Las Vegas teacher shares struggle with uptick in CCSD student violence

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Safety is under scrutiny after a series of violent attacks against CCSD students and a staff member on various campuses have raised concerns for many parents and teachers.

Rueben D’Silva, a teacher at Rancho High School, says coming to work is getting harder and harder each day. He signed up to teach and guide these students, not to break up fights and deal with violent attacks on a regular basis.

There have been several incidents within a span of a week. A Las Vegas High School student hit repeatedly in the middle of a classroom, an assault at a bus stop for Mohave High School students, and a Legacy High School student attacking a secretary.

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D’Silva says he is seeing these attacks at his school, too. He says students’ safety in the classroom is now at risk. Even his calmest and best students in class are acting up and getting in fights.

“Here at Rancho, we have had an increase of school hall security monitors and I have seen an increase in the amount of school police at events, especially after school events where we have had issues with fights occurring,” D’Silva said.

In terms of more law enforcement on campus, he says that issue is being addressed, but he says it goes far beyond that. He says being cooped up during this pandemic may be contributing to this behavior. D’Silva says the district needs to bring in mental health experts to help.

MORE: Clark County School District students looking to put focus on mental health

“We are seeing this physical lashing out of students upon one another and even against staff and faculty — it’s a very dangerous place for young people and even staff and faculty,” D’Silva said.

At this time, CCSD police are not doing interviews, but 13 Action News spoke with Lt. Bryan Zink over the phone. He says more officers and hall monitors will be hired and trained to help address these situations. He says media can be misleading and discouraging for families and students.

“The school system is one of the safest places for our young people," D'Silva said. "We have people who care about them deeply here, teachers, administrators, the staff here and there is no place safer than these schools in our community."

Zink says at this time police will not be placing cameras in classrooms; they only have them in common areas. He says an officer academy will be held on Monday, Feb. 21 to help bring in about 10 to 15 officers for CCSD Police.