(Baton Rouge – September 21, 2012) Concerned about the Jindal administration’s apparent "complete disregard" for the legislature and the separation of powers, Rep. Jerome “Dee” Richard (I-Thibodaux) this week became the second legislator to ask his colleagues to convene in special session. Senator Karen Carter Petersen (D-New Orleans) had already called for a special session over the Jindal administration’s handling of health care issues in the state.

Assistance is available for residents of parishes that have been declared disaster areas in the wake of Hurricane Isaac. Members of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers may be eligible for UnionPlus Disaster Relief Grants. Affected parishes include Ascension, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. John the Baptist and St. Tammany.

(Baton Rouge – September 6, 2012) A study purporting to support a new teacher evaluation system is the product of a biased, pro-business think tank and should not be taken seriously by education reformers in Louisiana, according to the Louisiana Federation of Teachers.

(Baton Rouge – August 24, 2010) In touting the product of a researcher nationally recognized for studies biased in favor of school vouchers, Louisiana Superintendent of Education John White continues down the path of rhetoric and partisan politics at the expense of taxpayers and school children, Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan said today.

What LFT General Counsel Larry Samuel says about Act 1: "...this is another example of a total and utter disregard of the opinions of the persons who are in the best position to suggest changes that are in the students’ best interest: the educators who work with our students each day in the classroom. This is yet another example of laws being forced from above, without so much as asking for your input. It is time for this lack of dignity and this disrespect to end."

The Louisiana Federation of Teachers is more than an organization. It is nearly 21,000 teachers and school employees who wake up every morning determined to make a difference in the lives of all the children in our schools. Those dedicated professionals, our members, are the heart and soul of the union.

At the core of the LFT’s commitment to public education is our determination to preserve and protect the rights professional educators. They are the experts in their fields, and they have the education, expertise and certification required to provide the instruction and support our children deserve.