Louisiana NEA RA Delegates Leave the 2012 Convention Motivated & Ready To Stand Up for Change!

We had a great time in Washington D.C. this year! LAE delegates traveled to our nation’s capital to stand strong and we did! We worked together with our colleagues from across the nation, weighing in on policies which will help shape the future of the NEA! When it came to raising money for the NEA Fund for Children & Public Education, we were once again successful in meeting our obligation. By selling tickets to the annual Louisiana Mardi Dance, LAE delegates were able to make enough money to reach our goal of receiving an NEA pennant and windsock. Thanks again to all those who joined us in D.C. this year. We're looking forward to our trip to Atlanta next year! Check out some photos of this year's event below:



Highlights from our descent on the LA Capitol

March 14 & 15

"THE WHITE SLIP PROTEST"

inspired by Sharyn Hebert's Red Card Initiative

Since many of us are unable to be at the Capitol this week due to LEAP testing, here's your chance to show your visual PROTEST for House Bills 974 & 976! You may have heard of the Red Card Initiative created by Sharyn Hebert. We thought the idea was so fantastic that we decided to expand upon the concept.

Now that the debate is headed to the house floor, white slips are used to write notes to representatives to voice opinions about debated legislation. We've downloaded those white slips for you to fill out and return to us so we can show representatives just how many individuals are in opposition to these bills. Follow the instructions provided below:

Step 1: Click here  to download the PDF of the House Message Slip.

Step 2: Click the following link to compile contact information on your representative: http://legis.la.gov/district/zipcode.asp  

Step 3: Click here to view the attached House of Representatives Seating chart and place the seat number of your representative in the blank provided at the top right hand corner of the House Message Slip.

Step 4: Fill out the highlighted fields on the PDF form, including your representative, your name and a personal message. *Please note all of the information entered with the exception of any personal messages, will duplicate on both forms.

Step 5: When you are finished, click Submit (top right hand corner of screen) to return your data. You can also save the PDF on your desktop and attach it to an email, send this email to ashley.davis@lae.org.

It's important that we get this done and get this done FAST! Please begin filling these cards out and sending them in!

 

STAY STRONG!!

Governor Jindal Attempts to Suppress Educators & Thousands Push Back to Make Their Voices Heard

Thousands of education stakeholders flooded the steps of the Louisiana State Capitol Wednesday, but a majority of the teachers, support professionals, administrators – even parents and students – who showed up, were forced to remain outside on the Capitol steps due to the governor’s orders of closing down alternative entrances into the building.

“They wouldn’t let people in because they said the committee rooms were full, but it looked like Governor Jindal was trying to keep educators out of the room during his testimony,” said LAE President Joyce Haynes. “If he really believed in his plan, then he should have taken this opportunity to stand before educators and put it all out on the table; instead, he chose to lock us out of the process.”

School employees from across the state came together in Baton Rouge to speak against the governor’s extreme education agenda brought forth in House Bill 976. The bill calls for taking public tax dollars and turning them over to for-profit charter schools. It also calls for the expansion of a statewide school choice program. Educators want to know why the governor is demanding a rush to vote on such complex legislation that impacts the future of Louisiana’s public schools.

“It is the Legislature’s responsibility to schedule a fair hearing process that allows us to offer input on those bills that affect us,” said Haynes.

U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu sided with school employees as she spoke out against the rush. She agrees that the governor is moving outrageously fast to try to win committee approval for his plan.

"If this is such a great reform package, it should be able to stand the test of review. This is a democracy. This isn't a dictatorship," Landrieu said in an interview.

Educators could not agree more. Several school systems across the state closed so that educators could attend the hearings and advocate on behalf of their school districts. Attendees said they would rather be in the classrooms with their students, but when the intent is to attack hard working professionals by proposing to dismantle neighborhood schools through privatization, teachers will stand up to defend their students and their careers.

“We were forced to attend on a school day,” said Haynes. “Legislators should have made the appropriate move to schedule these hearings when education employees are available to attend, like in the evenings or on the weekends.”

