V.V. Teachers Join Protest In CCSD Call-Out

By AMY DAVIS

The Progress

A group of Mesquite public school teachers joined with thousands of their peers across the Clark County School District (CCSD) and participated in a mass “Call Out Day” on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

Organized by Brandon Burns, of the Las Vegas area, employees of CCSD were encouraged to “call in sick” that day to protest a recent CCSD Board of Trustees decision to mandate a vaccine for all district employees. The “Call out” was employed because striking is illegal.

Only a handful of Virgin Valley teachers participated in the Call Out event. But at least 5000 people showed up that day to attend the “Freedom of Choice Rally” on the Las Vegas strip from 4 to 6 pm.
“This is not an anti-vaccine rally,” said Burns that day. “It is a freedom of choice rally.”

Tensions in CCSD are running high after hours of testimony given by parents and teachers to the school board begging them not to mandate the COVID-19 vaccine. Despite all of that comment, the board voted 5-1 to grant CCSD Superintendent Jesus Jara the authority to develop a plan for the implementation of full vaccination of all employees of CCSD.

Jill-Anna Myers has been teaching 2nd grade at JL Bowler Elementary School in Bunkerville for 5 years. She was recruited from California where she taught 16 years in the same district on the central coast.

Myers believes this protest was a fight against medical tyranny and body currency, especially in regard to her livelihood. “We, as Americans, have Constitutionally-granted freedoms and a democracy that is the envy of the world,” Myers said. “Whether you agree with the vaccine or not it is imperative to fight for personal freedom.”

Virgin Valley Elementary special education teacher Kristy Wilkey said that she called out both on behalf of herself and herchildren, and also for every student that had ever walked into her classroom. “I want these kids to understand that sometimes situations are difficult, and people won’t always agree, but that is what makes America great,” Wilkey said. “We don’t have to all agree. Every person has the right to make a decision about what is best for them. Choice is what makes us free. I won’t stand by and watch that right be stripped from myself or these children.”

Local parent Andrea Wahls says honored how much that teachers sacrifice to educate local children. She said that teachers in the valley supported and educated her children and now she is supporting them.

“Teachers should not have to sacrifice the right to choose what they do with their own bodies,” Wahl said. “They have already proven how dedicated they are to this district.”

“For me, this is not about vaxed or anti-vaxed, said 12-year teacher Jody Ludvigson. “It really has little to do with the entire vaccine debate at all. This is about my right to choose what I inject into my body. What is right for one person may not be right for another.”

Kelly Zarndt, teaches English and theater at VVHS, “Someone wants to get the vaccine, more power to them. Someone doesn’t want to get the vaccine, they shouldn’t be forced.”

Local principals reported only mild affects of a few teacher absences. When asked if Virgin Valley Elementary had been affected by the teacher “Call out,” VVES Assistant Principal Vanessa Solis stated, “all of our classes are intact.”

It was also school business as usual at VVHS that day. “We had a few teachers and support staff who unexpectedly called out,” Frei said. “But we were able to cover their responsibilities without interruption. Overall, I was very pleased to see the team rally to make sure our students didn’t miss a beat. We have a phenomenal group of professionals here at VVHS who give their all for the students.”