January 2020 means a new Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Last year, each seat was up for re-election and while most members retained their seat on the board, we have four new faces: Dr. Belinda Davis, Preston Castille, Ashley Ellis, and Ronnie Morris.

Attendance Report: 

Every member of the board attended the special meeting on January 16^th.

Ms. Boffy was absent from all the committee meetings on January 28^th and the full board meeting on January 29^th

Ms. Ellis was absent from the three committee meetings on January 28^th (the School Innovation and Turnaround Committee, the Administration and Finance Committee, and the Policy Forum Committee meeting) and the full board meeting on January 29^th.

Thank you for being a member of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers and School Employees.

This year has gone by so fast, but through our collective power we’ve accomplished a lot. From raises, to new friends and election victories, 2019 has been a year to remember.

HOLIDAY CELEBRATION

Happy Thanksgiving from Louisiana Federation of Teachers!

Share My Lesson’s curated collections of free & engaging Thanksgiving lesson plan templates, resources, and activities to help teach students about this tradition from multiple historical perspectives: sharemylesson.com/collections/thanksgiving-lesson-plans

Through our ongoing partnership with First Book, LFT will be able to give hundreds of books to help Louisiana children in need this Holiday season. For more details, please contact your local leadership.

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Gregory Spiers for BESE

Greg Spiers was a teacher and football coach at Ponchatoula High School in Tangipahoa Parish. He's decided to run for the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education in District 6 after seeing how destructive the Board's current practices are for our children. 

Greg is a product of the Louisiana public school system in Amite and he attended Southeastern Louisiana University before joining the Navy, where he became a U.S. Navy Seal. 

Greg wants to eliminate Common Core and give local school districts more control over their schools. He will give teachers a voice on the Board, change standardized assessment policies and increase opportunities for Jump Start. 

ELECTION SEASON

On October 12th Governor Edwards secured significantly more votes than any of any other Gubernatorial candidate. While insufficient to secure an outright win, this is a testament to his leadership and success as our Governor. In his first term, Louisiana has recovered from a devastating deficit, supported teachers and students, and he has delivered on his promise to restore faith in government. That is why so many teachers and support staff from across Louisiana have been working to ensure Governor Edwards’ re-election, and they will continue this dedicated work through November. To join your colleagues and volunteer in this election, please go to http://actionnetwork.org/forms/volunteer2019.

Louisiana's early voting period runs from Saturday, September 25th through Saturday, October 5th (except September 29th), so you have the chance to vote now, in advance of election day on October 12th. This year's elections are incredibly important for Louisiana's future. Not only is the Governor up for re-election, but so is the entire Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE), as well as a number of important house and senate races.

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This fall, Louisiana has the chance to #flipBESE!

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LFT Endorsements

Louisiana Federation of Teachers and School Employees (LFT), has announced endorsements for the 2019 primary elections. 75 candidates have been selected from around the state who have each demonstrated their commitment to supporting public education issues which influence our schools, our teachers, and our students.