The decision to close schools was made by school boards and administrators, many of whom joined teachers and support professionals at the Capitol in opposition to the legislation.

Educators Appalled by Request for Another Year of School Funding Freezes

Fourth Year Freeze Contributes To Larger Classes & Fewer Extracurricular Opportunities for Students

Just hours after President Obama urged the nation’s governors to invest more state resources in education, Louisiana’s top school board voted to ask lawmakers for a freeze on state aid to public schools for a fourth consecutive year.  LAE President Joyce Haynes was in the crowd when this decision was announced; she expressed her disappointment in those board members who went along with the vote.

“It’s extremely upsetting when you consider that the BESE has an obligation to do what’s right for their constituencies,” said Haynes. “We depend on them to have the courage to stand up to the governor.”

The action came as no surprise after Governor Jindal proposed the freeze in his budget for the 2012 legislative session. This request merely continues the governor’s track record of slighting Louisiana’s public school kids. In 2010, he made a $42 million error in the MFP when he failed to account for increases in student population. He also shorted the state’s K-12 and higher education systems another $68 million when he redirected the Federal Education Jobs grant. To date, districts still have not received the $79 million residue from the $147 million originally approved for Louisiana K-12 public schools. Educators continue to express concern over the impact this will have on Louisiana’s public school students who ultimately bear the brunt of the continued cuts, which contribute to increased class size and fewer extracurricular opportunities.

“Our state’s budget is hurting and we have a governor who continues to follow a national agenda that benefits big business,” said Haynes. “His continued use of legislation provided by the American Legislative Exchange Council benefits outside interests - interests that stand to benefit from the establishment of for-profit virtual schools, for-profit higher education providers and courses provided by commercial industries who want to turn our state into a business. This only creates a “lose-lose” situation for the children of Louisiana.”

President Haynes went on to discuss that the governor’s focus should be on investing in classroom priorities that build the foundation for student learning, while holding everyone – including administrators, teachers, parents, students and elected officials - accountable for student success.

“We applaud those BESE members - Ms. Lottie Beebe of Breaux Bridge, Ms. Carolyn Hill of Baton Rouge, Ms. Kira Orange-Jones of New Orleans and Ms. Holly Boffy of Youngsville - who had the courage to stand up for public education and vote to delay this request,” said Haynes.

The Louisiana Legislature will vote to either accept or reject BESE’s request when it convenes for the 2012 Regular Session next month.

 

Thoughts?

BESE Names New Education Superintendent Despite Words of Caution from Education Stakeholder Groups

The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education approved Governor Bobby Jindal's pick for Louisiana's new superintendent of schools. John White will take on the department of education’s top spot and leave his post as the head of the Recovery School District just months after he arrived in Louisiana. While several education stakeholders showed up at the appointment meeting to argue why the decision was the wrong move, the board still moved forward with their selection.


“I believe that John White is a very charismatic, kind-hearted and courteous fellow,” said LAE President Joyce Haynes. “Unfortunately, now we will watch him struggle as he makes the changes that Governor Jindal wants.”


Changes such as moving forward with more charters, the use of vouchers and the flawed value-added teacher evaluation model brought forth by Louisiana law ACT 54.

Haynes feels as though educators have been disrespected once again by BESE since the board did not allow for a transparent, open selection process for those who could have met the qualifications to apply for the position.


“We’re definitely disappointed that the process - which is set forth in law - was not followed,” Haynes said. “This is typical Louisiana ‘poli-tricks’ – using our students as the reason for the rush in appointment, rather than doing the right thing.”


Newly inducted BESE District 3 Board Member Lottie Beebe was the only voice of dissent on the 11-member panel. Beebe joined in with LAE calling for nationwide search after questioning White's credentials and level of experience.


White's appointment has been widely anticipated since elections for the board this past fall ensured he would have the eight-vote supermajority needed to become the next head of the state Department of Education.


White spoke briefly and thanked the board for their vote: "I take extremely seriously the responsibility that has been up upon me and welcome it."


