What happens next after Clark County trustees show Jara the door?

Clark County School District Superintendent Jesus Jara will remain in his job for 30 days as a caretaker following a contentious School Board meeting Thursday night at which trustees terminated his contract.

The board ended Jara’s contract “for convenience,” on a 4-3 vote, meaning trustees didn’t have to cite any particular reason. Trustees Danielle Ford, Irene Cepeda, Linda Cavazos and Lisa Guzman voted to end the contract, while Lola Brooks, Katie Williams and Evelyn Garcia Morales voted against the move.

School District offices were closed Friday for the Nevada Day holiday, and representatives did not respond to messages left with the district’s communications office seeking information about next steps following Jara’s abrupt departure. Nor did board President Cavazos, who survived an effort to remove her from her post at the meeting.

The Review-Journal reached to all seven school board trustees after the surprising late-night development and received responses from four. The newspaper also attempted to contact Jara directly, but didn’t receive a response.

The only new detail came from interviews with two trustees — Cepeda and Williams — both of whom said that Jara would stay on the job for a month.

But they could shed no light on whether an acting superintendent will be appointed until a permanent replacement can be found.

‘Definitely not convenient’

Williams, who opposed termination, said Friday she’s not sure what’s to come, but noted Jara’s departure is “definitely not convenient for the school district.”

She indicated that the district will have to pay off the remainder his contract, though the Review-Journal could not confirm that on Friday.

Cepeda, the board’s vice president, provided the swing vote that led to the termination of Jara’s contract after voting in May to extend it until early 2023.

She did not explain in detail the reason she switched her vote, but noted that she was not involved in calling for votes on Jara’s contract or Cavazos’ presidency. She said only that allegations were leveled by both factions of the board and that some seemed to have merit.

She said she had been trying for months to move ahead with important business, such as new ways to focus on student achievement, but that such issues were always being pushed down the road.

She said a lack of leadership, direction and vision is a “big contributing factor to the outcomes we’re seeing today.”

“We’ve done a terrible job,” she said, adding that she fears the board will remain deeply divided after Jara’s departure.

Brooks, who voted against termination, said via text message Friday: “I’m not sure how the board officers plan to address the gap in key leadership positions that could result from this.”

Guzman, who voted to end Jara’s contract, directed a Review-Journal inquiry Friday to Cavazos.

Jara’s employment agreement was slated to run through Jan. 15, 2023. He had been on the job since 2018 and his annual salary was $320,000.

After the vote, Jara said that since his arrival on the job, his focus has never wavered “to improve the well-being and academic success of our students.”

He said some trustees have micromanaged him and undermined his staff, but noted he was dedicated to protecting his staff from “overreach and interference.”

‘Circumstances’ not explained

Cavazos told reporters at a briefing on Wednesday a “set of circumstances” precipitated the agenda item to end Jara’s contract, but declined to discuss specifics due to open meeting law concerns. But the “circumstances” were not aired at Thursday’s meeting, leaving observers in the dark as to what was behind the termination.

Williams said the statement made by Cavazos at the news conference suggesting there may have been cause to terminate Jara’s contract could backfire.

“Now that gives him a really good case to sue,” she told the Review-Journal, noting that’s money that could have been used to help students.

Kris Engelstad of The Engelstad Foundation, which supports local education projects, said in a statement Friday that Jara’s exit and “the distractive hoopla leading up to it” is only beginning.

“Now, someone needs to fill his shoes and a surely prolonged and time-consuming process is in store,” she said. “All of it will distract from what Clark County School District (CCSD) trustees should have been collectively focusing on in the first place: Student achievement.”

Engelstad said it will be “incredibly interesting” to see who ends up getting the superintendent job. “If the board chooses an insider replacement, we will only get more of the same: A lack of focus and disregard for the children in our community.”

Engelstad also questioned who would want the job when the board has “such a horrendous track record.”

Testy exchange over mask-wearing

Williams made pointed remarks toward Cavazos after the vote to terminate Jara’s contract and refused to wear a mask, despite a state mask mandate for indoor public places that remains in effect.

Williams told Cavazos she didn’t care what she had to say and that she doesn’t work for her. She left the room shortly thereafter.

Cavazos said she’d make a note for the record that Williams refused to put on a mask after being asked multiple times.

Williams said Friday the board president has bullied other trustees and she won’t allow that to happen to her anymore.

Williams also made a series of posts on Twitter, including some while the meeting was still underway Thursday.

In one post, she wrote: “You guys don’t realize. The whole executive staff just walked out because Jara stood up to the tyranny of Ford and Cavazos. Whatever happens next won’t be good for your kids. CRT, Gender Education, Division. That’s what’s coming.”

In another post, Williams wrote: “Gloves are off Linda. I was nice enough to see the bigger picture but I can’t wait to see you fall on your face.”

In another: “Things got a little heated last night, so I thought I’d come and make a statement about it. I meant every word. This district just went from student-driven back to only helping the adults in the room. Pull your kids out of #CCSD and show them who’s in charge.”

Williams was critical of Jara during her campaign for School Board and told the Review-Journal last year she wouldn’t support a contract renewal. But she said Friday she changed her mind, citing the dysfunction of the board as a reason for her change of heart.

Jara has been trying to put students first for a long time, Williams said, noting that was true even before she started as a trustee in January. She also said it was clear some trustees wanted him gone.

Williams said she thinks parents need to take a long, hard look at the district, and she hopes 2022 will present a new school board. If not, she said she thinks the Legislature will pass a bill during the 2023 to appoint school board members.

Contact Julie Wootton-Greener at jgreener@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2921. Follow @julieswootton on Twitter.