Teachers union asks members if they’d be willing to strike

By Emily Richmond

Thursday, May 15, 2003 | 9:45 a.m.

The union representing most of Clark County's teachers has asked its members if they would be willing to go on strike -- a tactic that's illegal in Nevada -- in the hopes of motivating the state's lawmakers to increase education funding.

The results of the job action survey will be released next week, said John Jasonek, executive director of the Clark County Education Association, which represents about 15,000 teachers.

Union members were asked to check boxes indicating what measures they would support, including work stoppages of anywhere from one to five days.

"Yes, work stoppages are illegal, but if 80 percent of our members say it's something they support, we'd have to do what they tell us to do," Jasonek said Wednesday.

Some of the activities listed in the survey, such as participating in public forums and contacting lawmakers via e-mail, postcards and phone calls, are already taking place. About 2,500 people turned out Saturday for a pro-education funding rally organized by the union.

Clark County School Board President Sheila Moulton said Wednesday while she welcomed help from teachers in lobbying the Legislature, a work stoppage would only hurt efforts in the long run.

"What we're all about is children, and I don't see how teachers not teaching helps our kids," Moulton said. "I fully supported (the union's) rally, I support their work in contracting legislators, but a work stoppage would be very disappointing."

Moulton said she doubted such an event would ever take place.

"I don't think they need to, or should go to, those lengths," Moulton said.

Edward Goldman, superintendent of the district's southeast region, said while he shared some of the frustration expressed by teachers over the lack of progress in education funding, striking would be a tactical mistake.

"If teachers strike kids are not getting educated, and that goes against the whole point of what everyone's been pushing for," Goldman said. "We're trying to up the quality of schooling in Clark County and Nevada, not taking class time away from students."