Why This Science Teacher Says Public Education Is Worth the Fight

Lizzie Aaron teaches AP biology with a $2,000 budget and refuses to back down from the fight for quality public schools

Lizzie Aaron has heard it all. The snide comments at family gatherings. The accusations about "gender ideology indoctrination." The assumption that she's somehow failing America's children.

"Dude, I'm just trying to make kids learn about photosynthesis," she says. "I don't have time for any of the things you think I'm doing."

Aaron, a high school science teacher in Los Angeles, represents something that's become increasingly rare in American education: a passionate public school educator who refuses to be intimidated by the political attacks on her profession. After eight years in the classroom, she's more convinced than ever that public education is worth fighting for.

But that doesn't mean the fight is easy.

The Resource Reality

Aaron teaches AP biology and regular biology to mostly 10th graders at a magnet school in the LA Unified School District. On paper, she works at one of the district's best schools. In reality, she shares a $2,000 annual budget with six other science teachers.

"There are certain activities that as a science teacher, I either don't try or I do a different version of, or I have to come up with creative approaches altogether because the type of lab equipment that I need, I can't purchase," she explains.

The contrast with her own education is stark. Aaron attended private school from K-12 in Richmond, Virginia, where her parents made significant sacrifices to give her opportunities they felt the struggling public schools couldn't provide. Now she's trying to offer those same opportunities to her public school students, often with a fraction of the resources.

"When I think about my experience in AP biology class at my private school, it was very different than the type of activities I'm able to do with my AP bio students in my class," she says. "And I make it work."

Creative Solutions in a Cash-Strapped System

Making it work means getting creative with technology. Aaron uses online simulations to show cellular processes that would normally require expensive equipment. Her school has a subscription to educational software that creates visualizations of microscopic phenomena—the kind of thing that would be impossible to demonstrate without an electron microscope.

She's also learned to leverage her students' comfort with technology in unexpected ways. Recently, when teaching about cell membrane proteins, she had students create visual demonstrations using cut-out paper pieces. One student asked if she could make a stop motion video instead.

"She turns in a stop motion video with music and emojis around it, and I was like, the emojis aren't even impeding my view of your work," Aaron laughs. "It's cute, it's fun."

The student made it on TikTok. Aaron admits she was initially skeptical but ended up impressed by the quality.

The Smartphone Challenge

Technology isn't always helpful, though. Aaron identifies smartphone and social media usage as one of the biggest challenges facing educators today—something previous generations of teachers never had to navigate.

"I think students are starting to miss out on the value of, even if I'm coming into bio class and I don't want to be a scientist, there's still skills they're learning there," she says.

The distraction goes beyond just classroom management. Aaron sees students losing critical thinking skills as they become accustomed to immediate answers from their devices. She describes students typing 28-word questions into Google and getting frustrated when they can't find direct answers.

"I'm like, well, did you break the question down? Did you look at the different subject matter that I'm asking you about?" she says. "And they're like, huh?"

Starting in January, her school will implement phone-free zones during the day, following California Governor Gavin Newsom's recent legislation. Aaron supports the move, noting that students themselves are often aware of how their phone usage affects them.

The AI Balancing Act

Artificial intelligence presents a different kind of challenge. In science classes, Aaron feels somewhat protected because much of the written work involves analyzing data from experiments—harder for AI to fake. But she sees colleagues in English and history struggling as students increasingly turn to AI for essay writing.

"Some of my colleagues are having to revert back to, actually, we're going to write all of our essays by hand during class," she says. "If you've ever tried to read the handwriting of 83 teenage boys, that's literally the worst thing ever."

Aaron uses AI herself—to generate multiple choice questions or create worksheet outlines—but then goes back to check accuracy and add necessary details. She tries to model this approach for students, showing them how to use AI as a time saver rather than a skill replacement.

