Trustees Sue Clark County School District Over Speech Rules
Two trustees challenge policies restricting their public comments and the board's reprimand of one member.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Administration
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Trustees Lorena Biassotti and Lydia Dominguez filed a lawsuit Monday in Clark County District Court against the Clark County School District and its Board of Trustees. The suit challenges Governance Policies GP-2 and GP-3, which restrict trustees from making negative or disparaging remarks about the district, board members, or board decisions.
Why it matters
The complaint alleges the policies are vague and allow selective discipline of board members, raising questions about how far elected trustees can criticize the district they oversee. The case could affect how Las Vegas-area residents' elected school representatives are able to speak publicly on district matters.
The complaint names the district, its Board of Trustees, and Board President Emily Stevens in her official capacity, and it alleges violations of the First and Fourteenth Amendments, the Nevada Constitution, and Nevada's Open Meeting Law. Whether the court will grant the requested injunction blocking enforcement of the policies has not been determined.
The players
Clark County School District
The Clark County School District is the public school system serving Las Vegas and surrounding Clark County, Nevada, and is the defendant in the lawsuit over trustee speech policies.
Lorena Biassotti
Lorena Biassotti is an elected Clark County School District trustee and a plaintiff who was publicly reprimanded by the board over her social media posts and shirt.
Lydia Dominguez
Lydia Dominguez is an elected Clark County School District trustee and a co-plaintiff challenging the district's governance policies on trustee speech.
Emily Stevens
Emily Stevens serves as president of the Clark County School District Board of Trustees and is named as a defendant in her official capacity.
The details
Biassotti was publicly reprimanded at an August board meeting over social media posts and a shirt bearing the message "XX-XY," which she says reflects her religious beliefs. The trustees allege the board considered misconduct allegations against Biassotti without the notice required under state law, and they request a jury trial, damages, and attorney's fees.
Timeline
August 2026: The Board of Trustees publicly reprimanded Lorena Biassotti at a board meeting.
Monday, November 9, 2026: Trustees filed the lawsuit in Clark County District Court.
Legal Context
The complaint invokes the First Amendment and Nevada's Open Meeting Law, the same framework courts use to evaluate government limits on public officials' speech. The case asks whether governance policies that restrict elected board members' criticism of their own board can withstand those constitutional and statutory protections.
Parents and residents who elect school trustees may see how the board handles public criticism from its own members, since the policies at issue govern what trustees can say about the district. The outcome could shape how openly trustees can speak with constituents about school decisions.
The takeaway
Residents who want to understand district decisions can attend public board meetings and review the governance policies directly. Watching how the court rules on the speech restrictions will show where the line falls between board discipline and protected trustee speech.
Further reading
For more on how district leadership is structured, see Administration coverage of school governance in Las Vegas.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KSNV.
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