LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — The Trump administration is threatening to withhold federal funds from the Clark County College District if it would not toss its variety and fairness insurance policies.
That is in response to an govt order and deadline President Donald Trump issued in February.
CCSD and different public faculties may threat dropping Title 1 funding as a result of their variety, fairness, and inclusion insurance policies, in keeping with a memo the U.S. Division Schooling despatched on Thursday.
About 70% of CCSD faculties are Title 1. These are faculties that obtain funding as a result of they’ve low-income college students, however these funds are in jeopardy because of the district’s variety and fairness division.
Based on data 8 Information Now obtained, the district’s funds for fairness and variety was $2 million in 2022; $1.92 million in 2023; $1.96 million in 2024; and $2.2 million in 2025.
9 staff work within the district’s fairness and variety division. One other 14 staff are labeled as working in fairness and/or variety, in keeping with data. 5 staff make six figures and some have seen pay raises of just about $20,000 over time.
For example, Andrew O’Reilly, coordinator of Fairness & Range Schooling, began making $99,000 a yr in 2022 and his wage is presently $122,168, in keeping with data.
Assistant Superintendent Samuel Scavella in 2022 made $132,552 and is presently making $150,812, in keeping with data.
President Trump issued an govt order in February calling for the elimination of Range, Fairness, and Inclusion (DEI) packages in public faculties.
CCSD Board of Trustees member Lorena Biassotti helps Trump’s agenda.
Biassotti informed 8 Information Now in a press release:
I personally oppose taking a defiant stance towards govt orders aimed toward ending indoctrination in public faculties. I align with these views, and my place displays the overwhelming sentiments of my constituents. As leaders, it’s our responsibility to respect and uphold the legislation, relatively than search to bypass it, no matter private opinions. It will be deeply regrettable if defying this order resulted within the lack of federal funding and a failure to guard each the funds and the way forward for our district.
Throughout the 83rd legislative session, I noticed a prevailing narrative of doom and gloom being pushed by our legislators. It’s unclear whether or not this stems from a lack of knowledge or a deliberate disregard for the information. President Trump is empowering native management over public faculties, but this optimistic change isn’t being acknowledged or celebrated, primarily for political causes. That is each irritating and deceptive for our group. We have to do higher.
However some Las Vegas mother and father do not assist her view.
“You hear teachers all the time, like, if we could indoctrinate your kids they would be proficient in math and they would be reading above grade level,” Anna Marie Binder, an advocate for particular wants college students and a CCSD mom, stated.
Binder stated there are advantages to having variety and fairness packages.
“When those programs were rolled out, it was really to lift up the culture differences that our students were encountering every day on their campuses,” Binder stated.
Each CCSD and the Nevada Division of Schooling didn’t present a solution to eight Information Now on whether or not they plan to adjust to President Trump’s govt order.
CCSD employed two extra individuals to its variety and fairness division in February. Data present considered one of them is making $114,432 a yr.
