CCSD-CCEA contract roadblock
The day started like every other school day for the Busby family in Henderson: Wake up the kids, get them ready for school and maybe grab a bite to eat before hustling out the door.
Mom takes their eighth-grader to Mannion Middle School before heading to her job at an orthodontics office. The family’s fifth-, third- and first-graders walk to the nearby bus stop.
But the routine was unexpectedly altered Wednesday morning.
Dad Cameron Busby’s phone rang about 7:40 a.m. with a recorded message from Principal Meaghan McGowan of Ulis Newton Elementary School on Greenway Road in Henderson.
Newton would be the latest school in the Clark County School District to cancel classes for the day because of teachers calling out sick. A Clark County School District spokesman said 71% of the school’s teachers had called out sick as of 8 a.m.
“Please do not send your children to campus today, Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023,” McGowan said in the message. “There are an unexpected number of licensed staff (and) teachers absent from school today, and we have made the difficult decision to not have school today.”
Similar messages have been received by other families across CCSD during the past two weeks. Nine schools have been shuttered for a day because of teachers calling out sick as the Clark County School District and the Clark County Education Association teachers union remain deadlocked in contract negotiations.
In a hearing Wednesday in Clark County District Court, a judge ruled those mass call-outs are illegal. Penalties under state law can include termination or suspension of employees taking part and hefty financial penalties for the union and its employees and officers.
Judge Crystal Eller issued an injunction blocking teachers from participating in staged sickouts, saying they amount to a strike.
Strikes by government employees, including public school teachers, are illegal in Nevada. The law defines “strike” broadly to include work stoppages, slowdowns, sickouts and interference with operations.
For families like the Busbys, the ruling comes a day late.
The last-minute school closure called for some gymnastics in managing child care and attempting to explain to grade-schoolers why their teacher didn’t show up.
Busby said he was fortunate he and his wife have jobs that allowed them to adjust their work schedules. Busby was able to leave early from his job at Western Elite — a waste management company — and his wife took a long lunch to care for the kids.
But not everyone is so lucky.
“I certainly feel more for those that are in positions and jobs that are not as flexible as mine and my wife’s are, and if you have younger children who really need constant care, it’s a tough situation,” Busby said.
But Busby was sympathetic toward the teachers. They are in a tight spot because they play a critical role in educating and caring for the children but can’t strike for better wages, he said.
Parents and students are caught in the crossfire of the ongoing contract battle, he said.
“Obviously they’re educators, but also they play a critical role in just child care and allowing other work to get done. … I certainly support them in getting what they need to be valued at and to get the type of compensation and needs that they have met,” Busby said. “It’s just a tough situation when obviously it impacts other people as well.”
The city of Henderson stepped in Wednesday to host “Battle Born Kids” at the Black Mountain Recreation Center, which is adjacent to Newton. The program had a $27 fee, which covered staffing and food costs, for drop-in for the day. Financial assistance was available.
And when Linda Givens Elementary School closed because of sickouts last week in Las Vegas, Veterans Memorial Leisure Center hosted a “No School Fun Day” program. There was a $15 charge, but families who couldn’t pay weren’t turned away, city officials said. About 25 children who attend Givens Elementary participated.
Las Vegas City Councilwoman Victoria Seaman said officials were able to activate the program at a moment’s notice because they already had the protocol in place from when it operated during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“(The city of Las Vegas) immediately went to work and brought these kids to our facilities,” said Seaman, whose ward encompasses Givens Elementary. “I think that these are great programs to help parents that need to work. … It’s super important.”
The closures mean one less day of learning in a district where chronic absenteeism has been prevalent since students returned to in-person learning in early 2021 after months of remote learning because of the pandemic.
The chronic absenteeism rate was 36% districtwide in the 2022-23 school year, or about half of the percent of teachers who called out Wednesday at Newton. Chronic absenteeism is defined as missing 10% or more of enrolled school days — excused or unexcused.
It’s such a glaring problem that CCSD earlier this month launched its Every Day Matters campaign to emphasize the importance of daily attendance in achievement. At schools such as Newton, teachers stress to parents during orientation the importance of getting their children to class.
While Busby said Wednesday’s closure at Newton wouldn’t negatively affect his family’s finances, he also understands other parents at Newton could have lost out on wages, especially those who are hourly workers or rely on tips.
But one day of a “minor inconvenience” is a small price to pay if the teachers can send a “powerful message” to the district, he said.
“If one day of struggle helps the cause, helps get things moving in the right direction (and) make sure that teachers are taken care of, that’s kind of a burden that I think we will gladly carry for a day,” Busby said. “Hopefully a deal can be made and things get figured out so that those who don’t have some of the flexibility that my wife and I have that they’re able to get their needs met, but also make sure that the teachers are taken care of.”
The Sun’s Hillary Davis contributed to this story.
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