State Journal

Students at Grant Sawyer Middle School in Las Vegas are encouraged to get involved in community service and public affairs. Even so, officials at the 1,200-student school were surprised when a student petition that complained about a lack of essential resources was sent to state lawmakers.

The petition, which also arrived at a local newspaper, said the school lacked chairs, desks, textbooks, classroom materials, and lockers. It also complained about limitations on teachers' copying of materials.

The students' initiative did not surprise Principal Ronnie Tee Smith. It was the inaccuracy of...