School district layoffs spark protest

Formally dressed students playing trumpets, violins and guitars brought mariachi music to the air-conditioned lobby of the Greer Education Center during a break in the Clark County School Board meeting Thursday.

In the 90-degree heat outside, horns were blaring too.

Passing motorists on Flamingo Road tapped their car horns in support of picketing Clark County School District employees, who were protesting district layoffs.

Twenty carpenters, cafeteria workers, permanent substitute teachers and bus drivers blasted what they described as administrative secretiveness, cronyism and a take-it-or-leave-it approach to demotions and job reassignments taking place because of revenue shortfalls.

"They're messing with people's lives," said Darrell Bako, a carpenter. "They don't even care."

Autumn Tampa, a permanent substitute teacher who is being demoted to a special education assistant, added, "We're here to let them know we're not going away quietly."

After the School Board meeting, Bill Garis, district deputy human resources officer, said he was unaware of the protesters and declined to respond to criticisms about the human resources department's "lack of transparency."

District Superintendent Walt Rulffes said officials were following guidelines negotiated by the unions, including the Education Support Employees Association, which organized the protest.

"Having to do a reduction in force is extremely distressing," Rulffes acknowledged. "We too believe the (reduction in force) process in the contract has flaws, but the district is obliged to follow the union contract. We will work with the union for improvements in the process, but I hope it's never needed again."

Because of the state's reductions to the anticipated education budget and a shortfall in tax revenues, the district is cutting 854 positions, including 592 support staff, 209 teachers or licensed personnel, and 53 administrators.

Ruben Murillo, president of the Clark County Education Association, which represents teachers, said this is the first time in his 22 years with the district that school employees have had to be laid off.

That might have resulted in a lack of familiarity with the process, which has contributed to the confusion over how jobs are supposed to be eliminated and how employees are to be reassigned.

Bo Yealy, president of the Education Support Employees Association, said administration failed to organize meetings with staff and was slow to provide employee seniority lists. She accused administrators of trying to manipulate the system to save positions for favored employees.

As picketers grew red in the afternoon heat, the student mariachi band inside the education center played songs about avocados and kings.

Contact reporter James Haug at jhaug @reviewjournal.com or 702-374-7917.