Press

(Baton Rouge – August 29, 2013) Trying to forestall an expected avalanche of lawsuits against local school boards, the Louisiana Federation of Teachers will ask a state judge to rule that Louisiana’s teacher tenure law violates due process guarantees in both the Louisiana and United States Constitutions

(Baton Rouge – August 22, 2013) New surveys demonstrate that parents overwhelmingly favor public education as the best choice for children, Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan said today. The results call into question continued efforts to privatize the state’s education system and judge teachers by standardized test results, he added.

A new nationwide survey shows that parents overwhelmingly believe that strong neighborhood public schools are a better choice for our children than vouchers or charter schools.

“Parents believe that public schools are the single most important institution for their community and for the nation,” said Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan. “This survey shows that 77 percent of American parents support public schools, an opinion that cuts across political and class lines.”

(Baton Rouge – July 17, 2013) Louisiana should take advantage of a U.S. Department of Education offer to extend the timetable for implementing Common Core Standards, according to the Louisiana Federation of Teachers.

Federation President Steve Monaghan said that the idea behind Common Core may have merit, but that like so many other education reforms that have been imposed recently, teachers and school systems have not been adequately prepared for the change.

(Baton Rouge - June 14, 2013) Apparently flaunting the will of the Louisiana Legislature, the Louisiana Department of Education is reportedly determined to distribute a small, one-time stipend for certificated classroom teachers based on a flawed and inaccurate teacher evaluation system.

Federation pleased with 2.75% growth factor for public schools

(Baton Rouge - June 6, 2013) After a four-year drought, educators are pleased that the legislature is including a 2.75% inflation factor – about $69 million – in the education budget for 2013-14, according to Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan.

(Baton Rouge – May 31, 2013) The Louisiana Supreme Court today handed down a ruling vacating a lower court decision that Act 1 of 2012 violated the single object provision of the Louisiana Constitution, and remanding the case to the 19th Judicial District Court for a rehearing.

After conferring with counsel, Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan said that he believes Judge Caldwell made the correct ruling, and that the LFT will be prepared to argue the case again when it is scheduled.

Overwhelming opposition from LFT, school boards, superintendents and special education community spells doom for the $3.46 billion spending plan.

Monaghan: It’s time to involve all stakeholders in the discussion

(Baton Rouge – May 15, 2013) Citing a Supreme Court ruling that money from public education’s Minimum Foundation Program cannot be used to pay for private and religious school vouchers, the Senate Education Committee today rejected the $3.46 billion spending plan, and sent it back to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for a rewrite.