Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Teacher Lisa Immel Muntean speaks to board members before leaving a Clark County School Board meeting at the Edward Greer Education Center on East Flamingo Road on Wednesday, May 16, 2012. The board approved a final budget that will lay off 1,015 positions to balance the budget.
By Paul Takahashi (contact) 
Wednesday, May 16, 2012 | 11:30 p.m.
The Clark County School District kept its promise.
Since November, the district warned teachers that their jobs were in jeopardy if their union refused to make concessions. The Clark County Education Association stood its ground, fighting back vehemently for pay raises they argued were contractually theirs.
So after an arbitrator sided with the union earlier this month, the district responded Wednesday with an official announcement that it will shed 840 teachers and 175 literacy specialists next month in what is being called the largest reduction in force in the district's history.
And as a result of the layoffs, average class sizes — already criticized for being one of the largest in the nation — will rise by another two or three students.
"This is a very sad day," School Board member Carolyn Edwards said. "Increasing class sizes by two is not what we wanted to do."
On Wednesday night, the School Board unanimously adopted a fiscal 2013 budget that bridges a $64 million shortfall with 1,015 teacher layoffs.
At a tense meeting interrupted several times by raucous teachers union members and parents, district officials and School Board members outlined a grim financial outlook.
Depressed property values due to the sustained economic downturn have led to decreased tax revenues to fund public education, officials said. The impending layoffs are the consequence of continued budget cuts and a complete lack of compromise between the cash-strapped district and its teachers union — and it all comes at a cost to students.
As a result of the layoffs, average class sizes are expected in the mid-30s in the upper elementary, middle and high school classes. With more students, existing teachers will be saddled with more work. With fewer teachers, students will have to fight harder to receive individualized attention in class.
"It's a harsh yet undeniable reality," Clark County Schools Superintendent Dwight Jones said. "When 90 percent of the budget is salary and benefits, it's difficult to find cuts."
The ramifications of that reality rendered itself in the teachers union rhetoric and reactions Wednesday.
Before the meeting began, about 200 teachers union members picketed outside the Edward Greer Education Center. Despite the mercury hitting triple digits, teachers — wearing CCEA shirts with targets on their backs — hoisted signs that read "Save our teachers" and chanted mantras such as "This is not reform."
Pacing outside was John Vellardita, the local union's executive director, who said he was disturbed by the School District's rhetoric. Instead of talking about trying to secure more state funding for Clark County schools, the seven-member School Board has turned on its teachers to close its deficit, Vellardita lamented.
"We have a real problem with the district framing the discussion around the assumption that we can get by with a lack of funding," he said. "The so-called Dems on the board need to wake up and smell the coffee."
At the meeting, a sea of red-shirted union members cheered on their own while heckling those who crossed them with outbursts.
After union President Ruben Murillo made his public comments — arguing that the district has the resources to avert teacher layoffs — union members began to chant: "Save our teachers! Save our schools!"
School Board members — who had repeatedly issued warnings to rowdy teachers — suddenly recessed the meeting, and one by one walked out in protest. They returned about five minutes later.
"What we don't appreciate is you disrupting our meeting," a visibly angry School Board President Linda Young said, chastising the teachers by comparing them to unruly schoolchildren. "We want you to model the kind of behavior you would want for your kids."
The School District did not want to lay off teachers, Young said, adamantly. They tried to save jobs, but there's just not enough money to pay raises and keep positions, she said.
Others echoed her sentiments, notably members of the administrators union, which settled with the district on concessions. The administrators, support staff and police unions all made concessions, said Stephen Augspurger, the executive director of the Clark County Association of School Administrators and Professional-Technical Employees.
"This was your choice," Augspurger told the teachers union. "This consequence was known beforehand … It was predictable and inevitable."
In response, a number of teachers union members turned their backs and booed Augspurger. Some coughed repeatedly, one muttering an expletive under his breath.
During a budget presentation later in the meeting, Teresa Sandoval-Salazer — a parent who organized a protest at Vegas Verdes Elementary School last week over budget cuts — yelled out, "I'm very ashamed of you."
Union members began to cheer. Young tried to bring the meeting back to order. Teachers began to leave, chanting "We'll remember in November." (The seats of School Board members John Cole, Chris Garvey, Deanna Wright and Linda Young are up for re-election.)
Teachers were just expressing their frustrations, Murillo said after the meeting, explaining his members' reactions. They were disappointed in the School District's decision to lay off teachers, he said.
"We're tired of being the brunt of a negative campaign against teachers," he said. "The School District has no idea what teachers are going through with their demands and threats of layoffs. Our teachers are fed up."
A number of School Board members retorted they were fed up and disappointed with the union's tactics.
"We didn't want one person to get a pink slip … or to be without insurance or a paycheck because we know how devastating it is," Wright said. "But we got shut down (by the union)."
School Board member John Cole agreed. "This shouldn't be a surprise to anybody," he said. "At the end of the day, the district needs to balance its budget."
Only Garvey, Wright, Young and Cole are up for reelection. Cole withdrew and Young didn't have anyone running against her. Let's see what the Primaries have to say.
How many administration positions are being layed off? We have two elementry schools in my neighborhood that are side by side, why? So they can have two principals and duplicate admin staff?
What about the Dept of Curriculum and Professional development whose average income is $113k, have they been trimmed first?
Has the district tried to renegotiate their debt service?
What has the district done to cut spending before coming up with this plan?
Also the school district budget is not 90% payroll, that is a flatout falsehood. Shame on you Mr. Jones.
The scene at the board meeting resembles that of a classroom with a teacher who has poor behavior plan in place or worse, no behavior plan whatsoever.
In a classroom, the teacher would be rated poorly. The teacher would be blamed for having 'poor classroom management skills.' The administrative directives would be:
1. Design a classroom behavior management plan and have parents discuss them with their children and signify their agreement of the plan
2. Ensure students clearly understood the expectations, the consequences of infractions, and the rewards for good behavior
3. Consistency in implementation
4. Display rules in the classroom and consistently review
Part of the evaluation would include how effectively the plan is designed and implemented.
