Mercedes Schneider explains the significance of the Jindal legislation–Act 1–that was declared unconstitutional by a Louisiana judge yesterday.
The state constitution says that each piece of legislation shall deal with only one subject. It was on this procedural ground that the law was declared unconstitutional.
As Schneider shows, Act 1 covered numerous subjects. Its primary purposes were: first, to destroy the teaching profession; second, to remove the powers of local school boards; third, to make the state superintendent the most powerful figure in the state; fourth, to make test scores the singular purpose of education.
Under this legislation, tenure would become hard to get and easy to lose. A teacher’s survival or termination would be tied tightly to the rise or fall of test scores. Test scores are the heart and soul of the law and are used punitively against teachers.
Not surpringly, the legislation closely tracks ALEC model laws for getting rid of tenure, making certification optional, and gutting local control.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
I expect Jindal to ignore the judge’s ruling just as he did with scholarships, ahem vouchers, going to religious schools.
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Reblogged this on Transparent Christina.
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I notice very few comments from fellow Louisianians. Appears we are all too skeptical to comment. We know Jindal and White are not prone to follow the rules, so lets see what spin they put on this…???
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The comments are on the BR Advocate article ( http://theadvocate.com/home/5344881-125/judge-throws-out-tenure-law ) and on the La teacher FB page (1700 members). Teachers are trying to absorb this and understand these changes. They are trying to understand their rights in the face of some districts’ not knowing what else to do other than continue with the evals. I have been explaining to colleagues that the evals can continue but they have no “bite” in the way of impending job loss.
John White has been incredibly quiet. He is not even mentioned in the BR Advocate article.
Jindal offered the canned response, “We are obviously very confident we are going to prevail at the Supreme Court.” This is the same man who insists he “has the job that he wants” despite his continued grab for the White House. And of course, Jindal blames “the status quo.” I guarantee you, this hothead who routinely fires people for disagreeing with him is fuming right now. Good. Let him pout.
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Maybe Jindal and White will do what they did when the court told them they could not take money from the public school budget to fund vouchers. They ignored the decision. Sue them. This is a nation of laws, even Louisiana.
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I believe White and Jindal will try to push ahead with their plan despite the court’s ruling. These two now have a proven track record for operating according to their own rules. However, they would have to convince the individual school boards (the very same boards that they despise) to follow them and risk litigation for doing so (same story as with Act 2 and the vouchers). Jindal and White might be arrogant and ignorant enough to pursue this course, but it will only highlight their idiocy.
I think Jindal told White to keep quiet. I am sure the papers have contacted White for a comment. And it is like Jindal to place blame for his self-induced Act 1 embarrassment onto another– in this case, White.
I’ll bet the emails are flying. 🙂
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Sorry for the typos.
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one word: fear.
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Thank you for this. Maybe this nightmare will soon be over. This has been the most preposterous event in the history of education in America. I have never felt more devalued and betrayed and by the very people, our legislators, that we elected to protect us from civil injustices. We all need to send thank you cards to Judge Caldwell and Sympathy cards to John Boy.
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What a material of un-ambiguity and preserveness of precious knowledge regarding unpredicted emotions.
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