(Baton Rouge – July 17, 2013) Louisiana should take advantage of a U.S. Department of Education offer to extend the timetable for implementing Common Core Standards, according to the Louisiana Federation of Teachers.
Federation President Steve Monaghan said that the idea behind Common Core may have merit, but that like so many other education reforms that have been imposed recently, teachers and school systems have not been adequately prepared for the change.
“Today’s ruling was a victory for the constitution and the rule of law,” said LFT President Steve Monaghan following the verdict. “It was also a victory for the nearly 700,000 children who depend on public schools for an education, and for local citizens who do not want their tax dollars diverted away from the uses they intended.”
The Louisiana Federation of Teachers is more than an organization. It is nearly 21,000 teachers and school employees who wake up every morning determined to make a difference in the lives of all the children in our schools. Those dedicated professionals, our members, are the heart and soul of the union.
At the core of the LFT’s commitment to public education is our determination to preserve and protect the rights professional educators. They are the experts in their fields, and they have the education, expertise and certification required to provide the instruction and support our children deserve.
Governor Jindal may boast of victory for steamrolling a package of dubious education “reforms” through the legislature, but many now are asking: What was won, and at what cost? Choices were made to vilify teachers. Choices were made to frame public schools as failures. Choices were made to blame the unions, the school boards, and/or anyone who dared question the governor’s agenda.