Maybe Mr. Jones needs to refocus his efforts, review his 'classroom management plan,' reconsider the 'consequences for misbehavior,' and the 'rewards for good behavior.' Perhaps, Mr. Jones and the board may want to look at what they are doing that is 'not working.'
Or, like a 'bad teacher' would do, it's always easier to 'blame children for being bad' thus must be punished. Bad, bad, bad children.
See union members act dumb.
See CCSD tell union that they don't have enough funds and need concessions or people will be laid-off.
See union tell CCSD to go to hell and want to keep raises for teachers.
Now see CCSD laid-off staff.
See union act surprise that CCSD lay-off staff.
See union is dumb.
Arbitrator is not too bright either.
How the Nevada Development Authority plays this card will be very informative. The layoff should create several hundred short sales.
Contract specifies raises. Raises are part of contract.
Legal fundamental of estoppel applies here. Not sticking up for one's rights makes them go away.
Teachers have every right to have their union address the now proven falsehoods coming from the mouths of district. "We don't have enough money for the contracted raises" is proven to be a bald-ass lie.
See Americans exercising right to free speech.
See cop in light not too bright.
If 90% of the budget goes to salaries, why is anyone surprised? I understand that teachers don't want to take a pay cut, nobody does, and I also understand that it's a bloated system that could surely stand some cuts at the top too (both sides have valid points), but the pie shrank when tax revenue dropped. You know, all those foreclosures!!!! That is a reality that all the screaming and yelling in the world can't remedy, it's a SMALLER pie. The results are inevitable. Everyone gets less.
The Union Bosses got what it want higher salaries and benefits for teachers
Now the kids lose
the Union sold out the teacherS being fired with the canard that more money would be coming from taxpayers
Teachers bought the bosses word that money would come
-----)
Now the kids lose
We need Scott Walker in Nevada
We appreciate the School Board sticking to their budget plan. We know you're dealing with a powerful and greedy teacher's union, a special interest group that only benefits union members and union bosses at the expense of tax payers. To the teachers who get lay off notices, be sure and thank your fellow teachers and union leaders for your unemployed status as you leave.
Afte June 5, 2012, Scott Walker will be FREE of his obligation to Whiskonsin so he could blow out here with all the tar and feathers still slathering his unwanted body there.
You may get your wish Future.. So what?
CCSD has a hard time luring actual college graduates (Walker is not one, BTW; he was a salesman before he jumped on the politics wagon).
CCSD attempts to entice teachers out of college with an attractive salary of 30 something to handle huge class sizes in a culture where townspeople throw rotten tomatoes at teachers while failing to even read to their kids. "Hell them kids got TV..what else am I supposed to do??"
Teachers signed a contract; CCSD lied and is blaming anyone and everyone for their fluffy budget issues. That's what the arbitrator found. They have the money and when Jones is walking away, we'll still be paying his $30,000 or so a month plus benies for a year...enough to put 8 teachers in where they could impact the lives of neglected children.
How refreshing to see the School Board stick up for the taxpayer and fiscal reality. Thank you.
Wisconsin shouldn't be that hard for a teacher to spell.
The way I see things, if the arbitrator was correct and the district indeed HAS the money, by laying off over 1000 personnel (at an estimated $45,000 each after pay and benefits) the district should have a surplus of $45,675,000 a year. Since they apparently DO HAVE the money (according to the teachers and arbitrator), that's a mighty big surplus. They can then use that $45 million to hire back some of those teachers next year, or, they can lower everyone's taxes, or, maybe we'll just have to wait and see how big that surplus is.
There are 38,000 employees; 18,000 are teachers.
Fire all 18,000 teachers. Have the 20,000 babysit. After all, that IS ALL what teachers do, right? Save a lot of taxpayer money.
No more unions. No more teachers. Problem solved.
What doesn't make sense is why the union isn't suing the district for their failure to unload the bloated overhead staff before laying off teachers. I despise the union but fair is fair when all said and done.
I don't see a need to have more overhead than direct costs. This is part of the problem with the system; personal that produces nothing or does little keep their jobs and the direct staff gets a layoff. Something's wrong in never-never land.
The REAL problem begins with Nevada's antiquated tax laws, many of which, were written into the Nevada Constitution by MINING interests well over 100 years ago. For decades, LAWMAKERS have "kicked the political can down the road," and avoided any meaningful, affective tax structure reform. MINING pays a pittance in taxes for the nonrenewable wealth it extracts from Nevada! Also along with MINING, are the casino/gaming/resort, and big box store industries, who have enjoyed a very favorable tax environment which filled their coffers to the point where they have expanded, not only in Nevada, but to other states, and overseas to foreign countries. Has that been happening for the little people here in Nevada? Not hardly. Their wealth has been make off the backs of the many everyday citizens of Nevada.
It is time to require our LAWMAKERS to address the needs of the People of Nevada, the population of which has grown beyond what Nevada's pioneering founders ever dreamed of.
All the posturing and show downs between both sides do nothing but make a scene or some noise. The "grown ups" need to get the message out to the VOTERS of Nevada to elect and hold LAWMAKERS and Government responsible and accountable towards an effective and fair tax structure that can take care of the needs of our state and its People.
Blessings and Peace,
Star
Of course they did this. It was inevitable, so they could then blame teachers for large class sizes.
"Dump it on teachers" is how this place operates. Have a student with mental health problems? "Your problem, teacher!" Boatloads of paperwork? "You do it, teachers!" Students simply will not do work? "Make those students perform, teachers, or else!" Students years below grade level skills? "Deal with it, teachers! Our parents want social promotion!" Need money so you can keep funding your pet personnel and projects even when times are bad? "Give it to us, teachers!"
Incidentally, during the time I was present, teachers were not "unruly". Nonetheless, I did notice quite a few school police officers, no doubt being paid overtime, as if the teachers were going to riot or something.
I don't get paid overtime for spending hours and hours grading papers, etc. I do remember these officers guys taking a nice raise during the boom, which teachers didn't get.
