‘There will not be business as usual’: New CCSD trustees take office

After they were sworn in during a Monday evening ceremony, four new Clark County School Board trustees and community members pledged to work together to enact change in the Clark County School District.

Over half of the school board’s seven voting members, including the former president, were replaced on Monday, ahead of Wednesday’s work session.

The new board enters a month before the start of the legislative session, during which the school district will need to secure funding from the state. The board also will be tasked with what some have called its most consequential decision to date: selecting a new superintendent for the country’s fifth largest school district.

Conservative values

After taking her oath of office and joining the current trustees, Lorena Biassotti referenced her tumultuous history with the school board, including being escorted out of a meeting.

“While I was being silenced, our voices were growing stronger,” Biassotti said. “We want our conservative values that our country is founded on to be respected and represented again.”

Biassotti has been an outspoken critic of mask mandates and an anti-racism policy at school board meetings. She and the newly sworn in trustee Lydia Dominguez are former members of the parental rights group Moms for Liberty. They both announced their departure from the Clark County’s chapter in August, but told the Las Vegas Review-Journal they still agreed with the mission — which includes censoring cultural issues such as education on gender identity and race.

“The community wants change, and I want to make it clear that we will deliver the change,” Dominguez said upon taking her seat at the dais. “There will not be business as usual. We are headed towards a fantastic future, and I am excited for it,” Dominguez said.

Dominguez was joined by her two sons while taking her oath. One of them congratulated his mother and commended her commitment to service during public comment.

Several supporters of Biassotti and Dominguez also spoke during public comment, echoing their excitement about upholding conservative values on the board.

Former president voted out

Tameka Henry was joined by her daughter as she was sworn in and became teary while taking her oath.

Henry represents District C, and replaces the former president, Evelyn Garcia Morales. Garcia Morales was the only sitting board member who ran for re-election. She had defeated Henry in 2020.

During her tenure as president, Garcia Morales faced criticism for her handling of several issues, most recently both preceding and in the aftermath of former trustee Katie Williams’ resignation, as well as during the district’s budget issues.

“I didn’t prepare any words because I’m just ready to get to work,” Henry said from the dais. “Our district deserves so much better, and I know that we can do this, but it’s going to take all of us.”

Henry credits her start in education advocacy to Head Start, which offers services to children under age 5 to prepare them for school. She has since served on several other boards and advocacy groups.

She was endorsed by the Clark County Education Association and Trustees Ramona Esparza-Stoffregan, Linda Cavazos and Brenda Zamora.

‘Excited to be part of something so magical’

Emily Stevens was sworn in to represent District A, where former trustee Lisa Guzman previously sat.

Stevens, a mother of two, serves as the vice president of business development for SCE Credit Union, a job in which she said she works to engage in the community and create partnerships. She also serves on the board for several high schools and education groups. She was endorsed by CCEA.

Upon taking her seat, she told a story about a student she found particularly inspiring.

“I am incredibly excited to be part of something so magical,” Stevens said of joining the School Board.

Several members of CCEA — who have had a turbulent relationship with members of the board in the past — expressed their commitment to working with the new trustees, and their hope that the union and board could stand together going into the new legislative session.

“The theme of this next session is going to be accountability,” CCEA Vice President Kenny Belknap said. “I want to encourage all of you to not run from accountability, but to embrace it.”

Contact Katie Futterman at kfutterman@reviewjournal.com. Follow @ktfutts on X and @katiefutterman.bsky.social.