Monday night, at the Caddo Parish School Board meeting, there was an agenda item called, Request for Level IV Grievance Hearing, Re: Planning Period. The process is for the board to decide if they will hear the grievance (typically at the next meeting), to move to uphold the lower decision or to move to uphold with additional information or directive from the board. To date, five high schools had signed onto a class action grievance over the lack of planning time.

 

The first motion was from Larry Ramsey, moving to uphold the lower decision, Jasmine Green countered with a motion to hear the grievance. After consultation with us, the motion was adjusted to include moving to a 7 period day for next school year, planning will be daily (minimum of 225 minutes per week), before and after school will not be used or considered as planning time. The motion passed unanimously.

 

What does this mean?  The message Red River United members sent in filing the grievances and coming before the board last fall was heard. They formalized it last night.  You won!  You stood up for your professional rights and the very purpose of what you do – teaching and learning.  We should feel a sense of satisfaction and pride. This vote applies to every elementary, middle, and high school teacher in Caddo Parish.

 

We will remain vigilant.  We must continue to watch for additional elements such as student hours, overcrowded classrooms, lunchtime, and of course, encroachment on planning.  We are also moving legislation to have BESE define ‘planning’.  Representative Norton is presenting that this session.  At this point, we do not foresee any problem with it moving. All this work just sets the stage if we need to address any of it again, including the possibility of litigation.

 

Finally, let me say, I will forever remain in awe and humbled by what you said and did throughout this process.  You are true heroes.

 

Please contact Jackie Lansdale with your personal circumstances if you are still short planning time. School Principals have a list of interim solutions that should be put into practice to resolve planning concerns.

AFT President Randi Weingarten and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) spoke March 6 at the Washington, D.C., launch of “Higher Ed, Not Debt,” a new multiyear campaign advocating for affordable access to higher education for all without the burden of debt or financial hardship.

The AFT is one of more than 60 national and state-based organizations supporting the campaign (along with services like ineedmoneytodayasap.com/i-need-money-fast, among others).

“We can no longer be a nation that tells our young people college is really important, while at the same time saddling them with crushing debt and slashing investments in the programs and supports that could enable them to achieve their dreams,” Weingarten said.

Warren said that student debt, which now stands at a staggering $1.2 trillion, is hurting our college students and dragging down our economy. “We need to work together to bring down the rising cost of college, and we need to help existing borrowers deal with their debt by allowing them to refinance their student loans at today’s lower interest rates.” The campaign will provide support to current borrowers struggling with existing debt, address the causes of declining affordability and quality, highlight Wall Street’s role in the privatization of higher education, and demand action on the issue of higher education debt across the country.

 

The work is based on four core principles: 

• Providing support to borrowers currently paying off the existing $1.2 trillion of debt;

• Addressing the causes of declining affordability and quality, including changes to state funding and financial aid policies;

• Educating the public about Wall Street’s complicity in the creation of the $1.2 Trillion student debt crisis; and

• Civic engagement across all geographic, demographic and political lines.

At last week’s Bossier Parish School Board meeting, Superintendent D.C. Machen confirmed that employees will be receiving a survey exploring the OPTION of two-times monthly pay in the spring.

The OPTION of two-times monthly pay is something that Red River United pushed the Bossier Parish School Board to consider at the request of its members. 

Red River United urges all employees to fill out the survey. All employees should receive the survey soon. 

 

Listen to Jackie Lansdale speak on the importance of protecting public education during this legislative session.

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On February 27, 2014, Red River United participated in a press conference organized by the National Public Pension Coalition around the need to preserve public employees’ pensions.

View the video here. 

 

Read the KTBS News Story on the press conference here. 

In the past month, there have been several incidents in Caddo and Bossier schools where a student has committed an assault or battery against a teacher. While these events are certainly disturbing, what is even more disturbing is that, in many cases, the school administration has allowed the student to return to the campus. This is counter to Louisiana law. Please be advised that under Louisiana Revised Statue 17:416, any student formally accused of committing assault or battery against a school employee must be immediately suspended and is not allowed to return to the campus until all hearings and appeals are complete. If the student is convicted of assault or battery on a school teacher, he or she is not allowed to return to the campus at all, unless it is determined that there is no other school where the student can be placed.

 

It should be noted that “assault on a school teacher” and “battery on a school teacher” are specific charges. It has occurred that a student, after assaulting or battering a school teacher, has been charged with “simple assault” or “simple battery”. An charge and conviction of these crimes will not trigger the automatic removal required by 17:416. It is extremely important that if you are a victim of a threat or attack from a student, the arresting officer needs to arrest them for “assault on a school teacher” (14:38.2) or “battery on a school teacher” (14:34.3). Also, you should request a copy of the arrest report. This will give you proof that the student has been accused of violating a crime that will trigger 17:416. Finally, you should be sure to file a referral against the student, so that there will be a record that the school administration was aware of exactly what happened.