Once upon a time in the state of Louisiana, a dark cloud hovered over the Capitol in Baton Rouge causing teachers and school employees to face a terrible series of events beginning with the loss of tenure, pay, and professional rights. This caused many good people to leave and soon there were classrooms filled with students without certified teachers. On the other hand, many of the people who stayed were forced to work hours on end in second and third jobs just to support their families. With their pay lowered and rights stripped, all hope was lost.
Several years later, there was hope on the horizon- pay raises for all! While the amounts given were not enough to compete with other states in the region, teachers and school employees felt seen and respected. It seemed that the ominous cloud was lifting and soon there would be sunshine.
Just as teachers and school employees began to feel optimistic and more money was being promised with the surplus of funds in the state, the dark cloud returned and along with it, its elected legislators. Soon after, those Louisiana representatives used their swords to slice a proposed pay raise right out the budget. Instead, they would give funds to local districts with empty promises that teachers and school employees could be granted a local raise with the funds. The representatives were pleased with themselves, so much so that they voted to raise their own salaries.
When the teachers and school employees asked the representatives why they would remove a guaranteed pay increase from the budget, the representatives said they should trust they wouldn’t be forgotten. One teacher asked, “How can you continually ask me to do more while you refuse to pay me a fair wage? How can I support my family without a higher salary? Why should I trust you when you have harmed me in the past?”
A representative stood and said. “Alas, I have a bill for that, HB570, to help you secure funds for your family. All you must do is enter the deep,dark woods and bring me the tail of a hog. For each tail you collect, you will be given a financial reward, but of course you must do this in a manner that does not affect your job in education.” The teachers and school employees could not believe their ears. “He wants us to collect tails?” they asked. A teacher replied, “I have heard of fairy tales, folk tales, and tall tales, but did he really just say there would be pay based on hog tails?” The teachers and school employees stared at one another with mouths agape. A paraprofessional declared,“This will not work! We will not stand for this disrespect, and I refuse to collect hog tails for pay!”
Although the teachers and school employees were disheartened by the representatives’ vote and response, they would not give up. They knew they must be the ones to stand up and fight- for they are the promise of public education, and without teachers and school employees the students of Louisiana would suffer. They would contact the Senate and ask them for a GUARANTEED pay raise for ALL.
Click here to send a letter to the Senate!
HB1– The proposed pay raise for teachers was removed from the budget. The representatives chose on 5/4/23 to instead allocate funds to pay towards retirement which would free up funds for local districts. The local districts then CAN give raises to employees, but there is NO GUARANTEE employees will see a dime. The YEAS below voted to remove the raise from the budget, while the NAYS voted against removing the raise.
HB570– authorizes the secretary of the Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries to establish a bounty on feral hog tails. Provides a monetary reward for collecting and bringing in the tails of feral hogs.THIS IS REALLY A BILL PROPOSED! We couldn’t believe it’s not a tall “tail” either!
