Breakaway from EBR schools planned again

Supporters want out of EBR schools

A Central area state senator said Friday he plans to file legislation seeking, for the second year in a row, to create a new school district in southeast Baton Rouge.

At a public meeting in January, state Sen. Mack “Bodi” White, R-Central, said he would move forward again with the legislation but was open to negotiations with the East Baton Rouge Parish school system, from which supporters of the new southeast district are seeking independence.

In an interview Friday, White said he has since had some talks with Superintendent Bernard Taylor but those discussions have not resolved concerns of residents in that area. He said it’s been at least two weeks since he’s heard anything from Taylor.

“We offered some suggestions that would maybe satisfy that people in that part of the parish,” White said.

A public notice of intent to file this legislation appeared this week in The Advocate.

White said the legislation he’s filing this year is very similar to the legislation that the Legislature considered a year ago.

That legislation called for moving 10 public schools in the parish school system to the newly-created Southeast Baton Rouge Community School District. The proposed district, which would be the fifth school district in the parish, would extend southeast from the Interstate 10/12 split, south of I-12 and east of I-10 to the parish lines.

White said the number of schools and the geographic boundaries are the same in the new legislation, which he said he’s still writing, but estimates about the number of students affected will change.

Last year, White’s legislation passed the Senate, but stalled in the House.

The biggest hurdle was a constitutional amendment, which requires a two-thirds majority in each chamber, or 70 votes in the House. The plan got 66 votes on the first tally, then dropped to 61 on the second and final try.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Republican Party is holding a luncheon at Café Americain, 7521 Jefferson Highway at 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. Norman Browning and Lionel Rainey III, with the group Local Schools for Local Children, which supports the new Southeast district, will discuss plans for the second attempt at the district’s formation.

If approved by the Legislature, a statewide referendum would be held. It would need to pass both in East Baton Rouge Parish and statewide. The next available election slot for such a referendum would be fall 2014.

Comments

1) Comment by lgmom - 12/03/2013

I'm wondering how they can justify having an information session about, if this passes, the schools my kids will HAVE to attend and - because I'm not a registered Republican - I'm not allowed to hear that information. I also don't appreciate that their website says that our taxes won't go up, but Zachary and Central property taxes are much higher than we are. Also, White and Browning promised a lot more money just to get free of the district this year. That won't be possible without raising our taxes. (Which is fine, I just want to know how much and some up-front honesty about it.) Not to mention that the community schools that everyone seems to want - schools in their neighborhoods as opposed to bus rides - have been ditched in favor of grade level academies and groupings. That means changing schools every few years and more bus time. But I won't be able to hear about any of these things because I'm not a registered Republican?!

2) Comment by TheTardis - 09/03/2013

My teacher friends say that the biggest problem is discipline and that they aren't allowed to remove the disruptive students. Disruptive students should be removed from class and sent to an alternative school like the truancy center or the proposed superintendent's academy that was mentioned by Supt. Taylor. Also, the mountains of work that's not teaching related that has been pushed on the teachers is taking away from their ability to teach. Teaching to the test instead of actually teaching a subject is killing the system. This teacher in Lafayette sums it up pretty well. Hope the link works: http://www.katc.com/mobile/news/lafayette-parish-teacher-frustrated-with- lack-of-discipline-in-the-classroom/

3) Comment by phil - 09/03/2013

I really do not blame people for wanting to break away, but I think the overall affect on the public school system will be negative.

4) Comment by Scrooge - 09/03/2013

Funny stuff, the assertions that some of my best friends aren't racist or is the argument I'm racist because they are,its not quite clear? A senator White, And then, someone who calls himself "Being_Stupid"chimes in with an opinion on education. Mr. Stupid might make a great school board member for the new, reformed parody known as Louisiana education. But again, why bother when VOUCHERS (i.e. other peoples money) solve the problems?

5) Comment by Being_Stupid - 09/03/2013

Hopefully in a few years none of this will matter if Louisiana can allow for VOUCHERS. Then parents can choose which school to send their children instead of being dictated which school they must attend based on geographical location.

6) Comment by Being_Stupid - 09/03/2013

This needs to happen.

7) Comment by twinkie1cat - 09/03/2013

Last time they were talking about breaking away they assured everyone that there would be poor people and minorities who lived in the district. But they defined the poor people as those who lived in the Section 8 apartments! I had a co-worker who had a Section 8 and she made over $20,000 a year plus benefits as a paraprofessional in Atlanta Public Schools. Section 8 renters do not experience the same kind of generational poverty that we have in North Baton Rouge where the children live in ragged houses in gun ridden neighborhoods. They have central heat, refrigerators and stoves come with the apartments and they pay rent based on their income. Up here we pay market rates and have to supply our own appliances and heaters. It's a whole different kind of poverty and very hard to get out of. But at least with a house you can have pets and gardens and there is not a resident manager telling you the kids cannot play outside. So there are trade offs.

