Press

(Baton Rouge – May 14, 2013) In the wake of a State Supreme Court ruling that the state is unconstitutionally funding school voucher and course choice programs, Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan is asking lawmakers to step back and rethink the controversial education reforms of 2012.

(Baton Rouge – May 7, 2013) The State of Louisiana may not use funds dedicated to public education to pay the tuition for students in private and religious schools, the State Supreme Court ruled today.

“The state’s highest court affirmed what we believed all along,” said Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan. “Our constitution clearly states that public education’s Minimum Foundation Program is reserved for public schools and public school systems.

Thanks in large part to the thousands of e-mails, phone calls and personal contacts that you have made with lawmakers, the House Education Committee on Wednesday approved a bill to delay the implementation of punitive elements of the teacher evaluation plan for another year.

In an unprecedented display of unity, leaders of the state’s most influential education organizations announced their opposition to re-enacting elements of Governor Bobby Jindal’s radical education agenda.

After serving the union she founded for 38 years, Tangipahoa Federation of Teachers President Doris Flanagan announced her retirement at a meeting of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers Executive Board on April 6.

Certainly no one wants to repeat the 2012 Legislative Session, right?

Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan said SB 89 suggests that the Governor is "doubling down on flawed policy borne of bad politics."

(Baton Rouge – March 7, 2013) In a solid show of opposition to the $3.46 billion school funding plan proposed by State Superintendent of Education John White, three major stakeholders agreed today that his Minimum Foundation Program formula should be rejected and that an MFP study committee should be revived.

Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan, Louisiana School Boards Association Executive Director Scott Richard and Louisiana Association of School Superintendents President Michael Faulk all agreed that the spending formula cannot withstand constitutional scrutiny and does not meet the educational needs of Louisiana’s school children.

(Baton Rouge – March 4, 2013) In a stunning setback for the Jindal administration, a Baton Rouge district judge today ruled the entirety of an act governing teacher tenure, evaluations, salaries and more to be unconstitutional.

(Baton Rouge – February 22, 2013) Today’s announcement of yet another standstill budget for public education left the president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers shaking his head in bewilderment.