The issue here is not a simple matter of dollars. It is the disrespect and abuse of teachers that is rampant in this district, and that is apparently going to be ramped up under Jones, who has already sent insulting, accusatory emails to teachers over the district's system.
Keep going. Soon you'll only have morons going into education. The charters are not going to pay enough to attract quality educators, either. Your "choice" will be between bad and worse.
Nancy has a good solution. Quit wasting time trying to even teach 'em. Save that money! We're gonna need it to provide salaries for corrections for the hordes of thieves, drunks, crooks, and home invasionists we are training.
Nancy for Super!
"Have the 20,000 babysit. After all, that IS ALL what teachers do, right? Save a lot of taxpayer money."
Are you kidding? I once figured out that I was being paid about a dollar a day per student. Can you hire a babysitter for a dollar an hour?
People here need to realize, clearly, that this wasn't about some future raise, this was about meeting contractual done-deal obligations rather than literally TAKING BACK money that had been paid under contractual agreement.
And they need to remember that TEACHERS DIDN'T GET RAISES WHEN SCHOOL POLICE DID DURING THE BOOM. (Jones sent us emails telling us how we should take a cut like the school police did.)
The RJ is really bad, but the Sun doesn't do its job when it comes to education, either.
If they want another Pulitzer, they should go in-depth about this dysfunctional school system, including its rampant abuse of teachers.
Darth,
"Whiskonsin" is a blended word, denoting not just the state but adding the flavor of the primary beverage of choice along with what the winds do to unwanted former employees who overstep their bounds enough that they are whisked out of office so they can enjoy some whiskey time and leave the state just as obliterated as the policies they fancied left their state.
It's something Shakespeare taught me; then Sarah Palin picked up on it.
If you'd like to see some of my JOEMS, they will be coming out in hardback soon
Joe's Joems, The First Book of JOETRY...soon to adorn our bookstores everywhere.
"Teachers signed a contract; CCSD lied and is blaming anyone and everyone for their fluffy budget issues."
Here one speaks from lack of knowledge.......
Before the arbritation ruling the last contract ended on June 30th 2011.
There was no contract in effect from July 1st 2011 until the arbritation ruling.
Usually the union and CCSD agrees on the new contract before the current one expires. They did not. So they both presented what they believe should be the new contract. The arbitrator gets to pick one of the proposed contracts and it goes into effect retroactively July 1st 2011.
If the CCSD contract was picked by the arbitrator then the teachers would have had to pay back the raises that they received but they would also would have kept their jobs.
Now CCSD must lay-off staff to balance their budget which is required by law.
And let's not forget that the district hired a bunch of teachers last year. (Which means they should be aware that they may be laid off - unless the district failed to inform them.)
You now have a school system with a CCSD superintendent and a state superintendent of public instruction who are both hostile to teachers,
WHAT KIND OF SCHOOL SYSTEM IS THAT?
And people would be shocked if they saw what students are allowed to get away with because the district so fears parents. Then all the problems of those students are dumped on teachers.
Comment removed by moderator. Inappropriate
Sorry, what I said previously is wrong. We did not have a contract for this year that is ending, and were being paid according to the previous contract.
However, people need to realize that they were actually going to take away - remove from future paychecks - what we had been paid this year, based on the previous year's contract.
Nobody is talking about the kidS
It's all about the Union Bosses and teachers
Sad really sad
Since 2008-2009 to now, the pay scale has not changed. The only increases for teachers were movement either down the scale for time with the district, but for many teachers that didn't happen due to reaching the maximum experience for their pay class. For teachers with a bachelors degree that happens after 5 years, and with teachers with a masters degree after 9 years with the district. The only other way for teachers to move on the salary schedule was to move from class to class which required additional education which was paid for by the teacher. CCSD did NOT offer any raises or changes in the basic salary schedule. The CCSD claim to be giving raises is only based on teachers moving either horizontally or vertically on the pay scale, not by CCSD changing the pay scale.
This is a link to the pay scale for teachers for 2007-2008. http://www.nctq.org/docs/6-07_6890.pdf
This is the link for the pay scale for teachers for 2008-2009. http://www.nctq.org/docs/6-08_6933.pdf
This is the link for the pay scale for teachers for 2009-2010 http://www.nctq.org/docs/6-07.pdf
This is the link for the pay scale for teachers for 2010-2011. http://ccsd.net/employees/resources/pdf/......
This is the link for the pay scale for teachers for 2011-2012. http://www.nctq.org/docs/Clark_County_10......
Tell me again that teachers are greedy.
I am not a big fan of NPRI, but everybody needs to look at Transparent Nevada listing for CCSD for 2011. It is over 800 pages long with 50 names per page. It takes over 36 pages to see teachers names on the list. That is over 1800 executive staff and administrators. The first page totals over 8.5 Million or about enough money to fund the teachers at a high school. Here is the link, look at the list for your self.
http://transparentnevada.com/salaries/cl......
You know what gets me about this ongoing attack on teachers and their union?
Conspicuously absent is our know-it-all Governor.
Why is he not involved?
I can answer that.
Because he has decided to quietly sit on the sidelines and hope they all rip each other apart in disagreement.
Because he wants the union gone.
That way he can cut the education even more than it has been cut now.
He will cut wages.
He will cut more teachers.
He will increase their hours too, encourage them to do more with less.
He will cut supplies, making the teachers supply everything. Even with their meager wages now.
He will get rid of most of their health benefits.
And if he can find a way to do it, he will weasel out of paying retirement.
Not sure if anyone knows this, but this ony pertains to teachers. Their social security, if they are even qualified, when they are eligible, goes to the state. They don't get it. Through some stupid law.
THIS is what happens in my beloved State of Nevada when you put a whole string of predatory Tea/Republican Party Governors in charge, one right after the other. Governor Gibbons cut it beyond belief. Now, Governor Sandoval has continued with the scissors.
When are the voters going to wake up and realize this is what they do? They could care less about public jobs. They want to cut, cut, cut, then give, give, give tax breaks/subsidies to the casino/mining/any other filthy rich they can lure to Nevada.
When is it going to be the time for the people when we stop this constant, sustained attack on teachers, firefighters and police?