8) Comment by twinkie1cat - 09/03/2013

Who is to really say that the "failing" schools are really failing or that the top schools are really successful. Standardized tests do not measure actual learning. They measure test taking skills and how well the teachers taught the concepts on the test. Since they are irrelevant to subject matter, they are forgotten in days. An example of this is when there was a LEAP study guide question about a ravine with a foot bridge between two mountains. How many kids in Louisiana have ever seen a mountain, much less a ravine? But they know everything about a bayou. Another question talked about putting on snowsuits. Right! In New Orleans.

9) Comment by nimby? - 09/03/2013

no one is keeping black children from attending either Zachary or Central . a former student , black , moved into Copper mill near Zachary two years ago , for the schools . he likes where he lives and loves the schools , had no problems . not so much the color of a person but more their character ...

10) Comment by twinkie1cat - 09/03/2013

More selfish, racist Republicans trying to re-segregate the EBR schools.>>>>>>>Nimby Glen Oaks has had problems for a long time, probably caused by poor administrators and it went down to the elementary. A friend of mine pulled her daughter out and got her into a magnet because she was being picked on for being bi-racial (and stunningly gorgeous) and for caring about her school work. She is doing well now in the 4th grade around others who care about their work. The little girl was developing emotional problems because of the bullying. This kind of thing takes teachers and administrators who teach values from Pre-K on and who treat bullies firmly. But if the teachers are being bullied by Jindal and John White, and are worried about keeping their jobs, how can they be expected to provide the kind of quality the kids need? It's a problem that starts at the top but has reprecussions at the bottom. And YES, absolutely it is racism.

11) Comment by Attila - 09/03/2013

Some of the most racist people I have ever met happen to be black...and that's a fact. Every person who I have met who claims that they are a victim of racism, or society, are black. Funny how that works.

12) Comment by nimby? - 09/03/2013

while at Glen Oaks many times I observed the smart kids , working towards a better life being insulted , bullied , even beaten up by those of the same color for not "keeping it real" , is this racism ?

13) Comment by Scrooge - 09/03/2013

Warp7 is correct. . The reason Louisiana is such a sad, ridiculous travesty given its incalculable historical wasting of potential and resources is because of racism, not in in spite of it. C'mon, Senator WHITE, that is really ridiculous, lampoon fodder.

14) Comment by Warp7 - 09/03/2013

@squiggly: I do believe you hit it on the dot. We have too many areas around BR and the state that just out right hate diversity. Of course they will not say that publicly out of fear of being judged as God forbid, racist. Anyone with any common sense knows exactly what White and Central is trying to do. I thought those days were over, but unfortunately it is not. Hopefully the majority of Legislators int he House will see what is going on, and once again derail his attempts.

15) Comment by squiggly - 09/03/2013

Nimby, students in Livingston and Ascension experience many of the same social issues as those in EBR. The difference is in some people's perceptions of the various students. People tend to minimize their issues while harshly judging someone who does not look like them for the same issue; and not only judging the individual, but placing that judgment on an entire group. When people make the statement that the parents of inner city kids don't care about their education, I wish that those making the judgment could walk a mile in their shoes. The people who are trying separate themselves are harming their children, because those kids will have to go into a diverse world for which they will not be prepared.

16) Comment by nimby? - 09/03/2013

squiggly , my 1st year of teaching was 1973 at Baker Sr. also taught at Glen Oaks , Istrouma , Woodlawn and a year at the magnet school . I retired just short of 30 years in EBR , watched it's decline . it's not so much where the child goes but his/her dedication and positive supporting parents as you are . sad thing , in certain schools in the parish the bright students receive a peer pressure to not succeed . in some cases separation from an unhealthy environment is necessary . the EBR school board has been trying to mend the system since .... parents don't have time to wait .,..

17) Comment by squiggly - 09/03/2013

Edited from my previous post: nimby, these school labels are just that labels. The tests used to label the schools have little relation to the quality of education that the children are receiving. They do measure primarily the economic status of the students families and secondly, how much exposure the students have to the white use of language. I have 2 kids who have attended EBR non magnet public schools and one is a year away from finishing college and another is a freshman at LSU. My other 2 are doing very well in EBR public schools, one of those 2 is an honor's student. Both score well on the tests. If the schools are so bad, why is it that my kids, and many others who I know have been so successful? Schools are getting labeled based on a crooked measuring stick.

