[StBernard] Protesting Public School Teachers Place Own Interest Above Kids

[Westley Annis]

If you want to know what's wrong with Louisiana public education, just look at what's going on in many Louisiana public schools today. Or rather, what's NOT going on--namely, learning.

In East Baton Rouge, Vermillion, St. Martin, and other systems, the children are being told to stay home--no school, no learning. Why? So that their teachers can be granted a "professional development day" to lobby the legislature AGAINST <http://www.davidvitter.com/site/apps/nlnet/content2.aspx?c=ktJUJ7MNIuE&b=5131761&ct=11663001&notoc=1>  education reform. 

A letter to all Vermillion parish teachers made their marching orders crystal clear: "We want them [the legislators] to know that we do not agree with the [education reform]  plan . . ."

As a Louisiana citizen and parent, I'm really outraged. I guess the folks behind this are making their priorities clear--forget the kids; we just care about our tenure protection and benefits.

This is exactly what's wrong with the system. These folks steal a day of learning from the kids to lobby on the taxpayers' dime. And what happens? They're rewarded with a 'professional development day' to do it.

As taxpayers and parents, we need to push back and put the focus back on educating Louisiana's future generations.

David