News

A new public relations slogan from the state’s Department of Education claims that "Louisiana Believes." However, Louisiana educators don’t seem quite ready to believe that what's being pitched comes close to being "the real thing."

(New Orleans – June 20, 2012) A civil district court judge in New Orleans has determined that more than 6,800 teachers and school employees were illegally fired in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

We share the frustration of thousands of Louisiana citizens concerning the administration’s apparent disregard of the constitution and the rule of law, the misguided education agenda, and the assault on working families.

The sense of betrayal fueling the campaign to recall the governor is understandable.

UPDATE: School Board Association joins LFT lawsuit

(Baton Rouge - June 28, 2012) The Louisiana School Boards Association and 31 local school boards today filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Act 2 of 2012, sometimes referred to as the "voucher law."

(Baton Rouge - June 7, 2012) Challenging the legality of Governor Bobby Jindal’s signature education initiatives, the Louisiana Federation of Teachers today filed two lawsuits in Baton Rouge’s 19th Judicial District Court asking to have Acts 1 and 2 of the 2012 legislative session set aside.

(Baton Rouge - June 4, 2012) Calling today’s vote by the House of Representatives to fund Gov. Bobby Jindal’s education agenda “the fruit of a poisoned tree,” Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan said the next stage for this sad saga will be in Louisiana courtrooms.

(Baton Rouge – May 10, 2012) The Legislature should reject a proposed $3.4 billion public education budget because it violates the state constitution and could enrich as-yet unidentified private companies at the expense of public schools across the state, Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan said today.

Laura Harper is a fierce defender of public education who has served for 23 years as Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel Chair of the Jefferson Federation of Teachers. At the recent AFT/PSRP Conference in Washington, D.C. Laura received this year's Albert Shanker Pioneer Award.

Thanks to the strong support of her Louisiana brothers and sisters, Lynette Thomas was voted the American Federation of Teachers’ Everyday Hero among Paraprofessionals and School Related Personnel. Lynette, who is the food service manager at St. Martinville Primary School in St. Martin Parish, will be the AFT’s guest at the union’s upcoming national convention in Detroit.

(Baton Rouge – April 11, 2012) In a decision that will have a major impact on school districts around the state, an appeals court has ruled that districts may not reduce school employees’ salaries by furloughs or other means.

UPDATE: The Senate passed both HB 974 and HB 976 on Wednesday night and sent them to the House of Represenatives for concurrence. On Thursday, the House passed both bills and sent them to Gov. Jindal for his signature. Complete details will be coming in the next LFT Legislative Digest.

(Baton Rouge – April 4, 2012) As senators prepared to vote on key elements of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s radical education agenda, LFT President Steve Monaghan promised that educators will not forget how their elected leaders voted on the bills.