CCSD TRUSTEE KATIE WILLIAMS SKIPS GOV. LOMBARDO’S SCHOOL SAFETY SPEECH

March 25, 2023

Rob Lauer Political Reporter

Yesterday at Valley High School in Las Vegas, Republican Governor Joe Lombardo kept his promise to reduce school violence when he introduced Bill AB330, The Safer and Supportive Schools Act. Lombardo made the announcement surrounded by the group, Dads in Schools. Superintendent Jara was there as well. Notably, the only Republican on the CCSD school board, Katie Williams, was absent. Just like she was absent from the vaccine mandate vote. Supposedly, she is running for the state Senate, but her political consultant resigned recently, according to sources.

Lombardo made it clear that his policy will be “zero tolerance for school violence”.

AB330 States replace restorative justice with restorative discipline.

AN ACT relating to education; requiring a suspension or expulsion in a charter school or a university school for profoundly gifted pupils to be consistent with such punishments in certain public schools; requiring a plan for restorative discipline for public schools

Lombardo told the group of teachers and parents that AB 330 focuses on three main objectives:

1. Giving teachers the ability to control their own classrooms and do their jobs
2. Give parents and guardians a piece of mind that their children are safe at school.
3. Provide students a safe and supportive environment that’s needed to learn.

Last year, when Eldorado High School student, Jonathan Eluterio Martinez was charged as an adult, for raping and strangling a teacher, Lombardo promised to secure our public schools and end Sisolak’s Restorative Justice agenda.

Sheriff Joe Lombardo said he would repeal AB 168 if elected.

“Repealing the changes to NRS 392.466 is a critical first step in securing our schools, but after those changes are repealed, extensive work remains in reforming school safety measures to keep students, staff, and faculty safe. 

“As the Nevada State Legislature takes the next steps to address school safety, legislators must revisit restorative justice measures and evaluate their success in deterring behavioral issues in our school systems to date. Upon review, legislators must diligently work to address the identified issues within the existing legislation and consult with law enforcement for guidance on critical school safety issues.

“Most importantly, I’m calling on the Legislature to enact more severe penalties for anyone – parents, students, teachers, and staff included – who commits a violent act on school grounds. Our state must maintain a culture that has zero-tolerance for school violence, so that we keep all individuals safe at school. 

“Families already have enough to worry about – they shouldn’t be afraid every morning when their kids leave for school. Parents deserve to know that their children will return home safely from school each day, and teachers deserve to feel safe and secure in their own classroom.”

But state law protects violent minor offenders’ identities, which makes it very difficult for the public, including teachers and parents, to follow the progress and lacks transparency. Perhaps convicted violent minors should lose their privacy rights in order to protect future innocent victims?