The LPAE Link The Official Newsletter of the Lafayette Parish Association of Educators

Volume XXXIV, Issue 1 SEPTEMBER 2015

WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY ELECTIONS

th As we move into this new school year, it is State and local elections will take place on October 24 . Early voting runs from Oct. 10 to 17. As you consider important to note that we still face some familiar challenges. The crisis of resignations and candidates please keep in mind the impact that the election 4 years ago has had on our professional lives. retirements continues, excessive testing mandates The following races deal directly with education: have not gone away, we are once again faced with Governor- rising insurance costs, support personnel have yet , , Scott Angelle, to receive a long overdue salary increase and Jay Dardenne many of our facilities are deplorable. Board of Elementary and Secondary Education However, this new school year also brings with it District 7 (Lafayette Parish through Calcasieu) opportunity. The opportunity to work with the board and our new Superintendent to better our Mike Kreamer, Holly Boffy school system and put some of those challenges behind us. The opportunity to engage with our District 8

community and establish common ground on the (Includes a portion of north Lafayette to Baton Rouge) Carolyn Hill, Jada Lewis needs of our schools. The opportunity to change

the course of education policy in our state by State Senator (Most of Lafayette Parish) electing a new Governor, BESE, and legislators Page Cortez, Terry Hughes who truly support public education. State Senator (Upper Lafayette to St. Landry) Gerald Boudreaux, Ledricka Thierry

Our organization is ready to take full advantage of these opportunities but we need your help. Your State Representative work in last year’s school board elections has District 31; Nancy Landry, Evan Wright changed the course of the Lafayette Parish School District 39; Julie Emerson, Stephen Ortego District 44; Vincent Pierre, Desmond Onezine System and proved that educators can turn out, work for change and win!! District 45; Andre Comeaux, Jean-Paul Coussan, Jan Swift.

We can now do the same at the state level. Your The LPAE elections committee is conducting active participation in the upcoming election can interviews with each of the candidates in the next three

secure the change that we desire and set the future weeks. We will inform you of the committee’s course of education in . recommendation to use as a resource as you make this important decision. Please call or email the office if you We must all be committed to using our are interested in participating in the process. experience, expertise as educators and professionalism to bring about real VOLUNTEER FOR A CANDIDATE substantive change for the sake of our students and community. - Help with placing signs - Donate to an underfunded candidate - Talk to family and friends

Rodolfo Espinoza, LPAE President - Social media

2002 TAX The Blue Ribbon Committee has proposed placing $500 into salaries along with a $449 supplement check in October.

There are two reasons for the lower amount in relation to previous years. First; due to a decrease in sales tax revenue by approximately 8% in the past several months, the BATON ROUGE, LA – The leaders of Louisiana’s administration has proposed setting aside $2.3 million to two largest public school employee unions – the cover what they expect will be a continued drop in sales Louisiana Association of Educators and the tax revenue. If the drop in sales tax revenue does not Louisiana Federation of Teachers announce a joint continue, the 2.3 million will be included in next year’s effort to spotlight candidates who support the best budgeted amount. interests of public education. In launching the It’s Secondly; standard LPSS practice is to add one Time to Get it Right campaign, the unions plan to year of reserve for any additional amount added to educate voters on important issues facing Louisiana’s salaries. The salary increase is $500. Therefore a matching schools, as well as the stands taken by candidates in amount is set aside as reserve in case of a longterm the upcoming elections. economic downturn. Because the amount added to salaries is recurring for years to come, LPSS feels that it is “Louisiana voters have a unique opportunity to elect financially prudent to set aside a year in advance. leaders to office who can truly transform this state,” said LAE President Debbie Meaux. “This is our The voters approved the 2002 tax to reach and then chance to get it right…for our schools, our children, maintain Lafayette teacher salaries at among the highest and the future of Louisiana!” in the state. Through the years this commitment faltered and so did Lafayette's salary ranking in the state. Placing “This fall’s election will be a watershed event,” said 2002 tax excess into salaries for the second consecutive LFT President Steve Monaghan. “It’s time to take a year is an important step toward accomplishing the stand for public education and truly put Louisiana original intent of the tax. Placing it in salaries also families and kids first. A strong public school system prevents those funds from being used to lower deficits in is the foundation of a productive society, booming the general fund. In the past few years, there have been job market, and thriving economy.” multiple proposals to use millions of dollars of this tax to lower the deficits created by charter schools. Because of The two leaders said the It’s Time to Get it Right these repeated attempts, LPAE supports the proposal to campaign will include recommendations for add as much as possible to salaries. Louisiana Governor, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and the Louisiana Legislature.

______A website, www.itstimelouisiana.com, has been BOARDGATING established to promote recommended candidates, their platforms, and how to volunteer with the It’s Time to Get it Right campaign. Additional social You are cordially invited to meet at the LPAE office media will further promote media coverage and across from LPSS at 5:00 pm on the dates that your school community activities and debates in which is scheduled. Light refreshments will be served. At 5:30 candidates are involved. Interested parties are pm we will attend the school board meeting. Look for encouraged to “like” the It’s Time to Get it Right your school in months to come. Louisiana fan page on Facebook; follow the MONTH DATE SCHOOLS @ItsTimeLA2015 twitter handle; and subscribe to the It’s Time Louisiana YouTube channel. October 7 Comeaux, Paul Breaux, Broussard,

Judice Middle, Edgar Martin

14 Lafayette High, Broadmoor, Alleman, Youngsville, Laf. Middle

The following article appeared in LaPoliticsNow and shows the push to influence BESE races on October 24. ‘LaPolitics:Various groups poised to play in BESE races -JEREMY ALFORD | @LaPoliticsNow

The elections for the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education around the state could become expensive if the slate of so-called reform candidates from 2011 face serious challenges this go around. The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry estimates that 47% of its total election budget, which stands today at $675,000 but will grow, will be dedicated to BESE races only.

