[StBernard] Equal Opportunity Pledge

[Westley Annis]

	 http://www.businessreport.com/editorial-pdfs/FACT-SHEET.pdf
	 
	Wonder how this would hurt the public school districts?   It's not
like the private and parochial schools have enough space for everyone and
then there is the issue of private/parochial schools discriminatory right to
select students based on grades and behavior.  ---  SJK

 

-----Original Message-----
Dear Friends -

Today I announced my plan
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c8340%7c9390%7c791501&
digest=REIVrotGlhlrodYaP1zc9w&sysid=1>  to reform our education system to
give all of our students the opportunity to receive a great education that
will prepare them for success in the classroom and beyond.

Over the last four years we have made progress, but our schools are not
improving fast enough.  Our children don't have time to wait. They only have
one shot to receive a quality education.

My plan to improve our early childhood and K-12 education systems does three
things - empowers teachers, empowers parents, and empowers local school
leaders.

 
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c8341%7c9390%7c791501&
digest=tVjWUWLQiMVVj0noytddlQ&sysid=1> As I've said before, we have great
teachers in Louisiana.  However, the current system is holding our teachers
back. That is why I'm proposing that we reward excellent teachers and get
poor performing teachers who refuse to improve out of our classrooms.

We're also going to empower parents by giving them more choices.  No child
should be trapped in a failing school because of his or her zip code,
income, gender or color.  We know that parents know their children best and
it's time we have a system that empowers parents to make the best choice.

The third component of our education reform plan to is to empower local
school leaders with the tools they need to implement innovative solutions
that will get the best results for their students.  As I visited schools
across the state, it was abundantly clear to me that a top-down
one-size-fits-all strategy from Baton Rouge or Washington, D.C. is not going
to work to turn our schools around.  Educators, administrators, and parents
- who are closet to the classroom - need the flexibility to cut through the
red tape and get results.

The time to act on education reform is now, but I need your help.  There
will be defenders of the status quo who say they just need more time and
more money, but we don't have time or money to waste on the failed
strategies of the past.  That's why I'm asking you to show your support for
our new reform, by signing your name to the Equal Opportunity Pledge
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c8342%7c9390%7c791501&
digest=KPSSglQG6IxfZdVyZVqpqg&sysid=1> .

Your signature today lets us know that you're fed up with the status quo,
tired of the excuses, and ready for real reforms will prepare our students
for success in the 21st century workforce.

Now is the time for Louisiana to enact bold reforms to help our students and
our state reach their full potential.

Please take a stand
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c8343%7c9390%7c791501&
digest=eGqeCoAtRKC81zBuyRmrNg&sysid=1>  today. 

Sincerely,

Governor Bobby Jindal

P.S.: Together, we can improve our state for generations of Louisianians.
In turn, our state will be able to compete with every state and every
country to make Louisiana the best place in the world to raise a family and
find a good-paying job.  Show your support for education reform by signing
the Equal Opportunity Pledge
<http://cl.publicaster.com/ClickThru.aspx?pubids=393%7c8344%7c9390%7c791501&
digest=vFKOj5Rx898TpHrAm8ol3A&sysid=1>  today.