Superintendent raps 4 school systems

School systems in St. Martin and three other parishes have failed to comply with a state law that bans the use of seniority in teacher layoff decisions, state Superintendent of Education John White said Thursday.

“They are maintaining the old school system that does not protect our best teachers and does not protect the interests of kids,” White said.

The others are the St. Tammany, Vermilion and St. Bernard school systems.

White said that, by disregarding the new state law, officials in all four districts risk lawsuits from any teachers fired illegally as well as angry parents.

But Richard Lavergne, superintendent of the St. Martin Parish school system, disputed White’s view of what local school boards need to do to comply with the law.

Lavergne said the law, known as Act 1, clearly says that school districts are banned from using a teacher’s years of service as the “primary” factor in any layoffs.

He said his School Board, with the advice of the panel’s attorney, passed a new policy in June that makes seniority a “secondary” factor in St. Martin Parish school system layoffs.

“They thought their policy was fine,” Lavergne said.

White said the four school systems adopted layoff plans that explicitly allow seniority to be used as a secondary factor when layoffs arise.

“We can make legal arguments all day,” he said. “The law is very clear that those decisions are not to be based on seniority.”

One section of the law says “all reduction in force policies adopted for use in dismissing teachers and administrators shall be based solely upon demand, performance and effectiveness ... ”

The layoff rules were part of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s public school agenda aimed at improving student achievement.

Backers argued that teacher seniority was used for years to keep ineffective teachers at the expense of younger ones who did better jobs in the classrooms.

White said school boards in 66 of Louisiana’s 70 public school districts approved new policies that followed state law.

He said that, while the issue has sparked a flurry of emails and telephone calls with officials in the four school systems, the law does not spell out any steps that the state Department of Education can do to force compliance.

“I hope that when parents and community members learn that their districts are continuing an old school system that doesn’t protect the interests of kids they will be compelled to make a change because it is the right thing to do,” White said.

Even teachers rated similarly effective, according to the department, can be settled by studying numerical ratings “down to the hundredths percent” as well as evaluations by principals.

Comments

1) Comment by Iamhopeful2 - 21/10/2012

I filed a Public Info Request to LDOE for these RIF policies for St. Tammany, Orleans and Jefferson Parish School Systems. White's rubric to all districts for this pathetic exercise graded the policies. A point was given if the policy did not use the word "seniority" in it in any way. A point was given if the policy offered no provision for rehiring RIFed teachers when openings came available. Orleans and Jefferson complied meaning they now have carte Blanche to permanently eliminate certified teachers by simply providing a phoney excuse for a RIF. That can be done in several ways. St. Tammany not only requires seniority as a secondary rule for rehiring but included the caveat that RIFed teachers must be rehired before new teachers are brought in. The only issue I have with these and all other districts is that the law did not require them rewrite or send their policies to White but they did it anyway. It's time to not only SAY NO, but to make a public statement of it before White does. Now maybe they see that White is out to bad mouth all public schools and teachers no matter how they perform. He is a hypocrit in accusing opponents if his policies of being mean spirited, negative and "vicious." http://thelensnola.org/2012/10/17/moseley-explores-shadow-schools/ http://crazycrawfish.wordpress.com/ For information on what's really going on inside the hallowed halls of LDOE

2) Comment by conglo - 20/10/2012

“This is an opportunity for Jindal’s administration to bad mouth public education,” said Fontana. “This is another attack on public education. We are not going to stand for it. We have to stand up and fight.” http://www.vermiliontoday.com/view/full_story/20557737/article-Vermilion-Parish-School-Board-defends-accusations-made-by-state-superintendent-?instance=home_news_lead Vermilion Parish School Board defends accusations made by state superintendent

