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Confounding texts, private school blessings make for muddled choice in school board race

Confounding texts, private school blessings make for muddled choice in school board race

By April Corbin Girnus

Nevada Current

Voters looking for a clear and obvious champion of traditional public schools may feel forced to pick the lesser of two evils in one of the races for the Clark County School Board.

Only 361 votes separated Emily Stevens and Karl Catarata in the five-candidate primary for District A in June. Stevens placed first, with 25.7 percent of votes. Catarata placed second with 24.8 percent.

Trustee Lisa Guzman currently represents the district, which includes much of Henderson, as well as Boulder City and Laughlin. Guzman, who is finishing her first term, did not file for reelection.

Catarata would not agree to an interview unless he received questions in advance, which the Current would not agree to for any school board candidates. He provided written responses to emailed questions.

Catarata is the Nevada state director for the Human Rights Campaign and has a background in politics and public service. He chairs the Nevada Commission on Mentoring and is an advisory member of the DISCOVERY Children’s Museum. In 2022, he unsuccessfully ran for the Nevada System of Higher Education’s Board of Regents, coming in third in a four-person primary.

Stevens is vice president of business development at SCE Credit Union and has a background in sales and marketing. She is also a mother of two sons. Her eldest son graduated from a CCSD school and recently left for Army boot camp. Her younger son is entering his senior year at a CCSD school.

Stevens says that, when she was a single mom simultaneously trying to build her career, she wasn’t able to get as involved as she would have liked with the school board.

“You go into survival mode, especially when they’re young,” she said. “As they’ve gotten older and gained independence, and I grew in my career, I could take my head out of the sand.”

Stevens currently sits on several boards, including an Academy of Finance board at Clark High School, a financial literacy committee at UNLV, and an advisory committee for Communities in Schools. She says when she first floated the idea of running for school board, the response she heard from people was overwhelmingly “don’t do it.”

“That really bothered me,” she recalled. “Especially hearing it from leaders. ‘The district is too far gone. You’re not going to be able to do anything.’”

She continued, “If this is how our leaders feel, nothing is going to change. I know I’m just one person. But at the end of the day, I can be one voice that makes sense and can be professional and stand up for my community.”

Stevens believes the school board, which will see at least three but potentially four new board members after this year’s election, is primed to reconsider the past policies that have led to what she sees as a lack of oversight and accountability for former Superintendent Jesus Jara.

“I do think some of the trustees made decisions under the pretense they were doing something good and realized later” they may have been mistaken, added Stevens, who said she has spoken to some of the sitting trustees about governance issues.

Catarata in his responses said he believes the school board “has lost its way.”

“Improving oversight of the superintendent and addressing operational issues is key,” he added. “ I would prioritize efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability, and would not shy away from issues that are being marked as “operational” for the superintendent.”

Both Stevens and Catarata identified school safety as their top priority for the district.

“Prioritizing safety—from road zones to creating secure learning environments for students and teachers—addresses multiple challenges and alleviates other district issues that the system faces,” wrote Catarata.

Stevens said she believes teachers and schools have been stripped away of their ability to handle what she calls “the disruptors” — the handful of kids who “have learned that nothing is going to happen (as a result of their bad behavior), so they keep taking it to another level.”

On texts and school choice

The day before the June primary, Catarata’s campaign sent out texts to voters with language pandering to conservatives.

“I’m up against the woke radical left, and I’m counting on true Republicans like you to have my back,” read part of the text, which also claimed he has “a proven track record of helping launch a successful local charter school.”

The text ended “#AmericaFirst” — a hashtag and policy slogan commonly used by former President Donald Trump and his allies.

Catarata has previously said, and reiterated in his written responses to the Current, that the text was sent by a vendor without his approval and that he parted ways with the vendor after it was sent.

When asked to make clear his position on charter and private schools, Catarata sent a statement saying “parents should have access to quality education options, but not at the cost of precious dollars that should be going to public schools.” He added that he does not support school vouchers “that undermine public schools.”

Catarata acknowledged that he serves on the board for Vegas Vista Academy, a charter school that opened this school year, and said he joined because the school was opened by his mentor “who saw my potential to connect them to our community.” Catarata added that, if elected, he plans to resign from the charter school’s board.

Trustees are nonpartisan positions, but as cultural wars over LGBTQ issues have increased, and as the K-12 system deals with issues like private school vouchers that often find themselves splitting across party lines, voters have increasingly looked for political affiliation.

Catarata, who as a candidate has spoken to groups associated with both sides of the aisle, said in his written response that “trust is earned, and I’m humbled to earn the support of District A voters by consistently advocating for a new direction for CCSD.”

He added that “as a non-partisan candidate, I welcome conversations with anyone to improve the school board.”

Stevens describes herself as “huge on school choice.” She expressed support for Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo’s efforts to expand the state’s private school voucher program, known as Opportunity Scholarships.

Stevens is upfront about her own educational experience, noting in her campaign bio that she was homeschooled as a younger student, attended one year at CCSD, and then attended a private Christian high school. She also attended a private bible college, though she says she is “not a super religious person.”

“If parents want to send their kid to CCSD, they should all be quality schools,” said Stevens. “Charter schools should all be quality. If you’re going to a private school, it should be quality. I know as trustee I’d just be representing the district but I am a huge advocate (of school choice) because it gives more opportunities for our kids, to our parents, and it gives teachers and staff opportunities.”

Stevens says she strongly disagrees with the characterization that advocates of charter and private schools are out to undermine traditional public schools. She praised CCSD for its magnet programs, many of which are award-winning, and for developing more workforce programs for kids who don’t want to attend college.

She points to her own sons — one with military aspirations, the other focused on music.

“I love that we are starting to, as a district, realize that our kids’ potential isn’t just one potential,” she added.

Fundraising, endorsements

Catarata had raised $20,700 for his campaign as of July 15, according to campaign finance reports. His largest contribution was $5,000 from Michael Hiltz, a commercial real estate broker who specializes in converting properties for charter schools.

Catarata has been endorsed by LVMPD Sheriff Kevin McMahill, Assemblywoman Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod, and former Nevada Gov. and U.S. Sen. Richard Bryan. Catarata said in his written responses that Guzman, the outgoing trustee, supports him as her successor.

Stevens had raised $13,000 for his campaign as of July 15. Her largest contribution was $5,000 from the Greater Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce. Other notable contributors include the Police Officers Association of CCSD (the collective bargaining unit for CCSD Police Department), Southwest Gas Corp, and the sheet metal workers union Smart Local 88.

The Clark County Education Association and the Nevada State Education Association have both endorsed Stevens.

Stevens, in an interview posted on her campaign website, said she has not sought endorsements from any groups focused on social issues. That includes Moms for Liberty, the controversial group associated with two other school board races.

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April Corbin Girnus is an award-winning journalist and deputy editor of Nevada Current. A stickler about municipal boundary lines, April enjoys teaching people about unincorporated Clark County. She grew up in Sunrise Manor and currently resides in Paradise with her husband, three children and one mutt.



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