Students in Clark County public schools will not be returning to the classroom for the start of the new school year, if a new recommendation from district staff to the School Board is approved.
School Board members will meet for a special meeting beginning at 4 p.m. Tuesday to hear and discuss the recommendation.
“As the health and safety of our students, families and staff remains our top priority, and due to the continuous increases of COVID-19 positive cases, the distance education option is currently the most responsible course of action,” a news release posted today on the Clark County School District website reads.
Superintendent Jesus Jara is expected to provide additional information about the recommendation at the meeting, which is scheduled to take place via teleconference. A livestream of the meeting will be available at www.ccsd.net.
CCSD public information specialist Bryan Callahan said, "The board will ultimately be the one that votes on which type of learning they want to go to."
In a Facebook post Monday, School Board Vice President Linda Cavazos expressed which way she is leaning.
"I hope that we can make the only logical and safe decision for reopening our schools — full online for now, with some possible flexibility options for our special-needs kids, then perhaps re-evaluate when the numbers change in a better direction," she said.
Cavazos said news of school athletes and employees testing positive for coronavirus influenced her decision to push for distance learning. She said five of her friends have died from coronavirus, one of whom was a teacher.
“You could say we’re testing more people, but when you see the number of people being hospitalized and going on ventilators, that are having long-term effects ... I don’t want to lose even one person,” she said.
In response to CCSD's statement, School Board President Lola Brooks said it was important to consider the health and safety of students and staff.
"I realize that many people are apprehensive of distance education since schools closed abruptly without allowing staff or students to be prepared for the shift. I trust our education professionals and families to adjust if given more time to do so," she said.
The region's largest teachers union recently surveyed more than 11,000 teachers and found that 74% prefer full-time online distance learning. The Clark County Education Association sent the survey results to CCSD Monday morning.
“We’re taking a pretty strong position that nobody should be back in those buildings,” said union Executive Director John Vellardita.
Kaydriana Asher, a 16-year-old student at Green Valley High School and coronavirus survivor, agrees, for now.
“I would like to see if hopefully in the future we are able to have in-person classes if all precautions are taken,” Asher said.
Abigail Figiera, whose daughter attends Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, said remote learning is functional for subjects such as math, English and science, but performing arts present more of a challenge.
"For my daughter at an arts school, the reverse would work better — you really can't do theater, dance and music classes online," she said.
Vicki Kreidel, president of the National Education Association of Southern Nevada, another local union, said many teachers remain concerned about possibly having to sign a liability waiver for COVID-19 exposure in the workplace before returning to school.
“The signing of a liability waiver seems to be a real possibility. NEA stands in strong opposition to such a liability waiver,” she said.
Kreidel also hopes the Tuesday meeting yields more clarity about whether teachers will work from home or teach online from their physical classrooms.
The district says that licensed professionals, administrators and support professionals will report for a two-week period beginning Aug. 5 to prepare for the start of school Aug. 24. The two-week period “will be utilized to provide professional learning to maximize the distance education experience,” the district said.
The district’s initial plan called for two days of in-person learning and three days online each week, in part to allow schools to be disinfected on days when students are not present.
Public comments on the recommendation can be made via email to [email protected] before 1 p.m. Tuesday.