3) Comment by teacherguy - 19/10/2012

For 18 years I went to take college classes, multiple workshops, and collaborated with teachers in my field to increase my skills as a teacher. Status quo wasn't good enough. I have gotten the message loud and clear, I may get close to...but will never be in the top 10% of teachers for 5 out of 6 years...so I just need to stay out of the bottom 10% to be okay. Now, I have narrowed what I do to a list of 280 vocabulary words and a formula for answering constructed responses to increase my VAM scores. I go home each day earlier than EVER before in my career. The teachers on my campus are still collaborating some, but it has shut down with the rest (coincidence, or hoarding what works?). I refuse to put another dollar into education classes at the college level and the only professional development I will entertain is that which is forced upon me by the LDoE. This has happened over the past 3 years or so, but it has been accelerated this year. Why? Because experience doesn't matter...they have effectively taken the joy out of teaching/learning...ask the kids. Scores will probably go up and they will beat their chest saying look what we did...but most balloons pop to show their emptiness over time. My friends...which we are in a mid-level school in our top level district...are looking for ways to get out of this mess. We are looking, in droves, to what we could do if/when we can exit teaching. Yeah, education wasn't where it needed to be...but that is because our unions aren't as strong as in the states with the highest scores...teacher protection = better education.

4) Comment by seebee - 19/10/2012

Very kind of the LDOE to supply fodder for the EEOC.

5) Comment by Fyreduo - 19/10/2012

@smuchmore - Bravo!

6) Comment by Get Real - 19/10/2012

I guess he is upset because more experienced and senior educators were passed over so he can have a job and wants the same for the children. Less experience and no classroom management skills. Jindal and White what a pair of goof balls.

7) Comment by smuchmore - 19/10/2012

I just sent this letter to John White. I also submitted it as a letter to the editor: October 18, 2012 Dear Mr. White, I have not written to you before because I was convinced that my letter would fall on deaf ears. I have read thousands of comments from educators across the state pleading with you to listen to them. Teaching is not just a career to them; it is a lifelong passion. Teachers have amassed thousands of graduate degrees and have attended countless professional development sessions because they are educators first, constantly improving their teaching and learning. But it appears that this doesn’t count with you. Instead of engaging in authentic dialogue with educators who have both credentials and experience, you try to placate us with letters like the one I received today. This morning I accidently opened the Department of Education’s Ed Connect; I usually delete, as do most teachers because it is no more than another pap piece of public relations lacking substance. Your contribution focuses on five examples of teachers using “new ways of teaching.” Are you kidding me? These methods are not innovative; they are common throughout the state. Perhaps if you had spoken to those teachers, they would have told you this. Your final paragraph is possibly one of the most insulting comments that you have made to date, “Those of us in administration should visit them, learn from them, and give them the time to work with other teachers. If we do that, our plan for changing our own practice will lead to change…” I doubt, Mr. White, you will change. If these are the standards you hold up as highly effective, you should visit my school. We are miles ahead of you; our practice has always led us to change. We are self-motivated and don’t need the heavy hand of John White. I have 30 years teaching experience as well as my National Board for Professional Standards certification. I am a Highly Effective teacher by their assessment, yet I am going to have to put on a dog and pony show during my assessment so I can, maybe, get a raise next year. And, to add insult to injury, I am answering to your TFA-stacked staff, who, if they had actually stayed in the classroom beyond two years, would know Compass is an assessment impossible to administer. And there lies the problem; instead of seeing what was right with public education, you painted us all with the same brush. I am bruised and broken. You have singlehandedly taken my life’s work and buried it under a political agenda, meant to further your career. Trust me, when you leave this state for higher goals, and you will, I will be glad to see you go. You, John White, have done more to tear down public education in this state than Hurricane Katrina. It’s time to listen. Sincerely, Susan C. Muchmore Certified: National Board of Professional Teaching Standards

8) Comment by redstickhornet - 19/10/2012

1. Is it possible these districts already know who their "best" are? Has it occured to JW that they may not need him to tell them? 2. Do these policies "micromanage" or add "unecessary red tape". Micromanagement and red tape are apparently bad for voucher schools, why are they good for anyone else? 3. Why/How does DOE know "the right thing to do" in all 64 different parishes in LA? How is that possible? Isn't that just the same old big government nonsense? 4. Does this evaluation/compensation system "listen" to students and parents ("the best accountability system")? Why are student and parent voices important in some cases, and irrelevant at other times?

