LV schools official is accused of racial slurs

Terry Webster

Friday, Sept. 22, 2000 | 11:05 a.m.

A top Clark County School District official involved in investigating racial slurs has himself been accused of making derogatory remarks about minorities.

Discrimination lawsuits filed by four current and former employees include allegations that the education official has a history of making off-color remarks about Hispanics, Asian-Americans, Arab-Americans and blacks.

In sworn statements and court documents, the employees claim the slurs were made by Edward Goldman, assistant superintendent of administrative operations and staff relations.

Local attorney Richard Segerblom, who filed all of the lawsuits, pointed them out in light of recent racial slur controversies in the district. Using graphic language, the lawsuits reference incidents that allegedly took place over the past several years.

Goldman vehemently denies the allegations.

"Segerblom can say whatever he wants in his lawsuits, and all of his allegations are lies," Goldman said. "I'm willing to submit to a polygraph and I'd like to see if all of them are willing to do the same."

Goldman said he believes the issue is being raised now as an attempt to ruin his quest for a seat on the state Board of Education. Further, he questions why complaints were not filed at the time of the alleged incidents.

Superintendent Carlos Garcia, who leads the sixth-largest school district in the nation, called the allegations against Goldman "ridiculous."

"If it can be proven, let's go to court," Garcia said. "It's hitting below the belt and this is not a fair way to bring it up."

Garcia faced public ridicule at the end of July for his approach to condemning racism during a radio talk show. He issued a public apology and was told by the Clark County School Board to never again use the derogatory term.

Over the past two weeks two teachers have been accused of using the same racial slur in different contexts. Goldman had input in mediating both of the cases.

One of the teachers was transferred to another school and disciplined. School officials would not comment on the punishment. An investigation is continuing into the other incident.

When asked if the sworn statements about Goldman merit an investigation, school district attorney Bill Hoffman declined to comment.

The lawsuits have piqued the interest of Gary Peck, executive director of the local American Civil Liberties Union.

"Based on the information I have, I am concerned about the allegations," Peck said. "They are troubling. I certainly hope the school district has aggressively and thoroughly investigated the allegations to determine whether they are true."

In April Segerblom filed a lawsuit for Manuel Madrid, claiming he was demoted from principal to assistant principal because he is Hispanic.

The lawsuit, which names the school district and Goldman, prompted the district to file a counter-lawsuit against Madrid and a group of Hispanic administrators. The countersuit claims they concocted a plan to have Goldman fired.

Goldman is seeking punitive damages from the group.

The countersuit alleges Madrid and the administrators met with Garcia to "wrongfully influence Garcia from keeping Goldman in his current position" and to "prejudice Goldman's relationship with Garcia."

According to Madrid, the meeting centered on making improvements in the district.

Peck says the countersuit appears to be retaliation.

"If the information I've been given is true, I find it particularly disturbing that the school district seems to be retaliating against people who make complaints and file lawsuits over alleged discrimination," Peck said.

But Hoffman defended the district's countersuit, saying that employees have the right to full legal protection when they are sued. He declined further comment, noting that the issue deals with pending litigation.

Three additional Segerblom clients allege in their lawsuits that Goldman made slurs on various occasions.

According to Michael Slater, the executive director of the Las Vegas Interfaith Council for Worker Justice, the entire scenario is ironic.

"There's a certain irony to someone investigating complaints about racial bias when he has been the subject of those complaints himself," Slater said. "It certainly raises questions about the district's judgment and it gives an indication of the things they want to try to hide."

After Garcia's gaffe in July, the district endured a second racial slur incident on Sept. 6, when a Charles I. West Middle School teacher was accused of using racial slurs.

Goldman said the teacher admitted to using racial slurs, but maintained that she meant no harm. The teacher was transferred to Johnson Middle School and was disciplined, said school officials, who would give no other details.

On Sept. 15 -- the same day Garcia issued a memo about zero tolerance for racial slurs -- a teacher at Sunrise Acres Elementary School was accused of using racial slurs.

The school district did not release the names of the teachers.