Railroaded in Committee

This message is sent on behalf of LAE President Joyce Haynes - STAY TUNED AND READY FOR ACTION!!

Tuesday, April 27, 2010, was a bad day for public education in Louisiana as HB 1033 was unanimously passed out of the House Committee on Education. It's hard to say which is more disrespectful of teachers and their profession: the content of the bill, (which would base teacher evaluations and certification on student test scores,) or the manner in which proponents are attempting to railroad it through the legislature without meaningful input from educators and parents.

A group of nearly one hundred teachers, support professionals and allies began assembling early in the morning to secure a space in the hearing room or sign up to testify in opposition. Members from across the state who attended on their own time and at their own expense were attempting to exercise their rights as citizens and meet their responsibility as professionals by speaking out against bad education policies. They were treated with contempt.

Though each and everyone of the handful of speakers who had signed up in favor of HB 1033 were allowed to testify without time limits, only three of the many who were there to speak against the bill were recognized. LAE President Joyce Haynes, the chosen representative of some 20,000 Louisiana teachers and support professionals, was not even called on until after many of the committee members had left the room in the closing moments of the hearing,

Those of us who came to Baton Rouge to participate in a hearing but instead witnessed a charade are understandably disappointed and frustrated. But we are also encouraged. We know that the shameless behavior by the Committee is a clear sign that lawmakers are feeling the pressure of our organizing efforts. And we know that old-fashioned, heavy-handed tactics like those employed by the Committee no longer work in the modern age of instant electronic communication, social networking and Internet organizing.

We will be sending you additional information on these critical issues in the days ahead.  To learn more about other important education legislation impacting LAE members, please go to our website at www.lae.org.