She shares a story from a colleague about a student who turned in an AI-written paper about a graphic novel. The AI had replaced the protagonist's name (something like "Mr. Fantastic") with synonyms throughout the paper, resulting in references to "Senor Superior" and "Mr. Majestic."

"He was like, did you even read it before you print it out?" Aaron recalls.

The Path to Teaching

Aaron's journey to teaching wasn't direct. She studied political science at the University of Virginia, considering everything from sports medicine to law. But volunteering experiences kept pulling her back to working with young people—summer camps, church retreat weekends, and especially a camp for young adults with intellectual disabilities.

"I was always like, dang, wouldn't it be cool if you could just be a camp counselor for your job?" she remembers thinking.

After college, she worked for a year as a teaching and administrative assistant at Anna Julia Cooper School, a tuition-free private school serving students in Richmond's East End housing projects. That experience convinced her teaching was her calling.

She moved to Los Angeles and completed an intensive credential program at Cal State LA, earning both her teaching credential and a master's in integrated STEM education. The master's program focused on the Next Generation Science Standards and emphasized breaking down the silos between subjects.

"Naturally, bio doesn't exist in a vacuum. Math doesn't exist in a vacuum. Those are things kids should learn together," she explains.

Why Public Schools Matter

Having experienced both private and public education, Aaron brings a unique perspective to the debate over school choice. She's grateful for her private school education but believes public schools deserve the same resources and support.

"I think about the fact that my parents chose to do that because the public schools in my hometown were struggling, and they didn't want to have to move into the county, and they didn't want to have to change jobs," she reflects.

She sees her role as ensuring that any child entering a public school has access to quality curriculum, skilled teaching, and healthy boundaries—the same things she experienced in private school.

"If not me, then who?" she asks.

Fighting the Vilification

Aaron acknowledges that public education faces unprecedented political attacks, but she refuses to be discouraged. She points out that critics don't have a plan for who will replace teachers if they succeed in driving educators away.

"Nobody's waiting in the wings to just swoop in and save the day when more and more teachers leave," she says. "There's not a huge group of public educators that are going to come in if other people get pressured out."

This reality, she argues, gives current teachers significant power and influence. She's "crazy hirable" (though she wishes for better pay) because the work is both important and necessary.

"I know I'm good at my job. I'm focused on teaching science," she says. "And I also know that I'm a highly trained professional. A lot of people don't want us to feel that way, but we are."

Looking Forward

When asked about the future of education, Aaron describes feeling "galvanized" rather than just excited. The fight for quality public education feels more urgent than ever, especially with threats to dismantle federal education programs.

But she finds hope in her students. Despite social media distractions and smartphone dependency, she sees teenagers who are "really self-aware" and passionate about fixing problems in the world.

"For every kid that wants to be a Fortnite YouTube star, there's also five kids who are like, oh, there's something really important happening out in the world that I want to fix and I want to take care of," she observes.

Her advice for young people considering education careers acknowledges the current challenges while emphasizing the importance of the work.

"It's really hard right now," she admits. "But I have a lot of optimism that things get bad before they get better. Folks are hearing about the types of things that teachers go through. They see how important it is because they remember being a student."

The Bigger Picture

Aaron's story illustrates the complex reality facing American public education. Dedicated teachers are working with inadequate resources while navigating unprecedented technological and political challenges. Yet educators like Aaron persist because they understand what's at stake.

"If somebody really wants a job where they're actively working in the community, if they also want a job where they have flexibility and also a job that they can do anywhere, there's nothing like being a teacher," she says. "And it's so important. It's so incredibly important."

At a time when public education faces existential threats, Aaron represents the educators who refuse to abandon the fight. They know the work matters. They know they're making a difference. And they're not backing down.

"We're at a point where we have a lot of influence, and I think we can make a lot of ground and do a lot of really good and important work," she concludes.

It's exactly the kind of determined optimism public education needs right now.

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Lizzie Aaron teaches biology and AP biology at a magnet school in Los Angeles. She holds a master's degree in integrated STEM education from Cal State LA.

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