9) Comment by twinkie1cat - 19/10/2012

The problem is that the good teachers are usually the older teachers. You need at least 3 years of experience to really know your job, sometimes 5. The reason John White protests this is for two reasons. 1. John White is not a real teacher. He is a Teach for America. TFA does not consider the classroom a career job for intelligent college graduates, just something to build one's resume. 2. Experienced teachers cost more than beginners and they also sometimes need to use their health insurance for serious things. In this system we saved our sick leave judiciously and tried to get 6-8 weeks saved up in case we needed surgery. That way you don't get punished for being ill. For example, at one school in the same school year we had 3 female cancers and a prostate cancer. All but one were on mid career teachers in their 40s, highly experienced and dedicated to their jobs. The prostate cancer was the Art teacher and, under his careful tutelage a high functioning autistic student won a prestigious state award. A less experienced teacher would not want to bother with this child. 3. Experienced career teachers know what works for students and what does not and will say so. We will also protest bad policies, dispose of bad principals, support the unions, and demand humane working conditions, nothing fancy, just staying with the rules like a duty-free lunch and a real planning period. We also want to TEACH not just prep kids for tests which we know is inappropriate and quickly forgotten. John White and Governor Jindal are afraid of real teachers and our power. Jindal may even remember what we did to Gov. Roy Barnes in Georgia when he disrespected us and tried to do similar reforms. We fired him after one term. May White and Jindal be similarly eliminated. They already would be if our state legislators would go to Jindal's office and demand he return their family jewels.

10) Comment by Girls Can Tell - 19/10/2012

I'm just waiting for this evaluation system and its creators and advocates to fall on their collective faces. It will happen, there's no doubt about it. Another instance in our society where politics completely overwhelms common sense. Eventually real teachers will have enough of all this, hopefully it won't be after it's too late for our kids.

11) Comment by conglo - 19/10/2012

State parishes are called out if the Chicago School Mafia boss John White does not think you are not following orders. An education department employee told Lavergne his policy was wrong and that they needed change it. Lavergne said he didn't know which part of his RIF plan was in violation so he arranged a meeting with the Dept. of Education employee. "We had agreed that he, myself and my board attorney would meet to show how we violated the law. And he agreed to that and I sent the email out to him on September 13th," said Lavergne. But that meeting never happened. It wasn't until Wednesday that Lavergne received another email from State Superintendent John White alerting him that his policy was in violation. That was one day prior to White's public release accusing the school systems of breaking the laws. John White just attacks every teacher and school boards. Go back to Chicago John!!!!

12) Comment by Noel Hammatt - 19/10/2012

@Traveler: Actually, as much as I like your comments, we can the it another logical step. First, we can ask the question: If students knew that their careers cold be cut short by a totally random toss of the dice (VAM), would they still go into education as a career? Second, after ascertaining that students might likely decide that gambling offers a more secure future than relying on the luck of the VAM spin, we might ask who is going to be replacing these highly trained teachers in the classroom. It is not JUST that their replacements are not experienced... it is, in fact, that their replacements (and here is where we can imagine John White filing suit using a lawyer who never went to law school (but who completed a five week correspondence course in the law) against the doctor (who completed a summer program in medicine, after graduating in political science) who accidentally caused a massive infection because he was told by his Surgeons For America mentor that cleanliness was not important. John White and Chas Roemer don't think we need qualified, experienced teachers either.

13) Comment by Traveler - 19/10/2012

Vermilion Parish Association of Educators: you are the collective bargaining agent for the teachers in your system. WHY aren't your representatives weighing in on this issue in this public forum?! You are SUPPOSED to be speaking up for the rights of your members, and yours is one of the few school systems in the entire state in which you actually DO have a voice! The Advocate has the widest circulation of any newspaper in the state, so your reps should certainly be reading the education articles in this newspaper, and you should certainly be making a statement about this issue. What a shame that you have to be reminded.

14) Comment by Traveler - 19/10/2012

I do not wish John White any personal, serious illness; however, should that occur, I wonder whether he would like to be treated by an intern or by a physician with some experience? I do not wish White any personal, serious legal problems; however, should that happen, I wonder whether he would consult an attorney whose law school diploma ink is still wet, or would he seek the counsel of an experienced lawyer? The idea of laying off or firing experienced educators in favor of young teachers who are still trying to figure out how to manage classroom discipline, how to cover all the course content in the allotted time while adjusting for individual differences, how to communicate effectively and regularly with parents (and on and on) is just plain foolish.

