Jeff Proffitt draws support from community leaders, local unions
LAS VEGAS – Endorsements continue to roll in support of Jeff Proffitt’s campaign for Clark County School District Trustee representing District B. Community leaders, education and civic organizations and more have voiced their support as Proffitt takes his kids-first message into the general election.
Endorsements so far include civic organizations such as the Nevada Veterans Association and education advocacy groups the National Education Association of Southern Nevada, the Nevada State Education Association, ABC (A Better Choice for Our Students), the Nevada Democratic Education Caucus, the Clark County Education Association and the Education Support Employees Association.
In addition to an endorsement by Chris Garvey, the current District B trustee, other politicians representing District B also have jumped in to encourage the community to vote for Proffitt. Included among them are Clark County Commissioner Marilyn Kirkpatrick, North Las Vegas City Councilor Richard Cherchio, and Nevada State Assembly members Maggie Carlton, Susie Martinez and Selena Torres.
As business manager of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Local 88, enthusiastic support from local unions from multiple industries was a natural fit for Proffitt. They include the Clark County Firefighters Local 1908, Culinary Workers Local 226, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees Local 720, Southern Nevada Building Trades, SMART Local 88, SMART Transportation Division, Operative Plasterers and Cement Masons Local 797, Southwest Carpenters, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Locals 357 and 396, the Southern Nevada Central Labor Council, the Nevada State AFL/CIO, the Unified Construction Industry Council and Laborer’s International 872.
The District B primary was heated and packed with eight candidates. Proffitt came in second in the primary, but he is confident with the growing support of the community, his kids-first campaign will be successful in the general election.
“We should bring kids’ interests to the table—and leave our personal politics out,” Proffitt said.
The Clark County School District and Southern Nevada are close to Proffitt’s heart. He was born at Women’s Hospital in Las Vegas and attended CCSD schools, graduating from Eldorado High School, a District B school, in 1992. A resident of Moapa Valley since 2009, Proffitt supports and understands the challenges of rural and urban schools as his wife, a Clark County School District special education teacher, has worked in Moapa Valley for more than a decade. Proffitt has three children, all current or former students of District B.
District B serves North Las Vegas, Sunrise Mountain, Mesquite, Bunkerville, Logandale, Overton, Glendale and the Moapa Paiute Tribe. It is the largest geographical area the school district serves.
Proffitt previously served as training director for the Sheet Metal Workers Local 88 Training Center, a comprehensive four-year educational apprenticeship program that provides full-ride scholarships to its students and produces job-ready workers skilled in math, computers and spatial relationships.
Representing rural schools is a position Proffitt takes seriously. He would provide additional support for Native Americans, especially regarding curriculum, and although his district would only include a few rural areas, he would stand for all rural schools, including those in Boulder City, Indian Springs, Blue Diamond, Sandy Valley, Mount Charleston and others. All rural schools should have the same voice, at the same volume, as the schools located in North Las Vegas, Las Vegas and Henderson.
“They need a trustee to stand up for a funding formula to support Clark County’s rural schools in the same manner as the rest of Nevada,” he said.
Clark County School District trustees serve four-year terms and can serve a total of three terms (12 years). District B serves 268,148 people and includes Arbor View, Shadow Ridge, Legacy, Sunrise Mountain, Eldorado, Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley high schools and Nellis Air Force Base. A map of District B can be found here. The general election is set for Nov. 3.
Additional information on Jeff Proffitt and his campaign can be found at www.proffitt4education.com.