18) Comment by squiggly - 09/03/2013

nimby, these school labels are just that labels. They have little relation to the quality of education that the children are receiving. They do measure primarily the economic status of the students families and secondly, how much exposure the students have to the white use of language. I have 2 kids who have attended EBR non magnet public schools and one is a year away from finishing college and another is a freshman at LSU. My other 2 are doing very well in EBR public schools, one of those 2 is an honor's student. Both score well on the tests. If the schools are so bad, why is it that my kids, and many others who I know have been so successful? Schools are getting labeled based on a crooked measuring stick.

19) Comment by Scrooge - 09/03/2013

Ther are plenty of private schools for the worried and care distressed.

20) Comment by tradewinns - 09/03/2013

good luck breakaway. i'm glad some truly are worried and care about their children's education. i hope you are successful.

21) Comment by Scrooge - 09/03/2013

The chickens are coming home.

22) Comment by Scrooge - 09/03/2013

jdk944 why should my hard earned tax money pay for another big government bureaucracy when you have said on these forums many times that government schemes are ineffective and a waste of money? BRHS outperforms ZHS exponentially. You cannot explain that without revealing the true reasons for "top 5 in the state" as if educating children were some type of horse race or football game. Why should I pay for other parents to educate their children? Let them pay themselves. They can send their children to any private school they choose. Since the Heritage Foundation and ALEC assert that private is always better, why would any caring parent want to send their children to public schools. Isn't it, as you have often said, easy to spend someone else's money? What proof do you have that the school systems you mention outperform the private schools? Sounds like a con job to me.

23) Comment by nimby? - 09/03/2013

squiggly , people who value education will move in their childrens best interest . this might keep more in the parish ...

24) Comment by squiggly - 09/03/2013

Traveler, your point is well taken, but I have a different opinion on White's motive (and yes, racism is part of the motive). Step 1 is to get the southeast district away from EBR. Step 2 is to merge it with Central's district. The reason: Central does not have the finances to adequately support its schools. He should merge with Zachary and leave EBR alone.

25) Comment by nimby? - 09/03/2013

another article this morning concern the migration out of EBR and their twice a day trek in and out of the parish . could there be any connection , similar reasoning behind these two stories ?

26) Comment by Traveler - 09/03/2013

To 8point6: you are misinformed. The unions don't have a horse in this race----they can recruit and function in four EBR-area districts (EBR-proper, Zachary, Central, and Southeast) just as easily as they can in three. The proposal will appeal to those individuals who want to isolate their public-school eligible children from the children of the inner city. To that end, it is racist, since most of EBR's inner-city children are a racial minority. The proposal is also an attempt at "class distinction" based on income, since many of our inner-city children live in poverty. Senator White no doubt realizes that if the Southeast district is created, that event will further financially weaken the already strapped EBRP School System; without sufficient funds, the current district is more vulnerable to a complete state takeover. Hmmm....whom do you suppose in our current administration would like to see that happen? Who in our current administration, do you suppose, is therefore encouraging this plan? 8point6, you need to think things through and follow the money.

27) Comment by jdk944 - 09/03/2013

@Scrooge - get informed on this issue, you are obviously not!! Parents are tired of their children being provided 2nd rate education. Look at the successes of Zachary and Central. In top 5 in the state.

28) Comment by Scrooge - 09/03/2013

So why is Senator WHITE so concerned with an area outside of his constituency? What happened to the duly elected person from this area? I will take a page from the con play book and actively oppose any tax to support another educational bureaucracy. That's what we need, more school boards to waste our money. That's the ticket. Besides, with privatization and vouchers being the magic solution to the "failures" of public education, we don't need another tax wasting big government board. This is just another tax and spend liberal scheme to part the taxpayers with their money. The assault on our liberty continues.

29) Comment by WhoCares - 09/03/2013

Why don't you say the same thing about the Achievement Zone? It's the same thing. I think we all know why. Nobody listen to Lawyer Dan he is trying to be clever. It's not a strength of his. This is about America, the Jedi Order, and the Magnetic Empire.

30) Comment by LawyerDan65 - 09/03/2013

The breakawy will further hurt the EBR Gifted and Talented program but will free up some slots at BRHS when those people lose the eligibility to attend there.

31) Comment by 8point6 - 09/03/2013

The teachers union bosses are not gonna like this, Yogi. Good luck Senator White. I hope you get it done.

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