15) Comment by Noel Hammatt - 19/10/2012

Thank goodness we have four systems that aren't willing to pretend this system makes any sense at all! Go read the EBR strategic plan, they plan on removing the 25% of the lowest performing teachers each year based on an accountability system that is a total joke. Oh, wait, it is NOT a joke... it is totally unreliable, it results in lots of stresses when teachers realize just how absurd the Value Added Measures are (and readers have only been given a small taste of this, so far), and they actually threaten, for no good reason except the promotion of Teach For America and New Leaders for New Schools and Eli Broad's nutty ideas about education, the livelihood of high performing, experienced and qualified teachers who simply fall victim to the incredibly "holes" in this system.

16) Comment by civitasiveritas - 19/10/2012

Anyone else out there hoping that John White climbs back on the twin horses "Broad Foundation" and "Teach For America" he rode into town on and gets his, well, you know, gets his derriere out of here? If he goes down to New Orleans, where the parents and community is up in arms over his Recovery School District's antics, he might really find out what happens "when parents and community members learn that their districts are continuing an old school system that doesn’t protect the interests of kids." Imagine, John White supports the wholesale removal of an administration that the students and parents want, and wants to sell their school off, mid-year, to a for-profit operation. I thought parents knew best, John Boy? And what about St. Helena, where John Boy White runs the middle school, and parents asked the School Board to open some 5th grade classes (the middle school has the only 5th grade, and John Boy White went to court to oppose giving the parents a choice. Didn't John Boy say that parents know best? White lies.

17) Comment by civitasiveritas - 19/10/2012

“They are maintaining the old school system that does not protect our best teachers and does not protect the interests of kids.” What an idiot. He wouldn't know a really "good" teacher if he faced her from two feet away. And we know this to be true, because many good teachers have faced up to him, and he has run to his spokespersons, and "communicators, and public relations staff to protect him. For John White, a good teacher is one who will accept his "leadership." One who does not question his "authority." One who doesn't raise her voice to him and question him publicly. And especially one who dares to ask him to prove his stupid assertions with actual facts or some of those "statistics" he claims to have that back up his malarky. White lies.

18) Comment by wroughtironandbrass - 19/10/2012

What an idiot! An accountability system that randomly places top teachers on the bottom, and bottom teachers on the top, and he wants districts to go our more decimal places to avoid using the dirty word, "seniority." The poor fella, he can't stand to hear that word. If people used qualifications, seniority, and common sense, he would be out of a job, along with most of his key leadership! We really should be using connections to ALEC and Broad Foundation. John White is an idiot, and White lies.

19) Comment by Marc - 19/10/2012

Experience matters in any profession. Certainly there will be variations among all professionals within a field, but generally, professionals with experience are going to outperform those with less or no experience in the field. Taking experience into account is a prudent step when making workforce reduction decisions. Research on teacher effectiveness consistently shows that inexperience makes a difference in teacher effectiveness. Newer teachers generally show less gains in students achievement than experienced teachers. Experience shouldn't be the only factor in workforce reduction decisions, but it should be ONE of the factors. Seems like the school systems are trying to achieve the right balance.

20) Comment by civitasiveritas - 19/10/2012

Apparently John White is really miffed now. Apparently four districts want to stand up to the schoolyard bully, and wants them out of his sand box, because they don't want to play totally by his rules. Or he wants to fight them. The problem is, like most bullies, he's mostly blather and not too much brain or brawn. Let's start a "Lavergne for Governor" campaign! Ever since the legislature rolled over and played "dead" for the absentee governor; and LSU decided they better play nice with the governor; and of course, the Civil Service Commission forgot about why there was even a commission with that same title, and the health system realized that its main goal wasn't the health of the citizens of Louisiana, but rather the health of the governor's national aspirations: ever since all of these things have come to pass I had hoped to see someone, anyone, standing up to the real bully and his schoolyard side-kick Little-John. Richard Lavergne, I know little to nothing about you, but you have my vote!! St. Tammany, Vermillion, and St. Bernard, you can all be on the new governor's right hand. Thank you for standing up to the bullies! Let's take over the sand-box and throw the bullies out! Maybe then we can actually get back to teaching, and stop the stupid side-shows these bullies staged for national audiences.

21) Comment by spqr - 19/10/2012

John boy...shut up. Your inexperience is not welcome here.