Building manager says CCSD should not send employees off campus after alleged gang incident

LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — Clark County School District support staff is taking action after reporting a school was sending employees to perform off-campus duties.

Teamsters Local 14 and the Educators Support Employees Association are the two unions representing the district's 11,000 support employees.

They say there was an incident at Western High School last year led to a property manager being confronted by a gang.

Jose Salas says he was asked by the principal to cover up graffiti on a wall that was part of private property across the street from the school.

Then he felt that there was someone behind him who didn't seem right.

“I think I was probably right here when a van pulled up behind me with the teenagers in it,” Salas said. “And yes, it was a little intimidating.”

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Salas, who was alone at the time, says the teens eventually ran away.

“I called the school police. She came out but the boys had already left,” he said. “They finally told me later that they were the actual gang members who had put the graffiti on the wall.”

Concerned, Salas contacted Teamsters Local 14.

“CCSD agreed with the union that this is an unsafe act and that it is not appropriate for our member to do this work,” said Jason Gateley, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 14.

Gateley said that for a year and a half, whenever Teamsters was involved, human resources had sided with staff when the school asked them to take an off-campus job.

Until recently, the union was asked to file a grievance.

“And within the last three to four weeks, HR has taken the position that they can send district employees to work off-site wherever they feel comfortable,” Gateley said.

He says CCSD's argument was that nowhere in CCSD employees' job descriptions does it say that they can only work on CCSD property and that failure to do the job could, in some cases, result in dismissal.

Gateley says it's a larger issue outside of Western High School.

“I think this puts our members at risk and gives the employer, the CCSD and the principals the unyielding power to issue orders at will and whim,” he said. “And there – where is – where is the border?”

Meanwhile, Salas refuses to cross the street to work again, saying his situation could have been much worse.

“They could have attacked me. They could have shot me,” Salas said. “I have five children that I do this for. I mean, what would the school tell my kids?”

CCSD said in a statement:

“CCSD values ​​the safety of our students and staff.

The allegation of a possible confrontation, raised at a school board meeting last week, was not reported to school staff or police until two months after the alleged incident. CCSDPD investigated the concerns but could not confirm the reported details.

School administrators are considering all options to address the situation and are offering to have CCSDPD accompany counselors on rare occasions when graffiti containment is necessary. No police presence has been requested so far.”

Gateley says to ensure the safety of union members, they would initiate arbitration proceedings against the district if the district allows schools to have staff participate in off-campus duties.

Teamsters Local 14 and ESEA are conducting a safety campaign in front of Western High School Friday afternoon.

Contact the Crisis in the Classroom Hotline via email. [email protected] or call 702-805-0489.