News

Summer Newsletter

LFT members are coming together to protect students and staff from COVID-19!

Since schools closed on March 13th, LFT, AFT and your Local affiliate have been working to protect the health and safety of Louisiana’s educators. We immediately began to collect resources to help families impacted by COVID-19 and find clarity around policy and regulatory issues given our new reality. With the help of our dedicated members, LFT petitioned local authorities to...

Confronting Racism and in Support of Black Lives

AFT Resolution

CONFRONTING RACISM AND IN SUPPORT OF BLACK LIVES

WHEREAS, foundational to our work must be the belief in justice for all, and that the fight for fairness, justice and dignity must encompass everyone—regardless of race, religion, gender, language, national origin or sexual orientation; and

WHEREAS, more than 400 years after Africans arrived upon these shores where they and their descendants were enslaved for nearly 250 years, and more than 150 years after the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution granted citizenship and equal protection under the law to all, followed by another

PPE FOR LFT MEMBERS

LFT has partnered with our national affiliate, American Federation of Teachers to bring 30,000 masks to Louisiana teachers and school staff. These masks were donated to LFT by the United States Heartland China Association and the Wanxiang Group.

Inadequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) has plagued frontline workers throughout the pandemic, which is why LFT and our partners are making these free masks available to any member who needs one. Please contact your local affiliate to get your mask or learn about their individual distribution plan.

DON’T FORFEIT OUR FUTURE: PASS THE HEROES ACT

Today is the beginning of Teacher Appreciation Week!

I hope you and your family are safe and healthy. Even though we’re physically distant, it’s important that we recognize the remarkable work our teachers and support staff do every day.

On March 13th our world changed in an unprecedented way – every public school in the state shut down and we were given little time to prepare for remote learning. Under immense pressure, you worked around the clock

The April Newsletter

SCHOOLS ARE CLOSED FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR, NOW WHAT?

Earlier this month Governor Edwards announced that schools would remain closed through the end of the school year. The Louisiana Department of Education (LDOE) has provided some guidelines for local school districts, but for the most part administrators, teachers, and school employees have had to make it work in an impossible situation.

I want to personally thank all of you for your courage and resolve. We’ve seen teachers and para-educators scramble to build remote learning programs out of thin air in a matter of hours. Food service workers and custodians are risking their own health to ensure children don’t go hungry. Nurses continue to sacrifice to ensure their patients get quality care. I don’t know where our state would be without your dedicated perseverance.

LFT is working to compile an up to date list of resources available to families in Louisiana dealing with the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak and school closure. Enclosed you will find information about

Meals for Kids
LDOE Policy Updates
Internet Discounts
Online Education
211
Utilities
Unemployment
and More!

Here is a list of school sites across Louisiana offering meals to all children age 18 and younger regardless of their location and income during the extended school closure period -- by parish.

The Louisiana Department of Education compiled this list and will continue to update it as more information becomes available.

Schools Close Due to Coronavirus COVID-19

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On Friday, Governor John Bel Edwards proclaimed that all public schools in the state shall close beginning Monday, March 16th until Monday, April 13th and any gatherings of more than 250 people shall halt. Additionally, he has suspended the requirement for 63,720 instructional minutes per year.

The AFT has done numerous information sessions since the coronavirus emerged, and we’ll do the largest telephone town hall to date this Saturday at 1 p.m. Central. We will highlight what we know, provide our recommendations and answer your questions. You can sign up for the town hall here. In order to join the call, you must R.S.V.P. by midnight on Friday.

Summer Newsletter

LFT members are coming together to protect students and staff from COVID-19!

Confronting Racism and in Support of Black Lives

The May Newsletter

PPE FOR LFT MEMBERS

DON’T FORFEIT OUR FUTURE: PASS THE HEROES ACT

Teacher Appreciation Week 2020

The April Newsletter

Special Message from LFT President Larry Carter

Resources During COVID-19

Free Meals During COVID-19 School Closures

Schools Close Due to Coronavirus COVID-19

Coronavirus Update from AFT President Randi Weingarten