LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A racially charged comment by the head of the Clark County teachers union is fanning the flames of a growing controversy over inequitable pay for veteran teachers in the new teacher contract.
Details of the race-based remark are contained in a complaint obtained by 13 Investigates.
The document was filed this past fall with a state labor relations board during the teacher contract battle.
The records filed with the State of Nevada Government Employee-Management Relations Board show the Clark County School District wanted to place all teachers on the proposed new salary schedule based on their years of service and education, which meant a one-time adjustment — called a lookback — for veteran teachers.
CCEA vs. CCSD complaint to NV Government Employee-Management Relations Board by aroberts.news on Scribd
The recently approved contract does provide significant across-the-board raises for all teachers, but it does not align veteran teacher pay with new hires who have the same education and experience.
13 Investigates spoke to Supt. Dr. Jesus Jara about that discrepancy last month.
DR. JESUS JARA: We had an opportunity to do right by our veterans. And our first proposal that we provided to our teachers' union was to really go back and do a lookback and address all these inequities. That's not what happened.
DARCY SPEARS: Why did that get scrapped?
JARA: You can't ask me. You've got to ask the teachers' union. Mr. Vellardita was the negotiator.
In the labor board records, Clark County Education Association executive director John Vellardita said the union opposed the one-time adjustment/lookback because "it would only benefit white suburban teachers."
That does not take into account the many minority veteran teachers working throughout the Clark County School District.
The document further says CCEA "never walked back the racially inappropriate basis for opposing the one-time adjustment/lookback."
CCSD sent us a statement Wednesday afternoon which says:
"Nevada and federal law forbid race-based discrimination by local government employers or unions. We presume the CCEA board will have to explain to teachers and the community if they stand by Mr. Vellardita's statement."
The union did not respond to our request for comment.
When 13 Investigates previously asked about the lookback, a union spokesperson said the "CCEA contract agenda was based on a survey taken in December 2022 where several thousand members indicated what they want in their contract. The key demands we settled on reflected that survey. At no time in that survey was there any discussion about some look back."
