LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Five Clark County schools experienced "high numbers" of unexpected teacher absences on Friday morning, though school officials say each campus would remain open.
These schools included J. E. Manch Elementary School, Kenneth Divich Elementary School, William E. Orr Middle School, Theron L. Swainston Middle School, and Desert Oasis High School.
Joe Moeller talked with students, family, and the CCEA Executive Director John Vellardita about how the teacher absences are impacting education and negotiations.
This news comes after a Clark County judge granted an injunction against the Clark County Education Association on Wednesday. During a hearing, the judge found that the recent wave of "mass sickouts" affecting schools across the valley constituted a "strike," which is illegal for teachers in Nevada.
On Thursday, the teachers' union executive director said they are not involved.
"We are complying with the order, but totally disagree with it...we think the judge got it wrong in terms of suggesting the CCEA based on circumstantial evidence was part of and organized effort to have some coordinated sick outs, we never have never will," Vellardita said.
Anchor-Reporter Joe Moeller stopped by Desert Oasis High School Friday to ask students and parents about teacher absences altering school procedures for the day.
"What as different was, we had no teachers maybe about 12 teachers in total around the whole school and they was throwing eight classes into the theater and maybe 8 to 10 classes into the gym," Makana Apana, Desert Oasis student, said.
Morris Apana, a Desert Oasis parent, stated his concerns for seniors preparing for college.
"It is kind of reckless for the kids, especially for the seniors— they got to get going because it is college in a couple of months."
While a grandparent, Frank Cobus, noted:
"What can you do, you can't put them outside you can't send them home because of the requirements everyone is tied in the middle. I am looking to see what is going to happen because we can't lose the union, I understand man."
Clark County School District also declared an "impasse" in its ongoing contract dispute with the teachers union earlier this week, saying arbitration was the "only way forward" for negotiations.
WHAT'S NEXT? CCEA was last in arbitration in 2018, and that took 18 months. Will that happen again this year?
So far this month, the county has seen eight schools forced to cancel classes due to the unexpected shortages of staff — four of which occurred on Tuesday.
The teachers' union has continued to deny any involvement in the absences. An appeal of the injunction was also filed to the Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday.
