Congratulations to the elected leadership team of the St. Martin Federation of Teachers and School Personnel! From left are Secretary Melissa Narcisse, Executive Vice President Tiffany James, President Toni Ventroy, and Treasurer Lynette Thomas.
In Los Angeles, UTLA members took to the picket lines because their schools are starved of resources. In Washington, D.C., President Trump has shut down the government to secure his border wall. In her monthly New York Times column, AFT President Randi Weingarten writes that when our elected leaders fail, whether by not funding public schools or by shutting down services that provide for our safety, they strike at the very heart of what makes us a democratic republic. Read the full column.
(New Orleans – September 25) Louisiana’s charter schools must recognize and bargain with unions if that is the desire of teachers and school employees, according to a unanimous ruling by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The September 21 ruling by a three-judge panel affirmed a decision by the National Labor Relations Board, asserting that the International High School of New Orleans violated the National Labor Relations Act when the group holding the school’s charter refused to recognize the school’s bargaining unit.
In her monthly New York Times column, AFT President Randi Weingarten highlights the massive gap between President Trump’s rhetoric and reality. While the well-to-do are doing very well in the current economy, working Americans have been left behind. Weingarten demands leaders take action to benefit all Americans by ensuring accessible, affordable healthcare for all; reining in college debt; and adequately funding public education. Read the full column.
(Baton Rouge – August 13, 2018) Louisiana spends more than a billion dollars less on education, adjusted for inflation, now than it did prior to the recession of 2008, according to a new study by the American Federation of Teachers.
“It has taken our legislature 10 years to finally adopt a budget that is stable and predictable, without playing budget tricks and sweeping funds for one-time money,” said Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter. “Now it’s time to address the neglect the situation that bad decisions by the previous administration brought us to.”
Nearly 4,000 teachers respond to LFT survey
LFT will confer with local leaders and partners about next steps
(Baton Rouge – May 21, 2018) Large majorities of Louisiana public school teachers favor some type of action to convince the state legislature and local school boards that pay raises are needed, according to a survey of nearly 4,000 teachers released by the Louisiana Federation of Teachers today.
(Baton Rouge – October 25, 2017) After years of litigation, approximately 350 Filipino teachers who were held in virtual bondage in Louisiana by a placement agency are slated to receive money from a class action lawsuit against the recruiter and her company. Each teacher will receive approximately $2,200.00.
“This is the bittersweet ending to a sad story of exploitation,” said Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter. “While these teachers can never be properly compensated for their suffering, we have at least validated the rule of law and sent a strong message to those who would profit from such human trafficking.”
(September 1, 2017) An annual survey by a respected education organization shows that Americans generally favor public education, oppose over-testing of students, and don’t want public education funds spent on private and religious schools.
“The Phi Delta Kappa survey tells us that most Americans are leery of what the status quo has been offering,” said Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Larry Carter. “They are more interested in building a bright future for their children than in compiling test data.”
“It’s up to us to make sure the elected leaders hear our voice and act on our concerns.”
Seven years after the Webster Parish School Board froze salaries in the face of a fiscal crisis, the parish school board voted unanimously Thursday to lift the cap and give teachers and employees a well-deserved pay raise.
“It’s been frozen for way too long,” Louisiana Federation of Teachers Representative Charlotte Crawley told KTBS-TV, “and we are very excited and commend the school board and superintendent for making this a priority.”
Vote raises salaries after four year freeze
(Covington – June 13, 2017) Teachers and school employees in St. Tammany Parish unanimously agreed Tuesday to new contract terms that will raise salaries this year and for the next two years.