The Clark County School Board has been embroiled in a controversy following allegations that Trustee Katie Williams no longer resides in the district she was elected to serve. According to a statement from the Clark County District Attorney’s Office obtained by KTNV, Williams, who holds the District B seat, is suspected of having moved out of state, prompting the office to ask Williams to vacate her seat voluntarily by Monday.
Steve Wolfson, the Clark County DA, took action upon request from five board members and announced his office’s intentions to seek a court order to have the seat declared vacant if Williams does not comply. Allegations of Williams’ out-of-state residency came into the spotlight after changes in her meeting attendance and social media activity emerged, including a video on TikTok where she spoke of living in Nevada in the past tense, and other posts suggesting her presence in Nebraska, the Nevada Independent reported.
Williams, who was not seeking reelection, has been a contentious figure during her tenure on the board, often making headlines for her remarks about the district and individuals within it. Her residency came into question after remote attendance at meetings and, in an interview with KLAS in May, she mentioned her remote work arrangement between Utah, Nebraska, and California. However, state law mandates that elected trustees must reside within the district they represent, a requirement that, if not met, can lead to the vacancy of their elected office.
In light of these developments, the local teachers’ union, the Clark County Education Association representing 18,000 educators, demanded further accountability. They called not just for Williams' resignation but also for that of Board President Evelyn Garcia Morales, whom they accuse of "gross negligence" for allegedly ignoring community and stakeholder concerns regarding Williams' residency. Moreover, the union demanded an investigation into possible complicity by other trustees, asserting, "If in fact it is found that any trustee was complicit in covering up or shielding insight in Williams’ lack of residency then those trustees should resign immediately," according to a statement provided to the Nevada Independent.
The Clark County School District offered no extensive comment on the matter earlier but acknowledged awareness of the district attorney’s letter. As the situation unfolds, implications for past board decisions, particularly those passed with Williams' vote, may come under scrutiny, especially if her presence on the board during those votes is deemed illegitimate due to her non-residency.
