LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Students at Basic Academy of International Studies in Henderson walked out of classes on Friday morning as part of an organized protest amid ongoing conflict between the Clark County School District and the union representing district teachers.
District officials confirmed the student-led protest in an emailed statement to Channel 13 on Friday afternoon.
"The District supports all students who are willing to take the time to research important issues and express their opinions civilly and peacefully," Principal Gerald Bustamante wrote in an email to parents. "However, we encourage our students to exercise their rights without affecting their class and instruction time as it disrupts their education."
CCSD is required by law to report any student who does not attend or walks out of school as "unexcused" unless their parent or guardian excuses them from attendance, Bustamante added.
Messages written in chalk on sidewalks near the high school expressed support for teachers. Chalk messages included phrases like "pay our teachers," "help the teachers" and "love our teachers."
This comes amid a wave of "mass sickouts" impacting schools across the valley. In the past week, at least seven schools canceled classes due to unexpected shortages of staff. Other schools saw significant unanticipated shortages of staff, but didn't cancel classes.
In Nevada, it is illegal for public employees to go on strike. Instead, employers and unions must enter arbitration if they cannot agree on contract terms.
CCSD recently moved to take its negotiations with the Clark County Education Association to arbitration and filed for an injunction against the union over the sickouts.
A district court judge granted the injunction, finding that the sickouts were "clearly a strike," and the Nevada Supreme Court upheld that ruling on appeal.
CCEA has claimed it has no involvement in the teacher call-outs.
"We think the judge got it wrong in terms of suggesting the CCEA, based on circumstantial evidence, was part of an organized effort to have some coordinated sickouts. We never have, never will," said executive director John Vellardita.
This comes after five more schools saw "high numbers" of unexpected teacher absences on Friday, including J. E. Manch Elementary School, Kenneth Divich Elementary School, William E. Orr Middle School, Theron L. Swainston Middle School, and Desert Oasis High School.
"...we had no teachers, maybe about 12 teachers in total around the whole school," Desert Oasis High School student Makana Apana told Channel 13. "They were throwing eight classes into the theater, maybe eight to 10 classes into the gym."
Since Sept. 8, at least seven schools have canceled classes due to unexpected shortages of teachers. Those include:
