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Attention Caddo Parish Public School Teachers and Employees
Where is the Money?
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Welcome back Caddo. Let’s get straight to the point. The five year drought on teacher pay has finally ended! Politicians called it austerity—our translation: they cut the funds; we suffer; they benefit. But, at last, we have seen a small reprieve. With much pressure from the legislators who truly value public education, classroom teachers will receive a one-time supplement. Once taxes and retirement are taken out, the check you receive should be somewhere above $500. When, you ask?
The Caddo Parish School Board first said the issue needed to go to a committee for recommendation. When we expressed our concern, they moved it to the next school board agenda on August 20th. This is one of those issues where teachers need to weigh in. By golly, you earned this. We fought for it, and there should be no pussyfooting on allocating your money to you. Pick up the phone, point that mouse, and send a message to the school board saying to them, “Now is the time!”
And while you are at it, there are two other issues you need to address. We don’t do this job alone. When we consider the promise of public education and all those who are essential in providing it, there are those who shouldn’t be forgotten. They too need recognition for their hard work. The money allocated from the state is for certified teachers only, but that doesn’t mean support employees should be left out. The Caddo Parish Finance Director said they were scrubbing the budget to identify local funds for a support employee pay supplement. Let us stand together in calling on the board members to place an item on the agenda for a support employee pay supplement.
Finally, where’s the CEEF? CEEF, or the Caddo Educational Excellence Fund, is money we receive from the riverboats. The district is only allowed to spend the interest off this account each year. A committee meets to make recommendations to the CPSB who then approve the allocation. When we looked at the proposed budget last May, there was $400,000 in that line item. It certainly appeared that since these monies are to be used for classroom enhancements, this would be an excellent way to offset the money cut from the $200 per teacher supply allotment. We immediately inquired, and we were told the committee had not met, but we were assured that the meeting would soon occur. As of Tuesday night, despite all the assurances, the committee still had not met. So once again, the funds are there, and they couldn’t be going to a nobler place than classroom materials and supplies. SHOW UP to the CPSB meeting August 20th. Encourage the board to step up and see that the funds are allocated now. Tell them to vote:
YES to allocation of MFP salary supplement for classroom teachers…
YES to a support employee supplement…
YES to supply money…..
Contact the Board Members:
District 1 Steve Riall
8033 Old Moorningsport Road
Shreveport, LA 71107
Tel: (318) 929-2672
Email: SRiall@caddo.k12.la.us
District 2 Jasmine Green
1433 Audrey Lane
Shreveport, LA 71107
Tel: (318) 703-6251
Email: Jagreen@caddo.k12.la.us
District 3 Carl A. Pierson, Sr.
First Vice President
2106 Wyoming Circle
Shreveport, LA 71101
Tel: (318) 222-0132
Email:capfromallendale1@gmail.com
District 4 Charlotte Crawley
4741 Thornhill
Shreveport, LA 71106
Tel: (318) 470-7851
Email:CMCrawley@aol.com
District 5 Curtis Hooks
3309 Sun Valley Court
Shreveport, LA 71109
Tel: (318) 423-1582
Email: CHooks@caddo.k12.la.us
District 6 Mary Trammel
229 E 75th Street
Shreveport, LA 71106
Tel: (318) 840-7813
Email: MTrammel@caddo.k12.la.us
District 7 Lillian Priest
2613 Parham Drive
Shreveport, LA 71109
Tel: (318) 635 – 8335
Fax: (318) 636 – 2177
Email: LPriest@caddo.k12.la.us
District 8 Bonita Crawford
Second Vice President
295 Patton Ave
Shreveport, LA 71105
Tel: (318) 868 – 3684
Fax: (318) 868 – 5119
Email: BCrawford@caddo.k12.la.us
District 9 Barry F. Rachal
P.O. Box 5545
Shreveport, LA 71135
Tel: (318) 918-1240 or (318) 469-2277
Email: BarryRachal@gmail.com
Email: Brachal@caddo.k12.la.us
District 10 Larry Ramsey
President
9006 Marlow Dr
Shreveport, LA 71118
Tel: (318) 686-7611
Email: LRamsey@caddo.k12.la.us
District 11 Ginger Armstrong
9800 Chase Way
Shreveport, LA 71118
Tel: (318) 688-0676
Email:GArmstrong@caddo.k12.la.us
District 12 Dottie Bell
7881 Jefferson-Paige Road
Shreveport, LA 71119
Tel: (318) 635-4667
Email: DBell@caddo.k12.la.us
Reclaiming the Promise of Public Education
This video features AFT President Randi Weingarten: “Reclaiming the Promise” of Public Education – HIGHLIGHTS
We believe in public education because it is the means by which we help all children dream their dreams and achieve them. And I mean all children—those who have abundant advantages, and those for whom every day is a struggle; those who worry about getting into a good college, and those who worry about their parents getting deported.
Educators like you help students build lives of great purpose and potential by instilling essential knowledge and skills, including critical reasoning, problem-solving and working with others, and by promoting civic participation. We believe in high-quality public education because it is an economic necessity, an anchor of democracy, a moral imperative and a fundamental civil right, without which none of our other rights can be fully realized. And I believe that promise, that hope, that accomplishment, is a direct result of the work you do every day, the most important work in America.
I truly believe we are in a crucial moment when we must reclaim the promise of public education—not as it is today or as it was in the past, but as what public education can be to fulfill our collective obligation to help all children succeed.
People are waking up to the fact that decades of top-down edicts, mass school closures, privatization and test fixation with sanctions instead of support haven’t moved the needle—not in the right direction at least.
And recently, in front of nearly 3,000 educators at our union’s TEACH conference in Washington, D.C., I laid out a vision to reclaim the promise of public education and unite parents and community with us as one unstoppable force.
Stand with us to Reclaim the Promise.
Reclaiming the promise of public education is about fighting for neighborhood public schools that are safe, welcoming places for teaching and learning. Reclaiming the promise is about ensuring that teachers are well-prepared, are supported and have time to collaborate. Reclaiming the promise is about enabling them to teach an engaging curriculum that includes art and music and the sciences. And reclaiming the promise is about ensuring that kids have access to wraparound services to meet their emotional, social and health needs.
Taken together, all these things reflect our prescription for ensuring that all kids have the opportunities they need and deserve. This vision may look different community by community, but it has a few common elements. Reclaiming the promise will bring back the joy of teaching and learning. It’s the way to make every public school a place where parents want to send their kids, teachers want to teach and children are engaged. It makes our public schools the center of the community and fulfills their purpose as an anchor of our democracy and a propeller of our economy.
We know it is not only educators who are for this; parents and community members have our backs. A recent poll found that parents want strong neighborhood public schools as opposed to more charter schools or voucher programs, and overwhelmingly believe public schools should provide a well-rounded education, offer social services for students and reduce the emphasis on testing, among other findings.
This is not a campaign. This is our core. And it must be the focus of our work going forward. Ours is a vision that works. It’s a vision of what parents want for their kids. And it’s a movement that can stop the privatizers, profiteers and austerity hawks in their tracks.
But they’re not going to roll over and go away. We need your help. None of us can be bystanders. We need to reach out to parents, the community and civic leaders. We need to open their eyes to the good things happening in our schools—as well as the challenges we face. We need to open their minds to our vision for great neighborhood public schools. We need to open their hearts to joining with us in the effort to ensure all our children get the great education they need and deserve.
Join us in Reclaiming the Promise.
In unity,
Randi Weingarten
AFT President
By uniting our voices with parents and the community, we can reclaim the promise.
http://go.aft.org/promise
#ReclaimIt
Red River United Fellowship Program
A mentoring program for new and transferred teachers and school employees.
Red River United realizes that the first few months of school can be stressful and that you will likely have LOTS of questions. We are here to help. Sign up for the Red River United Fellowship Program, and we will pair you with a veteran RRU member according to your needs.
Click here to sign up for the program: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/N35SDNH
Member Spotlight: Amye Megee
Bossier City teacher turned author dives into ‘imagination’ for book
Written by Derick Jones
| Jul. 9, 2013 | | shreveporttimes.com |
School may be out for summer but that’s no reason to put down the books —especially if you’re a parent.
Amye Megee, a first-grade teacher at Sun City Elementary in Bossier City, is the author of “In My Imagination,” a children’s book she hopes will inspire other teachers, and of course, children.
“The purpose of it really is to get kids to see their imagination as a tool, to escape from the worldly things they get so trapped in,” she said.
Like computers. Video games. Cell phones. All of which are not a part of the young girl’s journey, though she does meet interesting characters like a surfing polar bear and housecleaning pig.
“She just wants children to understand that in your imagination you really can make anything happen,” said Megee, who explained that she kept the young girl nameless so that anyone could identify with her.
“It’s a little girl that thinks the unthinkable,” she said. “Isn’t that fun?”
Megee said she’s been working on this story, along with two others, for nearly 10 years.
“I wrote for fun with no intent to publish,” she said. The 34-year-old mother of two had but one thing on her mind, taking care of her kids at home and taking care of her kids at school.
That changed however when she unearthed a zip drive of a few stories she had written, including “In My Imagination” and “School Day Blues.” Both stories were accepted by Tate Publishing, though Megee ultimately went with “Imagination.”
“‘School Day Blues’ takes you into the life of a little boy,” Megee said. “It looks at things that we think are really not all that a big of a deal, like getting picked on or losing your homework. In the end it’s all about discovering that tomorrow is a brand new day.”
“Imagination” was picked up by Tate over a year ago, and the process she said for the 24-page book was a tedious one. Ten to 11 months were spent compiling the book, and “Imagination” became available to the public on May 7.
“The more and more you read to children you really feel like you really really know what they find is entertaining and what they don’t,” said Megee, who has been teaching for nearly 13 years. “I’m just glad that it’s out there and people from all over the place are getting to read and see it.”
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Impermissible Corporal Punishment
Caddo Parish School Board Policy JGA
Corporal punishment that may be administered to a child is “defined as, and limited to, punishing or correcting a student by striking the student on the buttocks with a paddle provided by the school board a maximum of three (3) times.” The paddle is “located in the principal’s office.” The punishment is administered “only by a principal, assistant principal, administrative coordinator or teacher after having obtained permission from the principal or his designee in each instance”, and then only “in the office of the professional staff of the school with a witness present.”
Bossier Parish School Board Policy JDA
“The Bossier Parish School Board shall allow reasonable corporal punishment of unruly pupils. If such punishment is required, it shall be administered with extreme care, tact and caution, and then only by the principal, assistant principal, or the principal’s designated representative in the presence of another adult school employee. At no time shall corporal punishment be administered in the presence of another student. All school personnel and parents shall be fully informed of these provisions at the beginning of each school year…. Corporal punishment administered other than as outlined hereinabove shall be deemed and defined to be impermissible corporal punishment. Any accusations involving employees using impermissible corporal punishment shall be promptly investigated, in accordance with provisions of policy GAMC, Investigations.”
Caddo Parish School Board Policy JGA-R
“If a student, parent or other person files a complaint in writing with the Caddo Parish School Board accusing a school employee of impermissible corporal punishment or moral offenses involving students, the complaint shall be investigated…” The principal will give you a copy of the complaint and ask for a written response within 24 hours; you may request an additional 24 hours if circumstances warrant. He/she will meet with you within 24 hours to review allegations, and you may have representation. Due process procedures continue from this step.
Bossier Parish School Board Policy GAMC
“If an employee is accused of impermissible corporal punishment, or of a moral offense involving a student, a prompt, thorough investigation shall be conducted by the Superintendent or designee. The investigation shall proceed as outlined below under Reporting Procedures. A written report of the results of the investigation shall be prepared, and the employee shall be provided with a copy of such report. The Superintendent may promulgate such administrative regulations as he/she deems necessary to implement this policy. Any employee found to have violated the provisions of Board policy shall be disciplined by such means as appropriate to the incident, including reprimand, suspension, termination, and/or referral to the local child protection agency/law enforcement.
If the allegation falls within the definition of abuse as defined in Board policy JGCE, Child Abuse, then all school employees with knowledge of such incidents become mandatory reporters and the allegations must be reported to child protection or law enforcement as provided by state law and Board policy. Such reporting shall be made and applied in conjunction with the procedures outlined in this policy.”
What is impermissible corporal punishment?
Many teachers and paraprofessionals think impermissible corporal punishment is paddling a child without authorization from the parent or principal. But you should also be aware that any touching of a student could be construed as impermissible corporal punishment. An accusation can result in not only the loss of your job, but also the filing of criminal charges against you.
More and more experts believe that educators should never touch children under any circumstances. But this philosophy may not be practical for all educators in all situations. Know the student! Know the parent! If you know that either the student or the parent may present problems, avoid being alone with them, and avoid any kind of physical touching.
What are your rights if accused?
RRU’s attorney stresses that you have the right to representation at every step of the investigation. You do not have to write your response in the administrator’s office. A proper response takes time and patience to make sure that important facts are not omitted. Your RRU representative will help you, but only if you call Red River United at 318-424-4579.
What to do if an accusation is made against you?
- Immediately contact Red River United at 318-424-4579.
- Do nothing else until you have been presented the actual written statement from the child or the parent/guardian. Do not respond or engage in conversation with the child or parent/guardian.
- Your 24 hours to respond starts once you get the statement. Use this time wisely by seeking representation. From this point on, you have the right to representation in any further meetings.
- The written statement that you hand in must be carefully worded. A proper response takes time and patience to make sure that important facts are not omitted under pressure or in haste. Do not let yourself be pressured into making a written record right there in the administrator’s office.
- Make sure your Red River United representative reads your statement before you hand it in.
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Assault or Battery on a Teacher or School Employee
Louisiana Revised Statues 14:34.3, 14:38.2, 17:416A
According to state law —
“Assault on a school employee means an attempt to commit a battery, or intentionally placing the school employee in reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery, or making statements threatening physical harm to a school employee.”
The criminal definition of a battery is the intentional use of force or violence upon the person of another; or the intentional administration of a poison or other noxious liquid or substance to another. The civil definition of a battery is physical contact without the victim’s consent.
Louisiana Revised Statue 17:416 says that the student formally accused of committing a battery or an assault on any school employees:
- Must be suspended immediately and removed from the school premises without benefit of the usual initial suspension procedures.
- Cannot be considered for readmission to that school until all hearings and appeals associated with the alleged violations have been exhausted.
- After the student is found guilty, the student cannot return to the same school where the employee is located unless it is the only place where her/she can receive services.
What must support personnel do in these circumstances?
1. You must write a referral, which is the formal complaint. You may also press criminal charges, but this is not required.
2. You must turn in an accident report if you were the victim of a battery, or if you suffered emotional trauma if you were the victim of an assault. Be sure to clearly state the nature of the student’s act (such as — “The student punched me (battery),” or “The student committed an assault by making statements threatening me with physical harm (assault).”
3. You should absolutely contact Red River United — 318-424-4579.
What if you suffer physical or emotional injuries because of the assault or battery?
1. You must receive sick leave without reduction in pay or sick leave days. You must present a certificate from a physician certifying that you are disabled because of the assault or battery.
2. You have the right to press criminal charges against the person who committed the battery or the assault, but you are not required to do so (source: www.colleran.com/personal-injury).
3. You have the right to file a civil suit for money damages against the person who committed the assault or battery, (or against the parent / guardian, if the person is a minor). But you are not required to do so.
What if the student is a special education student?
If the student is a special education student, there are state and federal laws and regulations that must be followed. Don’t be discouraged by this, just recognize that it becomes an IEP issue as well as a discipline matter. You still have the right to press criminal charges (unless the child has a disability that prevents him / her from understanding his/ her actions (such as some forms of autism). Call Red River United for help 318-424-4579.
What if the student is under ten years old?
You may still proceed with suspension and removal from class, but according to billeasterly.com, criminal authorities may decide only to prepare a report and not arrest the child.
Need Assistance
Call Red River United
318-424-4579
You cannot be fired or disciplined for joining a union. Click the button to join now.