignant brain tumor. She was 60.
Smith was first elected to the state Assembly in 2000 and won a seat in the Senate in 2012. She won several lawmaker of the year awards and was the president of the National Conference of State Legislatures.
She missed some of the 2015 legislative session after undergoing surgery last February at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, but closely followed developments in the Legislature.
She was mobbed by well-wishers when she returned to business part-time in April.
Smith was married and had three children.
(The Associated Press also contributed to this report.)
