CCSD meeting adjourns after CCEA teacher protest

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – Hundreds of teachers protested inside and outside the Clark County School District Education Center interrupting the CCSD trustee meeting on Thursday shortly before 6 p.m.

Organizers said nearly 4,000 teachers showed up at the board meeting upset over the state of contract negotiations.

At one point on Thursday evening school board trustee members left the room as protesters could be heard chanting “No contract, no peace!”

“It’s incredibly frustrating that we have to do this every two years, you the trustees are acting like gatekeepers for money that’s been passed by our legislators,” Jessica Jones expressed.

The meeting took two brief recesses and a man had to be escorted out by police.

The school board then resumed, tabled a few items on their agenda for future meetings, and adjourned for the day just before 6:30 p.m.

Teacher rallies have been held throughout the valley at school campuses all week as the union continues to negotiate a contract.

“We have teachers who’ve been working for 10 years like myself. Who’ve seen very little in terms of the wages and the pay increase,” Reuben D’Silva said.

Lawmakers invested an additional 2.3 billion into public education this past legislative session.

The Clark County Education Association wants teachers to receive a 10% raise in the first year of the contract and an 8% raise in the second year.

The school district wants to give teachers a 7% raise in the first year of the contract and a 1% in the following year.

“They’re being disingenuous, with the offer they’re providing because our educators can’t live off of what they’re offering,” Marie Niesess told 8 News Now at the protest. “It’s unacceptable.”

The CCEA has given CCSD until Aug. 26 to reach a contract agreement.

CCSD released the following statement following the CCEA’s protest.

Everyone has the right to express themselves peacefully, but they do not have the right to block traffic, disrupt the business proceedings of a public body, or prevent public agency operations through “work actions.”

Since we began negotiations, the leadership of CCEA has continued their bad-faith efforts to bully the school district into accepting their financially questionable proposals that would put District finances into a deficit. As stewards of the public trust and dollars, we cannot agree to put the District in financial jeopardy which will ultimately hurt our students and adults. 

Our educators deserve a raise and an equitable salary schedule, and we will continue advocating for both as long as negotiations continue. Getting our teachers their raises can only occur at the bargaining table, not by disrupting businesses, meetings, or traffic. 

CCSD stands ready to negotiate. CCEA should do its members’ business and join us at the table.

The Clark County School District