SCHOOLS:

Slate backed by teachers defeats change agents in rise to board

Friday, Nov. 7, 2008 | 2 a.m.

Change might have ruled the top of the ticket on Election Day, but in races for the Clark County School Board, it was the status quo in a landslide.

Split up district? They disagree (10-11-2008)
Taylor, Garvey advance in school board race (8-12-2008)
Janison advances in District E School Board race (8-12-2008)

All four defeated candidates — Associate Superintendent Edward Goldman, teacher Ron Taylor, retired principal Ronan Matthew and Metro Police officer John Schutt — had pledged to be agents of change. They promised to push for such measures as breaking up the district, overhauling campus security and replacing Superintendent Walt Rulffes as chief executive.

Their victorious opponents — school volunteers Deanna Wright and Chris Garvey, district administrator Linda Young and incumbent Terri Janison — expressed confidence in the current direction of the board and Rulffes’ leadership.

“These School Board races were critical,” said John Jasonek, executive director of the teachers union, which endorsed and campaigned for the winning candidates. “They had the potential of changing the entire direction of the district, and undoing many of the positive relationships we’ve built in the last five or six years.”

The union’s endorsements of the newly elected School Board members likely gives some indication of the candidates’ priorities. For now, don’t expect to hear talk of breaking up the district or a search for a new superintendent.

Young, who is retiring this year as the district’s director of equity and diversity, said Rulffes has done a “fairly good job” of managing the nation’s fifth-largest school district.

Although there’s always room for improvement, and the School Board should demand it, any move to replace Rulffes now would be shortsighted, she said.

“We’ve got a lot of issues going on and our budget is in abysmal disarray,” Young said. “We have somebody who understands the issues and who works well with the Legislature. To pull him out and put somebody else in, I don’t think that would be prudent.”

Instead, the School Board’s primary focus will likely be the budget, which will endure more cuts in the coming months as state tax revenue continues to decline. Among their priorities will be finding a way to cut spending without cutting jobs.

Other issues on members’ radar include the district’s high school dropout rate, the achievement gap among at-risk students, and what many say is an undeserved public image of the district as substandard.

The board has had a largely positive relationship with the teachers union.

Recent joint initiatives between the union and the district include a training program to prepare high school students for careers as educators.

Additionally, the Teachers Health Trust will begin offering coverage to individuals who retire after Jan. 1 funded in part by contributions from the district. The deal was brokered after the district’s employees became ineligible for the state-managed benefits plan.

Jasonek said he wasn’t interested in rehashing why the union supported its slate of candidates. Of Goldman and Matthew, Jasonek would say only “it was our belief they didn’t share our priorities.”

Yet this was the first time that the union put more than token weight behind its endorsement.

“We probably put 25,000 man-hours into these elections,” Jasonek said.

Jasonek said that was necessary given what was at stake. With the district facing another $120 million in budget cuts on top of the $130 million that’s been lost, there’s no time for political theatrics, he said.

Six weeks ago, Jasonek studied the results of a union-commissioned poll on the Clark County School Board races. Incumbent Janison was headed to an easy victory. But in the other three races, at least 50 percent of likely voters said they hadn’t made up their minds.

Fifty-four percent to more than 70 percent said an endorsement from the Clark County Education Association would make them more likely to vote for a candidate.

“The public told us in these polls that our endorsement was meaningful — even among people who did not see us in a warm, favorable light,” Jasonek said. “We decided we could help our candidates by doing more.”

Expect the members they backed to return the favor.

Discussion: 10 comments so far…

By mwh710

11/7/08 at 5:01 a.m.

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What a shame(sham), more of the same o same o blah do nothing - no nothing education we have. Bored housewives with no education about education... - isn't that was has gotten us into this mess? If it were a medical board, I'd want them to have a medical degree. Why would any idiot vote for these women without a clue to lead the 5th largest school district? Because they are the perfect pawns that the ASSociation wants. Las Vegas you have been duped. When the district heads and the ASSociation all want unqualified people to lead, instead of educated qualified people you should have sen the red flag.... SHAM! Now we are stuck with many more years of the McBored housewives Club leading our district into further destruction. Las Vegas, you get what you deserve, the worst district in the nation with the highest paid Administration Casinos can buy. Lets graduate more dish washers.. yeah!!!
By Nevada_Ned

11/7/08 at 7:36 a.m.

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I know Eddie Goldman, and I'm very happy that he lost. He had an antagonistic relationship with the teachers. Any realistic attempt to improve the schools has to work with the teachers, not against them. Education is a labor-intensive industry, and teachers are the labor.
By 2zero

11/7/08 at 3:46 p.m.

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CCSD is a colossal monolithic monopoly!

CCSD is a corrupt, "failing" example of no child left behind! Kids do not get left behind; they get run over by the bus!!!
By CCSDTeacher

11/7/08 at 4:01 p.m.

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"Their victorious opponents -- school volunteers Deanna Wright and Chris Garvey, district administrator Linda Young and incumbent Terri Janison -- expressed confidence in the current direction of the board and Rulffes' leadership."

You've got to be kidding. Uncle Walt, his cronies, and the ineffectual school board have placed us in this mess. Johnny Jerk-off (er... excuse me - Jasonek) is the biggest culprit of them all. Teachers have been duped by the voters and the duplicitous ASSociation's head honchos. It's only matter of time when Garvey and Wright are re-called by the electorate. Our kids, the schools, and teachers will all pay the price for these Soccer Moms and their stupidity. It's really a shame that the voters could not see these women for what they really are: pawns of CCSD, CCEA, and the illiterate electorate.
By bruno

11/7/08 at 4:41 p.m.

