Important Update:
I regret to inform my readers that SB 41 by Senator Kostelka was killed in the Jindal hand-picked Senate Education Committee by a 2 to 4 vote. Unfortunately this was not unexpected. Senator Kostelka made an impressive presentation to the committee citing numerous examples of inappropriate influence by outside interests that intend to profit from Louisiana's "reform" initiatives. Herb Bassett pointed out the manipulation and misrepresentation of data by the DOE, and many others explained how unresponsive the present appointed superintendent is to legitimate concerns of educators and parents across the state about the ill conceived and poorly executed programs of our present DOE. I repeat: Our public education system is too important to be controlled by the amateurs that now operate the LDOE!I once thought that it made sense to have BESE appoint the State Superintendent. The idea was that BESE could take applications from all over the country and from Louisiana in search of the most qualified candidate. You know, someone who has been properly trained in the field of education and who has devoted many years to his/her craft as a teacher and an administrator. Someone who has dealt first hand with the problems of properly educating the students who come to our schools with all manner of abilities, gifts, and handicaps. It just so happens we have many such professional educators here in Louisiana who could compete very favorably with out of state candidates.
Unfortunately, in recent years it has not worked out that way. BESE has simply waived all the important qualifications for Superintendent in favor of candidates with no training, no experience, and only bogus reformist ideology. First we had the appointment of a lawyer who had no training in education except for his service on BESE, who was appointed Superintendent based on his politics. He was a disaster in my opinion because he put Louisiana on this insane path of excessive standardized testing and systematic misuse of testing to the point that schools now mostly rehearse kids for state tests while important real life courses are neglected. Then we had the most recent atrocity visited upon public education by the appointment of a faux educator, who is here only to promote the ALEC agenda of privatization and teacher bashing.
There is no way in my opinion, a vote of the general public could not have done better. At least if we had a statewide campaign, the voters would get to compare qualifications of the candidates, and I believe the voters would elect an experienced educator. Yes, big money supporters may try to influence the results, but at least Illinois recently elected a real educator over a big money supported reformer. He then went on to get himself "appointed" in Florida.
If you feel the way I do that's it's time we limited the power of the Governor to run and ruin education, please ask your legislators to vote for Senate Bill 41 by Kostelka, that would propose a constitutional amendment changing the position of State Superintendent to an elected office. What could be fairer? This is the ultimate parental choice legislation. At least this way we could judge each candidate on the important issues such as vouchers to religious schools (which has never received a vote of the people in Louisiana).
SB 41 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Education Committee this Wednesday, May 1 at 9:00 AM. Please send emails and make phone calls to the Senate Education Committee members asking them to vote "yes" for SB 41.
I just got word this morning that the Coalition for Louisiana Public Education will strongly support this legislation.
Here is the contact information for the Senate Education Committee:
| Senator Conrad
Appel (Chairman) 721 Papworth Avenue Suite 102A Metairie, LA 70005 |
(866) 946-3133 appelc@legis.la.gov |
| Senator Eric
LaFleur (Vice-Chairman) P.O. Box 617 Ville Platte, LA 70586 |
(337) 363-5019 lafleure@legis.la.gov |
| Senator Dan
Claitor 7520 Perkins Road Suite 160 Baton Rouge, LA 70808 |
(225) 765-0206 claitord@legis.la.gov |
| Senator Jack
Donahue 3030 East Causeway Approach Mandeville, LA 70448 |
(985) 727-7949 donahuej@legis.la.gov |
| Senator Elbert L.
Guillory 633 East Landry Street Opelousas, LA 70570 |
(337) 943-2457 guillorye@legis.la.gov |
| Senator Mike
Walsworth 4007 White's Ferry Rd Suite A West Monroe, LA 71291 |
(318) 340-6453 walsworthm@legis.la.gov |
| Senator Mack "Bodi"
White 808 O'Neal Lane Baton Rouge, LA 70816 |
(225) 272-1324 whitem@legis.la.gov |
| Senator Page
Cortez (Interim Member) 101 W. Farrell Road Bldg. 5, Suite 100 Lafayette, LA 70508 |
(337) 993-7430 cortezp@legis.la.gov |
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