Former Las Vegas teacher opens art cafe after escaping district bureaucracy

By Brittany Sheehan  

Nevada News and Views

Melinda Stender found her escape from government red tape. The former Clark County School District art teacher opened Clay-Paper-Ink, a creative cafe in Silverado Ranch that’s becoming a beacon for families seeking alternatives to traditional public education.

After 15 years in the classroom, Stender couldn’t take it anymore.

“It’s so tiring to go and teach and deal with the bureaucracy of CCSD,” she said. “It just sucks the joy out of it. I felt like ‘I don’t know if I could do this again.'”

A Business Built on Freedom

Clay-Paper-Ink offers something the government schools couldn’t give Stender: real creative freedom. The cafe provides painting, clay work, and jewelry making for all ages. Kids can explore different art forms without bureaucrats dictating every lesson plan.

The business explains on its website: “Art is a way to stay present, express freely, and connect with others, which is what we aim to cultivate in every moment inside our studio. Through structured art lessons or hands-on pottery classes, we focus on process over perfection,”

Stender said: “I wanted to have a studio where people weren’t confined to just one type of art medium,”

The business model is simple but powerful. Students like middle schooler Kinley Hendrickson love the comfortable atmosphere and freedom to express creativity. Her mother Katie appreciates having real options for her daughter’s artistic education.

The cafe also partners with homeschooling families. These parents chose to educate their children outside the government system. Now they have a professional space where their kids can get quality art instruction.

Why This Business Success Matters to Conservatives

For those who believe in limited government, Stender’s story shows what happens when entrepreneurs break free from bureaucratic control. She’s providing a service families actually want, not what some distant administrator thinks they need.

The business model reflects true entrepreneurial spirit: “Our open material studio allows guests to experiment on their own terms while still having access to guidance and community. Clay Paper Ink in Las Vegas, NV, is built around inclusion, expression, and the slow joy of making something by hand.”

Clark County School District has been a disaster. The former superintendent resigned after constant battles with the school board and teachers union. The district made budget errors and faced accounting challenges that left principals scrambling. There were even controversies over police incidents with students.

Meanwhile, teacher vacancies in Nevada surged 28 percent in one year. The district hired administrators faster than teachers between 2014 and 2022. More bureaucrats, fewer people actually teaching kids.

The Real Problem: Government Monopoly

Nationwide, the picture is just as grim. An estimated 400,000-plus teaching positions are either unfilled or filled by uncertified teachers. About 86 percent of public schools struggle to hire educators.

It’s not really about money. Clark County administrators make an average of $147,400 while teachers make $84,000. The problem is the system itself. Only 18 percent of Americans would encourage young people to become teachers, citing bureaucracy and stressful work conditions.

The government school monopoly is failing families. Good teachers like Stender are leaving. Parents are stuck with whatever the bureaucrats decide.

Free Market Solutions Work

Stender’s success proves the free market provides better answers. She identified what families needed and created a business to serve them. No committees, no red tape, no union negotiations. Just a teacher helping kids learn.

Her cafe serves everyone from traditional students to homeschooling families. That’s real school choice in action. Parents can decide what’s best for their children’s education.

What Conservatives Can Do

Support local businesses like Clay-Paper-Ink that provide real alternatives to government education. Advocate for school choice policies in your state legislature. Consider homeschooling or private school options for your own children.

Most importantly, recognize that entrepreneurs like Stender are solving problems the government can’t fix. When bureaucracy fails, the free market steps in.

Stender’s art cafe is more than just a business. It’s proof that teachers and parents don’t need government permission to provide quality education. They just need the freedom to choose.

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Brittany Sheehan is a Las Vegas-based mother, policy advocate and grassroots leader. She is active in local politics, successful in campaign work and passionate about liberty.