“We spent $30,000 in 2007, around $305,000 in 2011 and it’s looking like we’ll reach that level again soon for the current BESE races,” says Brian Landry, LABI vice president of political action.

At stake are the reform seats secured last cycle and the eight-vote bloc needed to keep—or remove—Education Superintendent John White next term. The reform group on the 11-member board has overhauled teacher tenure, boosted charter schools and championed private school vouchers.

Gov. and the Louisiana Republican Party played a big role in underwriting the election of those reform members in 2011. But Common Core, on which the reform members and White (in favor) and Jindal (against) are split, has also splintered the party and now neither are playing in the races. “We haven’t endorsed anyone in the races and most are Republican versus Republican. So as of now, no,” says state GOP Executive Director Jason Doré when asked whether the party would get involved.

—So who is picking up the slack? In addition to LABI, there’s the Alliance for Better Classrooms PAC, organized by businessman Lane Grigsby and directed by Dan Juneau, LABI’s former president. Juneau says he’ll have a better handle on just how active the races will be after qualifying, but he expects ABC to raise money in the high six figures or maybe even the low seven figures.

Empower Louisiana, on whose board Grigsby sits, may be the only super PAC in the field on the pro-reform side. While union groups from outside Louisiana aren’t showing much interest, opting instead to attack on the school board level, several national groups with Louisiana affiliates will be fighting for the reform candidates, including the pro-charter Stand For Children; Federation For Children, which has businessman Eddie Rispone attached; Democrats For Education Reform; and Black Alliance For Educational Options. The Louisiana Association of Public Charter Schools, run by Caroline Roemer Shirley, is part of this coalition as well.

On the other side of the fence, so far, is only FlipBESE, which has been loosely organized by anti-Common Core parents. It has its own slate of candidates opposing the so-called reform campaign, and they’re being promoted primarily on a Facebook page. “There is no money involved in this whatsoever from our side,” said spokeswoman Amy Lemoine of Lafayette. “We want a board not tied to out-of-state special interests and candidates who realize the current education agenda is inadequate. We want a board that will get rid of John White. We want him gone.” Another player to watch is the Network for Public Education, which was founded by activist and education historian Diane Ravitch of New York. The advocacy group, which opposes corporation-backed school reforms, endorsed Jason France of Baton Rouge this week in one of the local BESE races here. France, a former state Education Department employee, is running in District 6. ______LPAE Monthly Meeting: We need your input. LPAE Email List ALL MEMBERS ARE INVITED TO OUR MONTHLY Members: If you are not currently receiving MEETING THE FOURTH TUESDAY OF EACH MONTH. weekly LPAE updates, please call 231-0010 MEETINGS ARE HELD AT THE LAFAYETTE HIGH or send us an email at SCHOOL LIBRARY AT 4:30. AT OUR MONTHLY [email protected]. MEETINGS, WE VOTE AND FORMALLY TAKE POSITIONS Please make sure that the above email ON LOCAL AND STATE POLICIES. WE ALSO DECIDE THE FUTURE DIRECTION OF OUR ORGANIZATION. address is not being blocked. NEXT MEETING: OCT. 27

JOIN US! Lafayette Parish Association of Educators

If public education is to be led by those who work in our schools, we must unite as professionals and give our experience a voice.

Help us direct the future of our profession.

LPAE/LAE/NEA  LPAE is your local organization with local leadership representing members at every school board meeting and district committee that will keep you informed on every issue affecting our students and our profession.  LPAE/LAE provides you with a local representative to handle any unexpected issues or grievances that you may encounter.  Provides $1,000,000 legal protection per incident.  Our member benefits program offers discounts and benefits which more than offset the cost of dues.  LPAE offers you a chance to become involved at the local, state and national levels.  LPAE has the largest LAE chapter in Louisiana.  LAE is the largest organization of educators in Louisiana.  NEA is the largest organization of educators in the United States with over 3 million members providing you with a valuable network of education professionals.  For more information call 231-0010 or go to: www.lae.org, or www.nea.org

JOIN NOW! ______

LAFAYETTE PARISH ASSOCIATION OF EDUCATORS OFFICERS AND EXECUTIVE BOARD 2015-2016 OFFICERS: EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS: PRESIDENT: Rodolfo Espinoza, Lafayette High Patricia Colbert-Cormier, Thibodaux STEM Magnet VICE PRESIDENT: Jonathan Cole, Lafayette High Paul Conover, Paul Breaux Middle SECRETARY: Mandy Migues, Lafayette High Elizabeth DeWitt, Lafayette High School TREASURER: Vickie Jacquet, Central Office Kimberly Domangue, Ridge Elementary PAST PRESIDENT: Karen Martin, Retired Lisette Henderson, Comeaux High EX-OFFICIO: Patsy Sonnier, Evangeline Elementary LINK Editor: Kirby Jambon, Prairie Elementary DeLisa Washington, Gallet Elementary Executive Assistant: Regina Bourgeois Vicki Guilbeau, Central Office Dyonne Jones, SJ Montgomery