Because if you don't, there won't be nothing left. A home invasion happens to you? Don't call the police. Call a casino.
It keeps up like this, it's going to get impossible, people.
Time to not only get angry, but back up the anger at the voting booths.
I would just once like to see a breakdown of each of the following in both numbers of employees and dollars of salary and benefits. I only want to see what comes from the general operating budget, not grant funds, to be fair.
1) Administrators, not including principals and assistant principals. People like coordinators, directors, and higher ups.
2) Project facilitators.
3) Any other positions that do not directly impact students for at least 75% of the school day.
I think we would all be shocked to learn how many people and how much money are not going to directly educate your students. I know some of these positions may be absolutely necessary, but there are almost certainly so many that are not.
Colin,
Las Vegans are fed-up with below average student test scores and graduation rates and the teachers squawking about higher pay. Vegans know they're paying higher salaries for no gain in student performance. Vegans also despise the fact that money is going to union leaders who will try to use that money to elect officials who will, once elected, give way to the powerful unions demands and wishes. Vegans have seen this scene play out for years now and they're tired of it.
According to the RJ the average teacher salary is 58 grand a year. I don't care what teachers say that is not bad money considering part of the year they have off. These people just look like a selfish, greedy mob. I can only imagine what's being taught in a class room in Las Vegas. It does however explain why school kids in Nevada consistently fall at the bottom when it comes to knowing subject matter.
Meanwhile, State workers - paid out of the same pot of money - have weathered four years of no increases, two pay cuts, significant increases in health premiums, and the decimation of their health insurance.
But the teachers can't STAY FLAT for one year? They have been getting raises every year, and had no increases in premium costs or cuts in health coverage, through this whole recession.
I admire the strength of their union, but I do not admire a worker's union that is staying fat at the expense of other workers. And that's what has happened in Nevada.
The Pentagon got $29 billion more then it asked for - there is no balancing the budget when it comes time for paranoia. Your local GOP Rep votes billions for the Pentagon while education gets cut back.
Brian Sandoval is making certain the wealthy can afford larger play toys while the lesser privileged sink. The Barrick Gold Corporation mines Nevada to pay the taxes due in Canada and Canadians live a great life. No cutbacks in education there. The only cutbacks come for Nevadans who are mined internationally and then thrown out in the street to rot.
The objectives of 9/11 - to take America back into the stone age - are still being answered today.
KCM--where in the world did you get the idea that teachers got raises every year? What? The increases this year were step increases and pay for extra education (Masters, etc.), but teachers haven't gotten COL raises in years. Plus, last year they started taking from teacher checks the increase for retirement, so that was a cut in pay. Administrators traded their COL raise for the increase in retirement, so they didn't take a paycut, so that was their wonderful concession--basically, they got a small raise.
I'm not a big union fan, but CCSD would pay $20,000 to teachers if it could get away with it, so we do need some protection. CCSD admin, all making over $100,000 a year (not including benefits) could care less for those making less than half what they do.
Oh, and to the person discussing the teachers making an average of $58,000--the teachers who make on the high-end of the scale have paid tens of thousands for a Masters plus more (possibly even a Ph.D.), and usually are coaches who give up all of their after school time and even weekends for practice and games, people who tutor before and after school, and work full-time in summer school. So these AREN'T people who "get their summers off." To make even that much money, they work many more days and longer hours than you probably do.
Thanks, RefNV. You just confirmed this isn't about teachers and our community, it's all about politics.
And they wonder why some kids are discipline problems. Follow the "leader."
It would be great if they just did away with all the greedy unions and teachers and just privatized education. Additionally it would be even better if they cut our property taxes so we weren't being taxed for greedy unions producing minimum wage job market ready students who barely skim by and pass the bare minimum requirement of the proficiency exams. I quiver at the thought of one day having my own children going through the indoctrination process known as public education. It seems like the only way to produce an intellectual free-thinking questioning ambitious student is to either keep them at home or send them to a private school.
Arizona still manages to get many more graduates who can read and write for $1,000 per pupil per year LESS than CCSD. All of the rest of the world (except tiny Switzerland) pays LESS for K-12 than the U.S. does--and many of those countries are producing literate graduates with science, math, writing proficiency.
38,000 employees for 300,000 students? What an EXCESSIVE in employees. That's at least one employee per 10 kids. RIDICULOUS. Time to downsize CCSD.
@ REFNV "Las Vegans are fed-up with below average student test scores and graduation rates and the teachers squawking about higher pay"
The only correct part of this statement is "Las Vegans are fed-up with teachers squawking about higher pay." And that's because they expect something for nothing.
If the other part were true, Las Vegans (parents) would be taking a more active role in their child's education. You know, limiting computer time, ensuring homework is done, checking grades. The only time Las Vegans get involved is when they get the summer school notice and they have to pay.
Please!
Nevada is all about money and power.
Nevada has practically nothing to do with education.
One takes, and the other gives.
Money and power seek control; education seeks connection.
Money and power aim for dominance; education strives to disperse concentrations of power.
Never the twain shall meet. Look around.
Chunky says:
There's no win here for either side but if the school district doesn't have the money, they don't have the money. Chunky applauds the School Board for balancing the budget as unpopular as those decisions may be.
Question: Are ALL of our students verified in some was as US citizens or at least legal visitors or residents of the US? This isn't an "illegals" issue unless they are consuming resources / funding intended for legal citizens / visitors. Does anyone know the straight forward non-volatile answer to this?
Either way, we have to balance the budget!
That's what Chunky thinks!
@KCM. See my post at 649AM. Teachers have not had a pay increase since 2008.
@LJ. See my post of 651AM Transparent Nevada has that info.
My husband is at the top of the pay scale having been a teacher for 25 years with a Masters and part of a PhD, and he makes the number quoted so how is it possible that this is an AVERAGE? Something wrong with the accounting here.
Mr. Jones...
You and your school board, in concert with THE MEDIA,
are waging an ANTI-TEACHER CAMPAIGN, filled with OUTRIGHT LIES & FALSEHOODS.
These people ought to be ASHAMED of themselves, but I am quite sure they are NOT.
