Thousands of teachers, PSRPs and supporters of public education rallied in front of the Louisiana state capitol in Baton Rouge on May 2 to focus attention on education as the Legislature entered its 2007 regular session. Louisiana Federation of Teachers president Steve Monaghan had the estimated crowd of 7,000 chanting, "Enough is enough," as he outlined the school-related issues that state lawmakers have failed to address.

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As it is most years in a state with salaries well below the national average, pay tops the list of LFT concerns. Members are especially focused this year because of what happened during a special session last December, when a group of about 40 state representatives derailed a plan to devote part of the state's $1.3 billion surplus toward improving salaries for teachers and PSRPs. "I am looking at a crowd that has to choose between healthcare and dinner," Monaghan said.

Pay, however, is not the only issue for Louisiana educators. A general lack of resources, combined with problems created by No Child Left Behind and high-stakes testing, Monaghan said, are part of "a seemingly endless quest to excise the art out of teaching and to script every moment of the instructional day." [Louisiana Federation of Teachers, Dan Gursky]

May 9, 2007