Author of CCSD reorganization bill to run for school board

David Gardner, a former Republican Nevada assemblyman who sponsored the 2015 legislation that led to the reorganization of the Clark County School District, announced Monday he’s running for school board.

Gardner will run for the District F seat in 2018, representing the southwest part of the Las Vegas Valley. The seat is held by Carolyn Edwards, who cannot run for re-election because of term limits.

“For far too long we have seen Nevada struggle to properly educate students within our K-12 system especially in the Las Vegas Valley. For years, I have fought hard to ensure that our children have the best education possible,” Gardner said in a statement announcing his run.

The Clark County reorganization bill was a key piece of legislation during Gardner’s 2014-16 term in the Assembly. Despite lawsuits and other setbacks, the school district is unveiling the program — which aims to put more decision-making in the hands of principals and school communities — when school resumes next week for the 2017-18 year.

In the statement, Gardner said the school board has continued to resist the changes passed in 2015 and strengthened in 2017.

“This can no longer be tolerated and new voices must take the place on the school board who are committed to give principals, teachers and support staff the tools they need to successfully educate the students in Clark County,” he said.

Gardner, who lost his bid for re-election to the Assembly to Democrat Steve Yeager, is an attorney by trade. His wife, Melissa, is former teacher in the district and serve’s on Blue Diamond Elementary School’s school organizational team. The couple have four children, soon to be five, and two of them attend Blue Diamond.

Contact Meghin Delaney at 702-383-0281 or mdelaney@reviewjournal.com. Follow @MeghinDelaney on Twitter.