There will BE NO LAYOFFS...
With retirees, voluntary resignations and folks just disappearing over the summer months, there will BE. NO. LAYOFFS.
Why does the Sun, in concert with these disingenuous, lying UNION BUSTERS, play this game???
Just read comment posts on this site and you will have a clear view of what happens when you cut education.
When discussing teacher pay we get the following comment from a teacher:
As a teacher:
"I make a child rush home to share the first book they're ready without a grown-ups help.
I make a child look at the world and wonder why things are the way they are, and how things work.
I make a child put away their cell phone and Ipod and write a paragraph with proper spelling and punctuation.
I make a child understand the patterns in math, and how they don't change.
I make a child understand why we study history and more importantly how to try to not repeat it.
I make a child understand that they have value and their opinion matters, and how to express that opinion correctly.
I make a child understand that they can be successful in life and how to do that."
Then we get the blame game when discussing who is accountable for student learning performance:
"If the other part were true, Las Vegans (parents) would be taking a more active role in their child's education. You know, limiting computer time, ensuring homework is done, checking grades. The only time Las Vegans get involved is when they get the summer school notice and they have to pay."
CCSD Teachers and it's Union = we want higher pay and no accountability teaching students.
When discussing teacher pay, describe how you "make students learn" then blame everyone but teachers when the discussion turns to student performance.
This the union/teacher merry-go-round here in Las Vegas. Teacher pay? Yes, we're GREAT!! Below average test/graduation rates? Oh, that's totally the school district leaders and student parents fault.
This makes Las Vegans sick.
Brianlv: If there are two schools in your neighborhood it's because there are two school's worth of kids there -- it's not some conspiracy to employ a few extra administrators. Sheesh.
Las Vegas BREEDS a culture that does not value education, period. Not when Uncle Johnny can get you a job working the delivery dept at Bellagio for 40K.
You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.
In all the articles I've read and discussions I've heard, I've not come across any constructive ideas from the teachers and their union. Maybe I missed them but I haven't read where they offered alternatives for funding shortfalls.
Where will the funds to avoid layoffs come from? If they have a plan, lets hear it and vet it?
I more than sympathize with anyone losing their source of income, their insurance and suffering a future jeopardized by job loss (been there, done that), especially families with children. Those losing their jobs need to look to those who won't and their union to examine why they were sacrificed.
Budget shortfalls are a more than unfortunate fact of life all over the country. Counties and states can't coin and print money to cover them. Anger at those politicians who spent every dime of revenue without sufficient set asides for this inevitable outcome is deserved.
Maybe if the teachers union had done their job along with the politicians who pander to voters rainy day funds could have been created, budget shortfalls anticipated, planned for and possibly prevented to some degree.
I feel for teachers plight and there is enough blame to go around. Now how about all that collective education coming together to find a solution rather than threaten those they elected to deal with the contracts that seemed so wonderful when there was no end in sight.
Okay Dale, here are some suggestions. personalized instruction using Weapons of Mass Instruction for FREE as Harvard and MIT are doing for literally BILLIONS of learners worldwide in a kajillion languages with PERSONALIZED learning formats...this is a game changer
http://www.examiner.com/article/building...
Good students can direct their own learning; enough spoon-fed pablum is enough...check out what the Big boys are doing it and doing well!
In my business, I train contractors to perform deep retrofits to maximize Home Performance. The solar PV and DHW supply most of the load. Real estate values rise, utility bills all but disappear, folks have more discretionary income because of the low-cost of comfort, the houses sell for more and they sell faster.
All over the country contractors are improving their skills and using Building Science to direct their efforts.
Energy Efficient mortgages allow for greater amounts and lower rates.
These are simple skills that require basic knowledge and some investment in understanding, but the contractors are in great demand and are turning foreclosures into profits, dumps into dreams, and yesterday into tomorrow.
Did i mention how fun it is ?? How much one can learn?? How integrity dominates progress?? How rich ya feel when you're doing well and doing good simultaneously?? It's true.
http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profiles/b...
For children to become educated and graduate then must show up on time and prepared for class. They must study and not disrupt that class.
None of that takes money. It takes responsibility on the part of the Parents and the Children.
Many would rather blame the schools then live up to the responsibility they took on when they had their children.
If Parents and Students would do their part then we would have the best schools in the country and it would cost one cent more.
We need more iPads! iPads are the answer.
Why do we always threaten to lay off teachers when the CCSD administration is almost 53% of employees?
And why do we always threaten to lay off teachers when CCSD administration is almost 68% of the payroll?
Most of the posters here seem to have missed the part about the other unions in the school district making concessions. Yes, maybe the administration is bloated, but they made concessions. Teachers need to do the same or suffer the consequences. Simple.
Joe you answered my question. I did not know what percentage of payroll belonged to admin and what percentage to teachers. Good post.
Cheers.
Another life-lesson that you and your family may choose to learn is waiting, but not for long...
The greening of real estate is upon us like Spring rain. Property values have risen considerably in homes that demonstrate home performance, even though other properties sit there and get worse.
All it takes is a summer to become skilled enough to tackle your own green house flip.
Check out this opportunity in applying basic skills in upgrading property, especially foreclosures, retrofitting them for minimal energy load and then supplying most of that load with solar PV and DHW.
http://homeenergypros.lbl.gov/profiles/b...
Here's how one guy trains people to make it happen.
http://greenearthequities.com/
Here's a good summary of how to use your head together with your hands in making a difference.
http://www.examiner.com/article/the-gree...
So teachers want raises, smaller classes and no cuts? However, there is a budget problem and teachers are not will to concede to a middle ground.
Nevada is already at the bottom of the nation for education. Maybe we should try letting go of all of the teachers because they have failed in their duties of teaching children and replace them with teachers that will preform their duties and teach our children.
The school district needs to be divided as well. It is absolutely a failure of the state of Nevada to have such a poorly run organization be in charge of the entire city's education.
Joe, what's the source of your 68 percent figure?
