Schools report on caucus aftermath

Clean up your mess.

Put things back where you found them.

Play fair.

Those key lessons everybody learned in kindergarten were often ignored by presidential caucus and campaign organizers at many of the 257 Clark County School District sites used by Democrats and Republicans on Jan. 19.

In the aftermath of Nevada's shining moment on the national political stage, district officials surveyed building administrators about how well caucus organizers adhered to facility use guidelines laid out for them in advance.

The input from 176 administrators was a mixed bag, said Joyce Haldeman, associate superintendent of government and community relations.

Some principals reported no problems at all. Others had to call in school police.

"The responses really were mixed," Haldeman said last week. "The biggest conflicts arose at schools where there had been no advance contact from organizers, which led to chaos on the day of the caucus."

One hundred administrators surveyed said no one from either party contacted them prior to caucus day. Of the respondents, 39 percent reported minor problems, 22 percent deemed the effort disorganized, and 2 percent reported property damage and threatened lawsuits.

Fourteen percent of administrators surveyed described the caucuses as "well organized."

At Sierra Vista High School, campaign workers tried to stake signs in the grass and staple them to trees although they'd been told not to do so.

Caucus participants at Twitchell Elementary School ignored the no food or drink rule and served coffee in the library, spilling it in the process and littering the room with used cups. Candidate stickers also were left stuck to tables, chairs and student desks.

School police were called to Greenspun Middle School to handle a fistfight between two women. They offered no details about the incident.

And at multiple campuses, administrators who tried to explain to smokers that smoking wasn't allowed in school were met with belligerence and profanity.

"There were several caucus participants who were smoking on campus (in the courtyard and in the hallways)," one high school administrator wrote in the survey comment section. "I had to remind the participants at least three times over the PA system that smoking was not allowed on CCSD property."

A second high school reported calling school police to deal with smokers who refused to put out their cigarettes.

"The political parties needed to be made aware of the guidelines we were given," one frustrated elementary school administrator wrote. "No one seemed to know what they could or couldn't do."

For Spring Valley High School Principal Bob Gerye, the issues that arose on caucus day say more about society in general than they do about the political process. The disrespect for public property, the lack of courtesy and bad language are things he sees all the time.

"If you hold anything at a school, an athletic event or voting, you hear it," Gerye said Friday. "If the line is long, people are going to complain."

Spring Valley did have some issues that arose out of the disorganization of organizers, but Gerye said that was largely because this was a first-time event. People weren't aware of the rules that had been passed on by the district to both parties, especially the ones regarding signage and food.

All that was exacerbated by a high number of caucus participants, Gerye said.

"I think it's a function of training," Gerye said. "They need to do more."

Haldeman said the district is preparing bills for both political parties. While the state mandated that schools be available as caucus sites, the district can recover the costs of staffing, maintenance and damages.

One of the reasons for doing the survey was to provide lawmakers with information on how the caucuses went, Haldeman said. If caucuses are held again, then officials at all levels will have a better idea of what to expect.

"Overall, I found that this was a good experience," Haldeman said, noting that many principals had positive comments about how smoothly things went.

"What I intend to do is put together a report for both parties and have it ready for legislators."

Not all those surveyed agreed that caucuses should be repeated. One exasperated elementary school principal suggested a change: "Don't go with a caucus -- go with a primary."

Contact reporter Lisa Kim Bach at lbach@reviewjournal.com or (702) 383-0287.