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"Slate backed by teachers defeats change agents in rise to board" what that should say is that "Slate backed by anti-teacher organizations defeats change agents in rise to board"

Ms. Richmond you must be smoking crack, either that or you are the most gullible person on the face of the planet. I am truely sick of your constant slant when it comes to reporting teachers and education in this district. You really have no idea what you are talking about other than what you are being spoon fed by the upper administration in your office over there on Sahara!
By PTODAD

11/7/08 at 6:39 p.m.

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When I see them say that these woman were "Teacher Backed" Is so ludicrous. Personally at my child's school, I spoke to over 30 staff and teachers who were eligible to vote and it was like 28 who said they would back Taylor, and 2 who would back Garvey. What brings me to post here is our school principle Ms Murry at Neil Elementary while attending our most recent PTO meeting had the nerve to state that she wanted the PTO to start promoting her belief that all teachers wanted their students and parents to buy them boxes of paper for their class room for CHRISTMAS!!! INSTEAD of giving the teacher gift cards and purchasing gifts from the heart.
EXCUSE ME MS MURRY!! You do not represent the teacher opinions when you try to swing such an insensitive agenda like that! A gift is a gift is certainly has monetary value. and to suggest that the teachers want boxes of paper instead of gifts and or things such as gift cards, is as low as you can go. Are these teachers to take the paper home? Or is it for your use in the school. If it is to be used in the school then it is not truely a gift for the teachers it is a ridicules burden you are putting on the backs of your staff. I actually spoke to no less than 10 teachers and everyone of them thought you have lost you mind, They said in no way are they asking for paper at Christmas. Shame on you for wanting the PTO to do your dirty dead's.
By teacher

11/8/08 at 7:34 a.m.

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The complacency of the public here regarding our low-ranked public education system is obvious. People voted for Garvey because they aren't digging deeper to figure out what's going on beyond the scenes, even though they know teachers keep flying from the district. It's the way many approach their kids' homework: "Well, he told me he did it," or "She always says she doesn't have any," instead of actually looking at the kids' work, before and after it's graded.

I object to the inclusion of Ron Taylor in the "landslide" estimation. He lost by a percent in the Northwest. As a teacher in none of these districts, I could not have supported Goldman, and didn't know much about Matthew, but I was absolutely behind Taylor, who has already done much to point out the need for more honesty, integrity, and transparency in this district.

The public here needs to do something about the unholy trinity of board, administration, and CCEA, which will continue the failing status quo while dumping ever-increasing amounts of work on teachers to show that they are "doing something" about the problem. The teachers will continue to quit. (I was tempted this week, because the "extra" work is endless, and will not let up.)

The public had a chance to change the board, and failed to do so. Maybe next time.

For future reference, do not think that the CCEA supporting a candidate means that that candidate is a good one.

Unfortunately, our local papers fail to dig up much of interest, such as the relationship between Garvey and outgoing board president Ruth Johson. The failure of both local papers to serve the public is a real problem. If you've lived somewhere with a good newspaper, you know what I'm saying. You'll have to do your own homework here.

John Jasonek's "positive relationships" are the ones that enrich him while keeping teachers in a prone position, enduring abuse, poor pay, and workloads with no end. That's what happens when the CCEA becomes an arm of the district. Garvey has promised more of the same. Of course, with Ruth Johnson running her, nothing will change.

Perhaps the public image of the district as substandard comes from the fact that the state consistently ranks 49th in education. If the board and admin concentrated on doing something real about its real problems instead of gearing up for a public relations campaign to convince the public that a lousy district isn't lousy, maybe some small progress would be made. But they won't. They'll go for the PR route.

Jasonek is the first who should go in the unholy trinity. He is a snake, and the press should be doing something about him. Take note, Emily Richmond.
By teacher

11/8/08 at 7:47 a.m.

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Nevada Ned, I can't argue with you about Goldman, from what I've heard. But as far as working WITH teachers, the board has failed abysmally. It is antagonistic toward teachers, letting the district admin run amok with abuse. The CCEA is the main culprit. Ask recently-gone president Mary Ella Holloway how she likes her new $70K job with - guess who? - the CCSD. That's half again what I make as a teacher, and she doesn't work in a classroom, with students. In fact, her TLC committee is a joke. I was on it at my school, and I know.

Mary Ella's job was an absolute quid pro quo.

The public also needs to support a right to strike for teachers. Ask yourselves why teachers are being paid two to three times less than police officers or firefighters. Why? Because the police officers and firefighters are better educated? Ask yourselves why supply and demand isn't bringing teacher salaries up...

Lest the public think the CCEA represents teachers' interests, let me make it clear: THEY DON'T. THEY REPRESENT THEIR OWN INTERESTS. CCEA WORKING WITH CCSD WORKS AGAINST TEACHERS. JASONEK HAS TO GO.
By teacher

11/8/08 at 7:51 a.m.

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Bruno, I share your estimation of Las Vegas journalism. An education reporter should not be a mouthpiece for the school district, the board, and the CCEA. Here's how it goes: phone someone, then write a quote into your story. Investigation? Digging around? The fourth estate? What do those terms mean? But they love to hire journalists from - guess where? Nevada. Is that where you were "educated," Ms. Richmond?
By teacher

11/8/08 at 7:54 a.m.

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THANK YOU, PTO DAD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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