This type of mob-rule democracy only exists in the public sector. This is due to the fact that the public sector can occupy both sides of the negociation table. The system works as long as other peoples money, the taxpayers, is available . . . but when the money is gone this entitled group thinks all they need to do is to force the issue with violence, and that they will get thier way . . . it is the Union Way.
Megara7 - A step increase is a raise, in that you make more money this year than you made the year before. State workers lost their step increases in 2008, also have not received any COLA raises, and have taken two additional pay cuts since this all started. State workers make LESS money than they did in 2008, and that simply is not true for CCSD teachers. If you throw in the decimation of benefits, they make a lot less money than they did.
As I said before, I admire the strength of the teachers union, but they are hanging on to those increases on the backs of state workers, and even on the backs of other CCSD workers who did make concessions on wage, pardon me, step increases.
Has any one of you teachers heard of the word STRIKE?? You should, everyone of you, get together and WALK OUT, that's the only true way to attract attention and make the CCSD find a better way to settle this mess, WALK OUT NOW----------------
azstripper1,
Teachers can not strike in the State of Nevada.
Weakening the already poor Las Vegas school system makes this an even less attractive place to live for families and does not bode well for the future of this town.
@Tanker1975 - Please see my post at 11:25. A step increase is a raise, as any state worker who has not gotten one in the last five years can attest. State workers make less than they did in 2008, and CCSD teachers make more.
Joe I agree with Scott. I would like to know your source. I have read that since Jones has been hired that the admin positions have increased though I do not know this as fact. I believe in the teachers until I know different although I am against public sector unions.
Congratulations Clark County School District educators!!! Your true colors are certainly being flown by your unruly conduct. What a shining example each of you are to the children we as taxpayers entrust in each CCSD teacher. I'm sure every student is watching and learning as you all conduct yourselves like complete dupes.
I agree with one commentator in this forum who recommended that you teachers strike and walk off the job immediately. Yes, please do. This way, each of you who engage in this action can be fired immediately. Yes, I like that idea. Again, please do organize and strike.
Thirty kids in the class....when I graduated a large SoCal HS in the early 70's, we had class sizes of between 25 and 35 students for each of the 6 daily classes we had, and it appears that we (as a generation) are doing fairly well. Teachers Union wants more money, school district has wasted so much money there is a budget shortfall.
I personally think that the only way to subsidize is to pay per student to make up the shortfall. And 175 literacy specialist....would those be necessary because of English NOT BEING the primary language? Is not my responsibility because you came here without being able to communicate, but are adding a burden to the school district.
To look at the flip-side of this - I know (through colleagues working in Mexico with school age children) that public education in Mexico does not provide linguistic support for non-spanish speaking students...they are EXPECTED to be able to communicate at a rudimentary level. Seems like turnabout would at least be fair play.
They need to lay-off all these 'administrators' who have nothing to do with providing any education - just a bunch of pencil pushers - too many chiefs, not enough indians is what I say.
Dear Teachers,
You are a valuable asset to every community. Without you I would not be able to read this newspaper or write this comment. Sorry that infighting, money and politics have gotten the best of such a noble profession and taken the focus off of kids that still desperately need your guidance.
Yours Truly,
Concerned Citizen
If you think your 'lil 'ol B.Ed is worth so much then try peddling it out on the street. Or in the marketplace of business if you want a real reality check about the worth of you college degree.
Please airweare, no more scare stories about how LV is going to become like a "Resident Evil"movie with massive crime if teachers get fired. If I want a good scare I'll watch my DVD of "SAW 6". Kids are going to be too busy posting on Facebook and texting on their T-Mobile phones to commit any crimes, except stealing stuff from Best Buy. I hear that Best Buy is in trouble so there might not even be a Best Buy to steal from. BTW did any of you read the story in the NY TImes about student loan debt? Are you teachers still telling students they have to go to college?
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/13/busine...
One of our bored-to-pieces interns added up all the teachers' salaries and the salaries of all the admin, attorneys, police, coordinators, etc and found the teachers, though almost half in number comprise just under a third of the total of all salaries.
Since the first bunch of pages starting with Jones'$370,000 some plus the next 1800 or so were all top admin types, we kinda wondered and she said she'd like to tackle the task.
She's pretty good with excel, and I rely on her for other stuff. She's gone for the weekend though so I don't have a way to pester her about the actual numbers, whether she included benefit amounts, etc..
Her source was transparentnevada, the NPRI link Tanker has posted several times.
Again the Union showed no class with their behavior
texexnv: Are you serious? A good teacher is worth their weight in gold. But then, you can't spell so maybe you are right.
As a new teacher (hired this year) I'm now glad I did not join the union. They don't care about me. If they did, they would try to find a solution so I won't lose my job. Isn't that what unions do? Try to save people's jobs? What a joke.
I find it funny that the teacher's union is protesting now. They don't really care because the ones protesting are the ones who jobs are safe! Us new teachers are continuing to do our job and doing it well.
I'm not saying the union is all bad, but I wish they were looking out for everyone's interest and not just a few. Any new teacher who joined the union, well, you just wasted your money.
Tx_2_vegas: No that is not what unions are all about. They are now in business of union enrichment. Period. At least you had a choice to join the union or not. As a long ago member of the UAW, the only thing the union did was help people that did not want to work for a living get by each day while the rest of us picked up the slack.
jrtsr - I'm sorry that happened to you because I did indeed have a choice. And apparently I chose correctly.
And I have seen this with the teachers union as well. Many "tenured" teachers no longer give 2 craps about what they do and they know that the union has their back.
Unfortunately, like in your situation, the new teachers are the ones caring for our kids and innovating in the classroom (picking up the slack as you mentioned).
@ Xltman: school is not the same as your early 70s days. The mentality and culture have changed over the decades. During the 60s-70s era, if students acted out or were doing poorly in school, the students expected to feel the wrath from their parents. Nowadays, if a student does the same, it's the teacher that can expect to feel the wrath from the parents. You couldn't pay me enough to put up with the BS from the students/parents and lack of support from administration. Come on Vegas, don't let me down. I expect to hear lots of trash from trash.
