Running head: Artifact #1 for EDU 210-2001 1

Artifact #1 for EDU 210-2001

Kerriebah Bedonie

College of Southern Nevada

Author Note:

Understanding and identifying the current local governance framework and the role and

responsibilities of the Clark County’s School Board.

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On October 22nd of 2015 Clark County School District conducted a regular meeting of

the Board of School Trustees. The meeting started at 4:00pm and was adjourn at 9:41pm.

Throughout the five hour meeting I found four main issues that I felt were relatable to what I am

learning in education law. I also found five reports that I would consider the main highlights of

the board meeting. Lastly in the meeting I found one major issue that continuously popped up

though out the whole meeting that I feel is the most interesting issue of them all.

The first main issue I found is based on the teachers and supportive staff. In the meeting

many teachers and supportive staff of CCSD all had strong opinions and tragic experiences of

pay freezes. Some teachers were even under a three year pay freeze which I found outrageous

because many teachers and support staff strongly express the struggle to support themselves as

well as their families during these pay freezes. Some teachers and support staff that have been

working for the school districted for many years feel disrespected and overlooked because they

have experienced rare small pay increases and have seen that bonuses goes to new hires. The

lingering feeling of disrespect in the air has created a hostile work environment for some CCSD

employees and have caused many teachers to leave their jobs and create long-term substitutes in

schools. Long-term substitutes, disrespected teachers, and unwanted problems for CCSD staff

don’t really have any positive effect on the students.

The second main issue I found is the healthcare and retirement. Many CCSD staff have

commit on the increase in health care benefits costs saying that the increases is too great that it is

like they only work to pay for healthcare. Many teachers addressed that the increase in the

contributions to healthcare benefits, and PERS (Public Employees' Retirement System of

Nevada) is making it hard for them to survive on their paycheck let alone try to advance in life.
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How does the Clark County School District expect to retain their current teachers when other

states offer their teachers raises and much more?

The third main issue I found in the board meeting is the transgender bathrooms. Lately

there is a movement that the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered) group is

supporting and that is the civil right to use sex-segregated spaces in accordance with their gender

identity, for example, that a person who is born biologically male but identifies as a female

should be able to use a girls’ locker room. This movement has created an uproar for students and

parents, and many have express that they are opposed to the ides of mixing bathrooms. Many

parents and students opposed the transgender bathrooms based on the theory that it will cause

many bad, awkward, and traumatic situations that will disrupt student’s peace of mind and

safety.

The forth main issue I found in the board meeting is the Assembly Bill 394. The

Assembly Bill 394 is a bill that creates a committee to break up the CCSD into more parts. Not

many teachers or parents or students had an issue about the bill but many members of the Board

of School Trustees did. Many of the Trustees strongly express that breaking up the school district

more make them feel like someone is taking power from them. As a preschool teacher I

interpreted the situation like toddlers not wanting to share the blocks that they had with others.

There were five reports that I would consider the main highlights of the board meeting

and the first highlight is the student reports. I think the student reports is very important because

it provides the students a chance to start to create their voice to show them that they can be heard

and help change things for the better. The second highlight is Walker Furniture I love how this

business provide so much needed support and encouragement to the students by: art & essay

contest, teacher recognition programs, and new furniture for families in need. The third highlight
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is the Assistance League of Las Vegas. This program is wonderful because it brings new clothing

to the CCSD children in need. Along with the new clothing AL of LV created AL closet where it

provides needed clothing on cite of school for children who need them now. I love how this

program not only provides new clothing but a sense of opportunity and hope to each child in

need. The forth highlight is a new program called Nevada Ready PreK this program will expand

prekindergarten programs in CCSD. I believe that preschool should be mandatory because it

really helps kids prepare for school socially, emotionally, and help increase the cognitive

development. The fifth highlight I found is the commitment to diversity where the school board’s

mission is to try to include all diversities into the school programs. In the meeting some board

member stated that some departments are not diversified and believe that every department

should be balanced in sex, age, and ethnicity. I found all these highlights wonderful because each

highlight I saw had a huge positive impact on the staff, community, and the students.

Finally the one issue I found the most interesting is how much teachers and support staff

feel disrespected and abused. A person can not love and enjoy their job if their work is being

tampered with. I am frighten because I want to be a teacher to help and give kids the joy in

learning and growing but to know that many people walked the same path you do and ended up

in unfortunate situations is heartbreaking. I grew up with the teaching that people who work with

children are truly blessed because the holy people are always around children. Children are the

dreams of many people and their teachers in life are the ones who help shape those dreams.