West Las Vegas group charges discrimination in school district

Terry Webster

Tuesday, Oct. 5, 1999 | 10:47 a.m.

A community activist group known for making wake-up calls is giving one to the Clark County School District.

But their complaints are drawing a busy signal from school officials, who say the group's allegations are invalid.

The West Side Action Alliance Korp -- Uplifting People (WAAK-UP) is sending letters to federal and state agencies that accuse the district of discrimination in areas ranging from school construction to religion.

WAAK-UP spokeswoman Marzette Lewis said she began firing off a series of letters Friday detailing the allegations. Attached is a petition bearing 72 signatures.

"I'm always filing something," said Lewis, an activist for the at-risk and minority communities.

She claims the goings-on are being suppressed.

"We're not going to get it out over these mountains unless we fax it somewhere because nobody wants it to affect tourism," Lewis said.

The letter states the group has repeatedly approached school leaders about several concerns but has received no satisfaction. It goes on to list five key areas of concern:

Mary Peterson, superintendent of public instruction for the state Department of Education, was surprised when she saw the letter.

"I wouldn't say it's common," Peterson said. "I've heard rumblings of this kind of dissatisfaction, but this is the first time I have received a letter like this."

WAAK-UP is sending additional letters to the U.S. Department of Education, the governor, state senators and other officials.

Based on the nature of the complaint, Peterson feels it should be handled by the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

"I do not see us having a role investigating this unless Civil Rights asks us to," she said.

Meanwhile school officials refute WAAK-UP's claims.

"Our position is that if you look at it, none of this really holds any water," Clark County Schools Superintendent Brian Cram said. Thomas Rodriguez, executive manager of the school district's Diversity and Affirmative Action Programs, said the district is a state leader in diversity.

"About 23.6 percent of all permanent, regular employees are minority," he said.

Rodriguez also said the district's diversity spans across the board and into upper-level management.

"In administration at the top level, 30.9 percent are minorities," he said. "I don't think anyone else is even remotely close to that figure."

A workforce with a diversity is more likely to be sensitive to those issues, Rodriguez said.

Lewis disagrees.

"I'm sick of the district continuing to give crumbs to the at-risk community," she said.

Lewis also charges that a disproportionate number of key people in the district -- namely administrators and committee members -- are involved in the Mormon Church.

Rodriguez said employees are not questioned about their religion and as a result no data is kept in that area.

"I don't know where she would get that information from," he said. Another topic that angers Lewis is school construction.

"For every bond that has passed, there has not been one school in West Las Vegas," she said. "We're not getting anything for our tax dollar. Our tax dollars are going to other areas of the school district. The rich have the power. It's as simple as that."

Cram said it isn't that simple. Nor is it true.

"We built a new middle school and a new elementary school on the west side within the past five years," Cram said, adding that Madison Elementary School was recently chosen to be rebuilt.

"We've renovated some of the schools and we will be doing more," he said.

Still, Lewis presses on, claiming that West Las Vegas needs a high school.

"We will never improve economically because no one wants to move to an area where there is no high school," Lewis said. "Our kids are bused all over the city."

West Las Vegas is an unofficial designation for the area west of Interstate 15 between Bonanza Road and the North Las Vegas city limits.

Lewis believes the district doesn't want some areas to improve.

"They've got to do it to someone," she said. "The children not graduating is by design. Not having new schools is by design."

Lewis said her research shows that 65 percent of special education students are minorities or children from low-income families.

"We have found that the income level of a family is a good indicator of how well a student scores in school," Cram said, adding that disabilities can be linked to income level as well.

"Pre-natal care, good nutrition and care during pregnancy are difficult to obtain for low-income families," he said.

Lewis, who also wants to see more minority firms serving the district, said she won't be satisfied until state and federal agencies conduct a full investigation.