LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — There are concerns over a possible walkout on Tuesday that could have Clark County School District employees taking part.
The reason for the potential walkout: CCSD trustees approving an employee COVID-19 vaccine mandate last week.
“This is going to be a disaster and the trustees didn’t see that coming when they made their decisions.”
David Gomez is worried about the impact of a possible walkout involving some CCSD employees. It’s a protest over the district’s vaccine mandate. Gomez has several kids in the district and is worried about them getting to school.
“Say our kids get on the bus, well, there might not be a bus that day. Well, we have to go to work, and when we have to go to work, we have to choose,” he said.
He fears his kids won’t have teachers in the classroom and didn’t believe the trustees thought their decision through in approving the mandate.
“I need my child to be educated at this point and the bureaucratic red tape issues are going to hurt them,” he said.
Ryan Fromoltz, a CCSD teacher says he doesn’t agree with the walkout. He says teachers who call out sick in protest could be punished by the district for abusing their sick days.
“So, a lot of people have to be careful about how they use their days. That’s why a lot of teachers are not going to take part in this, and I don’t know of one teacher that is taking part in this.”
The district already acknowledges a shortage of employees with about 800 classroom positions needing to be filled. Fromoltz believes any walkout would make the problem worse.
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“It compounds an issue that we don’t have enough people who work for CCSD. We need to consider better employment, better pay, and better benefits for all people,” he said.
However, he says parents should take their kids to school themselves just in case and many teachers will still show up for work.
“School will operate like normal. There won’t be any disruptions. Students are going to get taught. They’re going to get their education,’ he said.
Gomez says he’ll be getting his kids to school himself for at least a day, but suggests parents call the bus yard.
“The bus yard is going to tell them, whether they have enough staff to pick up their children number one. I know they’ll be an influx of calls for the bus yard,” he said.
It remains to be seen how many CCSD employees decide to call out sick Tuesday in protest.
