Whittell High School teachers disciplined after mass absence

Seven Whittell High School teachers received disciplinary letters from the Douglas County School District after months of investigation into a mass absence on Oct. 30.

Rich Alexander, assistant superintendent of human services, said the letters were delivered last week.

Alexander would not go into specifics about the scope of the discipline or why the seven were picked. The matter has to do with personnel issues, which are not public.

"I think it's pretty safe to say that as a result of the investigation seven people are being disciplined by (Superintendent John Soderman)," he said.

The district's investigation into the absence of 11 of 16 Whittell teachers began in November. Interviews were conducted at the school.

Marty Cronin, president of the teachers' union in Douglas County, said the association will begin its own investigation into the district's findings. "We certainly know that walkouts and strikes are illegal in the state of Nevada," said Cronin, a Douglas High School teacher. "I still don't believe that happened. I don't believe the district has evidence to support that."

Cronin said teachers were absent for district business or medical reasons. The association is consulting with its attorneys and waiting for the district to submit documents relating to the investigation.

In time, an arbitrator will be agreed on by the district and association, Cronin said. The arbitrator will hear the arguments and make a ruling indisputable to either side.

Katlin Willens, a senior at Whittell, noticed morale is low among students and teachers. Willens was out sick on Oct. 30, but said students weren't alarmed by the large number of substitutes that day.

"(The teachers) are not the same as they were last year," Willens said. "They all seem depressed. There are days that teachers are really excited and wanting to be there, but there are days when it seems they don't want to be there."

In his 10 years as teacher president, Cronin said there has been no work stoppage, and said there wasn't one Oct. 30.

"From an association standpoint, this is as big as it gets," he said.

Contact William Ferchland at wferchland@tahoedailytribune.com.