I hear you teachers, however, in this p.c. / progressive / "it's not my fault" country, you have been selected as the scapegoat, the punching bag, the fall guy....hey, it had to be somebody because parents, students, and administrators aren't going to accept any responsibility.
The union is the burden, so put union salarys at 75% of non union teachers that way its fair.
Read between the lines: With Obamacare we cannot afford K-12 unless there are serious cuts. Another 150,000 on Medicaid. So if we cut K-12 to Arizona-level funding and use that $100,000,000 on Medicaid, we might balance the budget.
Yo manfromuncle1, I never tried a scare movie thing...but whatever you're smoking sure sounds good. Enjoy the theater of the thickening and the thud of the pud. Peace out.
Roberta that is exactly what our problems our today. We seem to think that the people sucking off of the system are more deserving than our little ones. California is a perfect example of this entitlement gone wrong. If you have ever read any of the essays by Victor Davis Hanson you can understand more. If you haven't, he writes on PjMedea.com. He and many other intelligent writers are there for your review.
What is never discussed is the fact that teachers pay has been frozen the past two years. The district has made its decision and everyone has to live with it but there are two question that need answers:
1. If the district, the union, and the arbitrator all agreed the raises would cost around $26 million, how does this equate to a $59 million shortfall?
2. What is Dr. Jones and the school board doing to make sure this doesn't happen again?
REPORT CARD FOR CCSD TEACHERS ENDING FISCAL YEAR 2012
Self-preservation at the expense of others-A+
Remaining calm under stress-F
Role modeling endorsing irrational behavior-A+
English teaching skills-D-
Utilization of slang, curse words, and half peace finger signals-A+
Math teaching skills w/o use of electronic devices-D+
Encouragement of finger / toe exercises in math development-B+
Science teaching skills-F
Demonstrates the mixing of explosive personality traits-B+
Demonstrates crafty techniques in shifting blame-A+
Superintendent Jones: Teachers, I know you were promised by contract an apple from the tree. However, as you can see there are no apples available for me to give you from this tree.
Teachers: Yes, there are a few apples on the tree. I can see them. I want them. I deserve them. Give it to me gosh darn it!!!
Superintendent Jones: Those few remaining apples have already been allocated to the apple pickers. They need to stay hydrated in performing their duties.
Teachers: I don't care!!! You give me an apple from that tree or I'll hold my breath, demonstrate, and not teach the children of this school as I have in my past!!!
Superintendent Jones: Okay, your wish is granted.
Governor Sandoval is doing an excellent job of carrying the GOP Mantra on with his Cut, Cut and more Cuts so the middle class winds up with nothing.
A tax increase is what is needed, not more cuts to the teachers union.
Please help in getting these GOP Bums out of office.
Sandoval has zero control on the budget.
It is the Assembly and Nevada Senate that controls the budget.
If you are not happy with who controls the Assembly and Nevada Senate then you need to throw them out.
You would be throwing out Democrats for they are the ones that control spending and the budget.
If they don't have money and need to lay off 1,015 teachers, where would they happen to be getting the money to buy $63 million dollars of Ipads? I heard recently that there was a lot of talk and the district was going to be purchasing Ipads for schools across the district. What about the Ipads that administrators are currently using that I am sure the school district paid for? Are those really necessary people? Do they directly benefit the students and their education? I highly doubt it. Laying off teachers and increasing class sizes is ridiculous especially when the CCSD website is advertising the are hiring for all sorts of teachers. They are also still WASTING money recruiting across the district, wasting money on plane tickets, hotel rooms, etc. Watch the news tonight to see just how much $ this school district WASTES if you don't already know! It's disgusting!
Bradley, old chap...
I think you need some rest.
Write "We Love Teachers" on your car windows & read this article: "How to Destroy Education While Making a Trillion Dollars" (Robert Freeman, Common Dreams) http://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/04...
Awkward headline. The teachers created a scene which caused the school board members to walk out.
Spare us the fake outrage. Teachers knew going into arbitration that there were two options. Pay raise freezes or lay-offs. This was your choice, teachers. YOU WON! Pat yourselves on the back and enjoy your victory.
I follow you there Joe. I actually was born in Wisconsin, it's more like Beerbratcheesesin, but Whiskonsin is close enough. Lol
Thank you Darth
for your congeniality and respect for the bigger picture. The dang tragedy of it is the hyper-vocal among our fellows are eclipsing the reason for all the hoopla - the fact that our kids are being discarded in our wasteland like so many abandoned car parts in a junkyard.
It seems many have gone a bit wacko here under the Sun. It's a tough time for everyone. My best to you.
This is all wrong. The message has been lost in all the hullabaloo.
The real message is the mismanagement of education: Delivery, fiscal responsibility, and failed policies. The failure began when education stakeholders started throwing blame at each other.
The biggest blame is LEADERSHIP. Mr. Jones looks entirely LOST. The Chairman of the Board throws up her hands in hopelessness. The board members walk out in disgust. NOBODY STOOD UP TO TAKE THE LEAD - to take command of the situation. NOBODY!
Leadership requires adaptive capabilities. None showed any.
AND THESE PEOPLE ARE IN CHARGE OF THE EDUCATION OF OUR CHILDREN?
"This is a very sad day," School Board member Carolyn Edwards said. "Increasing class sizes by two is not what we wanted to do."
No, it that decision was the teachers. They had all the power. We told them of the shortfall and gave them a choice. Everyone take a hit or we students will suffer with larger class sizes. As unfair as it was, they were asked to choose between themselves and the students. They chose themselves.
The dollars are NOT in the classrooms. The dollars are in the employees, mostly teachers, pockets. We skip the text books to give "teachers" raises. We skip the supplies, to hire "extra" teachers. We skip the stewardship during negotiations to keep giving to the teachers. We keep ignoring the students.
crimcops sys "No, it that decision was the teachers. They had all the power. We told them of the shortfall and gave them a choice."
Except that there were more options than those two. The arbitrator foudn that the CCSD lied when they said they didn't have the money.
The CCSD had the option to pay the teachers as per the contract without laying anyone off. They chose not to. The blame lies 100% with the CCSD, not the teachers.
