LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — A sense of stability and decorum: that’s what some parents and teachers want to see at Thursday’s Clark County School District board meeting. This comes as trustees are going to talk about reconsidering the firing of Superintendent Dr. Jesus Jara.
After CCSD trustees voted 4-3 to fire Jara last month, they couldn’t come to an agreement on how to find an interim superintendent and are now set to talk about reconsidering his termination.
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“We just want to see some stability. Who’s going to be our leader?” asked Reuben D'Silva, a teacher at Rancho High School.
D’Silva says the back-and-forth creates a perception of instability and chaos in leadership, and it’s essential to have a superintendent in place — whether it’s Jara or someone else.
“That’s the individual we look to for leadership. That’s the person we look to, to set off a course or vision for the school district,” D'Silva said.
Nevada PTA president Rebecca Garcia says the bickering and dysfunction of the board are already frustrating parents.
“The number one question I’ve received since the October 28 board meeting is 'how do we replace the entire board of trustees?'" she said.
She says many parents want to see a professional business meeting with decorum among the trustees. They’re also frustrated about the lack of clear answers on Jara’s standing.
“There’s a lot of questions about the lack of information that’s been shared," Garcia said, "and different trustees speaking out, sharing bits and pieces sometimes leads to more confusion, I think."
Parent David Gomez feels personal agendas have taken over the trustees instead of focusing on what’s best for the students.
“It’s like an earthquake. You don’t know when the aftershock is coming. They are doing this to each other and they’re hurting us in the long run. They’re not thinking about us,” he said.
RELATED: Clark County School District trustees make no decision on naming interim superintendent
CCSD board president Linda Cavazos says the concerns over trustee behavior are warranted. She said she apologizes for it and she’s pushing for professional conduct on the dais.
“We can respectfully and with decorum discuss the differences, and my bottom line would be to make a decision and be able to live with that decision,” she said.
She also understands the frustration of not being able to give answers on why Jara was terminated. Because he was terminated for convenience, trustees couldn’t legally speak on why he was fired under advisement from the board counsel, Cavazos said.
“We don’t want to go into details and perhaps be pushed into a corner where there will be confidential information,” she said.
13 Action News did reach out to Dr. Jara for comment but didn’t hear back by deadline. The trustees' next board meeting is scheduled for Thursday at 5 p.m.