White takes over for Ollie Tyler, who stepped in to serve as acting superintendent after Paul Pastorek stepped down last May. His entire pay package has not yet been disclosed, but his annual salary will be $275,000.

St. Helena Judge Says No to BESE and Yes Parish Educators in Funding Dispute

School Board, Union Funding Formula Lawsuit Moves Forward in Legal Proceedings

A state district court judge ruled Monday that a lawsuit brought forth by the St. Helena Parish Association of Educators (SHPAE) and the St. Helena Parish School Board can proceed to trial.


“We applaud Judge Fields on this decision,” says Plaintiff Attorney Brian F. Blackwell of Blackwell & Associates. “The state made an illegal move by depriving the school district of much needed dollars. Drastic action needs to be taken in order to ensure that this money is restored.”

Earlier this year, four St. Helena Parish teachers sued the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) and the Superintendent of Education, claiming the state illegally included parish sales tax revenue in figuring the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) formula - the primary mechanism through which the state funds public education. In April, the St. Helena Parish Association of Educators and the St. Helena Parish School Board joined the suit.

“The suit alleges that between 2007 and 2011, the formula adopted by BESE effectively reduced the state’s funding obligation to the St. Helena Parish School Board by more than $2.4 million,” says Blackwell. “Statewide, the suit alleges that the same formula effectively reduced the state’s funding obligation under the MFP by nearly $3 billion during the same period of time.”

Both BESE and the superintendent claimed that suit should be dismissed for a variety of reasons, but Judge Wilson Fields disagreed. Following Monday’s ruling, Mr. Blackwell said that he intends to vigorously pursue action.

“We intend to gather all of the evidence necessary to win this very important case as expeditiously as possible,” he said.

LAE Executive Director Dr. Michael Walker-Jones testifies in front of the House Committee on Retirement

LAE offers testimony on HB 417, HB 151 and HB 150 on Thursday, May 5, 2011.

National Teacher Day 2011!!

It's National Teacher Day and LAE President Mrs. Joyce Haynes has a special message for all teacher and ESP members! Check it out...

 

LAE Chastises Chas Roemer’s Push To Abolish Teacher Tenure

Statements Regarding Tenure Are An Inaccurate Portrayal of Teacher Due Process Rights

The Louisiana Association of Educators rejects Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) member Chas Roemer’s recent statements pushing for an abolishment of teacher tenure.

“Tenure is not the guarantee of a job for life,” says LAE President Joyce Haynes. “Tenure is simply a right to due process and provides job security for teachers who have successfully completed a rigorous and closely monitored process.”

Roemer sent letters to all BESE members and state lawmakers last week, asking for a written pledge that they will work to end teacher tenure. Roemer is pushing for a plan to eliminate tenure, fire thousands of teachers, and give a merit raise only to the top 25 percent of public school teachers in the state. LAE believes that Roemer is on the wrong track. His belief that education is a simple world of just two variables diminishes the complexities of all schools and undermines the craft of teaching in the midst of a multi-variant system.

Roemer should have asked LAE leaders or Louisiana teachers the question, “Why tenure?” Any teacher in the state would have told him that tenure simply guarantees a process of just dismissal; protection from false allegations of wrongdoing; and coercive education practices such as grade altering, as well as protection from political reprisals. This last point is important because Roemer’s missive to eliminate teacher tenure was a political campaign piece paid for by his campaign fund.

We believe - and Roemer seems to agree - that the vast majority of teachers are high quality. He has proven to under appreciate teachers and their craft. As a BESE member, Roemer has never advocated for even an increase in the MFP during his entire tenure on the board.

We challenge Roemer’s proposal to punish thousands of hardworking teachers in Louisiana in order to capture nearly $115 million in salaries only to redistribute this money to the top 25 percent.

In a 2008 Time Magazine article, M.J. Stephy wrote, “Abolishing tenure doesn't address problems of underfunding, overcrowding or improving students' home environments.” LAE agrees.

For more information go to http://www.lae.org/.