Roselenda says "The dollars are NOT in the classrooms. The dollars are in the employees, mostly teachers, pockets."
"mostly teachers" huh? Perhaps you need to look at the salaries of all CCSD employees (a matter of public record) and see that well over 50% (close to 2/3 actually) of the salary budget goes to administrators, not teachers.
MicheleS says: "Spare us the fake outrage. Teachers knew going into arbitration that there were two options. Pay raise freezes or lay-offs."
There were only two options according to WHO?
CCSD went into arbitration saying that there were only two options, and the arbitrator found that they LIED and that the CCSD had enough money to keep the teachers and honor the contract. CCSD, however, refused to take that third option. Control of whether or not layoffs happened was in CCSD's hands.
And let's not overlook (from page 7 of the Arbitration Opinion and Award document) that the cost of the teacher's victory over the CCSD was $29,000,000 minus the 1.125% PERS contribution absorbed by the teachers.
So, 29 million dollars minus 1.125% PERS contribution. (which I have seen estimated at anywhere from 1.5 to 7 million)
But the layoffs that the CCSD says were necessitated by the arbitration loss will save the CCSD (according to a direct quote from Jones) 60.1 million dollars.
So tell me again how a $60,100,000 dollar layoff is necessitated by a cost of somewhere between $22,000,000 and $27,500,000?
Seems like one of these things has to be true. Even if the CCSD had prevailed in arbitration:
1. The CCSD would have had to lay off 600-700 teachers anyhow to cover the 32-38 million shorfall.
2. The CCSD had a way to cover the 32-38 million shortfall, which means that 600-700 of the teacher layoffs aren't actually needed.
@Wendor..."Except that there were more options than those two.." Maybe, but when only those two options were put in from of the teachers, they chose themselves. That attitude will not be forgotten.
crimcops says "...but when only those two options were put in from of the teachers, they chose themselves."
Actually, No.
They chose the third option which was to point out that CCSD did indeed have the money to honor the contract without layoffs.
Sort of like if I give you the choice to be stabbed to death or burned to death. I bet you choose something other then those two options. This was a matching situation. CCSD presented two bad options without regard for the other perfectly viable options. Then they whined about it when the arbitrator called them on it and pointed out that they had the money and didn't need to go with either chose #1 or #2. At which point CCSD chose to implement one of those bad options despite the proof that they had other options.
@Roslenda. This is a link to Transparent Nevada website for the CCSD 2011 salaries and benefits. The list goes over 800 pages with 50 names per page. The first page with teachers name's appearing is page 37. That is 1800 names on page 1-36 before teachers pay shows up. The first page total over 8.5 MILLION in salaries and benefits. The first 50 names DON'T include a single teacher. The first 5 names on the list:
Dwight Jones, Superintendent, $396,202.83
Carl Huffman, General Counsel, $ 202,933.71
Edward Goldman, Associate Superintendent, $191,766.71
Jeffery Wieler, Chief Financial Officer, $189,877.63
Kathyrn Haldeman, Community Relations, Associate Superintendent, $180,492.63
Total for the top 5 $1,160,773.93
You were talking about "teachers lining their pockets."?
http://transparentnevada.com/salaries/cl...
"Unruly teacher", I find it so sad to see so many people that do NOT attend School Board Meetings and claim to be experts on the budget and the unique education system that CCSD challenges. Any one remember all of the DMV money given back since we had to much state funds? Nope, education wasn't even mentioned at that time. Tell us to suck it up when times are hard, we sucked it up in the boom as well. Many don't know who they vote for during elections for the Board, don't even get that it is a bipartisan vote. Those people that ignore that both sides threw it all on the table, ALL financial information and desired outcomes to the arbitrator. He had ALL of CCSD's budget information, ALL OF IT. He said they can pay, and they can. Don't see anyone of you 'union bashers/ selfish teacher' believers mentioning the new textbook scam. Nor do I have volunteers in my class. My school has a whole new program next year, like we do every year, for millions of dollars. I have watched 4 men sent out from CCSD to fix one drinking fountain. I have spent many hours this whole year in those disrespectful Board meetings towards teachers. Have you? Have you worked incredibly hard (which ignorance makes the public think EVERY teacher doesn't) to be humiliated by your employer for months publicly and then told in the Board meeting with your employer there that we are all "one big family"? The forum is for free speech, which wasn't given. Passion therefore took precedence. The same passion I instill for students towards education and a great life.
@Wendor..."They chose the third option which was to point out that CCSD did indeed have the money to honor the contract without layoffs."
I'm sorry. I forgot that teachers live in this fantasy world where they feel they can actually tell their bosses how to spend their money. I would love to see the dealers at the Wynn tell Steve, "While we appreciate your salary package, I have chosen a different option where you sell your house in order to pay me what I want. After all your kids are grown so you don't need such a big place anymore.
While your at it, I'll also choose to take half your salary 25% stake in the company. I mean, the money is there. Your just not spending it one me and I don't choose that option.
Now, let's drift back to Jun 7, 2011 in this very paper.
"The Clark County teachers union said Monday it won't agree to salary and benefit concessions even if it means teachers are laid off..." That sounds pretty cut and dry to me, but if one was still confused the words of Ruben Murillo, president of the Clark County Education Association are there to set the record straight.
"Our members would rather us protect salaries and benefits, even if it might mean layoffs," said.
Now even a CCSD grad can understand that.
The district has hired many since June 11, 2011. Murillo has ALWAYS stated one teacher is too many...
You use this paper as a trusted reference, yet this very article states Erin Cranor is up for reelection.
Thanks crimcops.
I see from your last post that you now acknowledge that CCSD has the money, but you say that the teachers can't tell CCSD how to spend it. You're right....CCSD can CHOOSE to spend it wherever thay want.
And since the CCSD made the CHOICE to not spend the money on the teachers then CCSD is CHOOSING to do layoffs instead.
I must have misunderstood previously. I thought that you were saying that the teachers were at fault for the layoffs. Glad to see you acknowledge that the layoffs are what CCSD chose to do because CCSD can CHOOSE where to spend or not spend the money.