Letter: Jindal is Louisiana’s biggest bully

All across Louisiana, public and private schools are conducting anti-bullying campaigns. The anti-bullying campaign seeks tolerance.

That’s ironic, because the biggest bully in Louisiana is Gov. Bobby Jindal. Gov. Jindal has no taste for tolerance.

“Bully” is defined as an aggressive person or person who intimidates or frightens.

That’s Gov. Jindal.

He may not be like Butch and Worm from the “Little Rascals,” but his desires are the same.

He bullies his staff. If you speak out against his wishes, you are fired.

He bullies the Legislature. If you speak out against his wishes, you get kicked off your committee assignment and your area is starved, even if it means human suffering.

He bullies teachers. In bullying his misguided education reform package through the submissive Legislature he pointed his finger at teachers and called them all “bad, bad, bad.”

Gov. Jindal doesn’t raise a fist or throw a punch to bully. Gov. Jindal uses his executive power to demean, defile and defeat anyone who does not obey and pay homage.

His national political aspirations are his top priority, not the economic and medical needs of Louisiana citizens.

If our schools are trying to stop playground bullies, Gov. Jindal is setting a bad example.

Kids, don’t grow up to be like Gov. Jindal.

If you behave at school like he does in his mansion, you will get suspended or detention.

Charley Vance

teacher/photographer

Amite

Comments

1) Comment by Thurston_Howell_III - 03/04/2013

How did I miss this commentary? Dictator, bully. There are other words I can use but I shall refrain for now.

2) Comment by PLac - 01/03/2013

The Lord taketh the wise at their own craftiness (he causes them to defeat themselves).

3) Comment by misterfalcon - 28/01/2013

Kenneth the Page is the Louisiana version of Sarah Palin. Sure, he's like a pigeon on the dining room table, strutting around and crapping on the linen napkins, but, no one takes him seriously as a thinker. Remember, he's the guy who lost to Kathleen Blanco. It literally took the worst natural disaster in our history to push this man into office. Since he's been in, Eyewitness News Junior Hurricane Patrol Jindal has walked home some easy victories as the Democrats haven't had a candidate to field. His elections have been the result of a curious vacuum of oppositional leadership. Term-limited as he is, who's he going to unseat for national office? Vitter? Ha! Landrieu? Double LLOOLL. His brand is as broken as Paul Ryan's. Maybe he'll get a recess appointment under some future Republican administration as interim director of the Bureau of Land Management's Wild Horse and Burro Program, I cannot think of a more appropriate venue for public service for this has-been do nothing -- nor can I imagine any other greater role for his philosophy of casual and disingenuous neglect applied to the federal tiers of governance.

4) Comment by twinkie1cat - 17/11/2012

Let's use the next 3 years, if we cannot get rid of Jindal in the next legislative session through impeachment or resignation, to look for suitable candidates for governor who are nothing like him. Let's find some who respect the skills of teachers and state workers. A few years back, Georgia had a governor, Zell Miller, who was a teacher. The first thing he did was raise our pay by 15% and pass a lottery totally dedicated to specific projects in education. Louisiana needs a quality educator as governor or at least someone who understands the needs of the people of the state has the desire and ethics to meet them. Let's not elect a governor based on whether or not he is "pro- life". That is an issue that affects only a few people. It is more important that we have one who wants a good life for the people who are already here. If the people have a good quality of life the abortion issue will take care of itself. Louisiana needs a governor who is profoundly honest, ethical, and clear thinking and who is utterly transparent in all his dealings, a person not subject to pressure from special interest groups and remains focused on the needs of the people. We need a person who is godly in all his dealings regardless of his personal beliefs who is without egotism, humble and fair. The Christians and other people of faith need to get down in prayer and ask God to both, do something to render Bobby Jindal no longer able to harm this state and to send us a man or woman who will build it up, a person after God's own heart.

5) Comment by conglo - 17/11/2012

Jindal does not care about anyone but himself. JIndal can not be bothered to visit Assumption parish. Why?

6) Comment by twinkie1cat - 16/11/2012

Tradewinns, why do you always go back to blaming the teachers and the parents for our education problems? Teachers and their unions have very little power or even input in a right-to-work state. As for parents, poverty is the problem with the schools and poverty tends to result in poor school achievement unless the student is really strong and motivated. The job of the government is to support the groups that help children and reduce the effects of poverty. The job of the teachers is to teach them the best they can in spite of it. The job of the union is to support the teachers in their job and protect them from racist, sexist, power hungry and other dysfunctional administrators and politicians and ensure they get due process if they are bullied. The job of the parents is to ensure that the children get to school, respect the teachers, and do their work. We can often ask no more of the parents than that since they are often afraid of school and teachers. Why should children have to be "ready" or "prepared" for school. Beyond, if they are regular education, being toilet trained, able to feed themselves and follow simple directions that should be the very basics of school readiness. Teachers can work with that, especially as pre-k becomes more common and special ed teachers don't even have to have those skills in their children. If the parents can give them more---a developed vocabulary, basic reading and number skills, and a knowledge of the world, they can start at a higher level and the child will learn faster. But if the bullies are always damning us to hell because the students are fighting battles to survive at home the newbies will lose interest and go on to another career while the veterans have to fight for their jobs because our bully governor wants to pay Kia salaries for Cadillac teachers and considers those who have tenure a threat to his power hungry bullying system. The reason, as has been demonstrated again in the editorial letter, teachers speak up! Bullies do not like that and Jindal would probably get Mr. Vance fired on Monday if he could.

7) Comment by Buck - 16/11/2012

Right on Charley. Will be interesting how he is going be to accepted by other bullies in the Rep. Gov. Association. Do I see a pattern here? Could it be there is one playbook that encourages such insecure behavior? Perhaps the Koch funded ALEC agenda? LOL we in Tangi don't want to cause any trouble.

8) Comment by simbatigercat - 16/11/2012

As a former bullied child, who, as a teenager, discovered the weight room and the football team I found out how to deal with bullies. Football practice is the great equalizer. Focus on your bully and knock him down all day long. It's the perfect solution. He learns to eat dirt and leave you alone and you get the satisfaction of getting more than even. Bobby Jindal has bullied higher education, teachers, the poorest citizens here in Louisiana who desperately need minimum health care, and even the non profits and programs for the elderly. I think it's high time that the legislature grew some man parts. (No disrespect to the female members) But sadly that won't happen because, as the Advocate described them several weeks ago, the legislature is supine. As a lifelong resident of Louisiana I know just what the plan is: As soon as Pyush has gone on to his national political career our legislature will say, "Bobby did it." "It's Bobby's fault." "We are working so hard to set things right". "So please re-elect us". "Forget about our supine, spineless, passive position when the bully was in office. Please send us back to the public trough. We love it here." Just wait for the next election. I am going to scrutinize every candidate for public office and do my part to ensure that our legislature is re-vitalized with fresh thinking and fresh blood. Bullies will not be welcome in Louisiana. Please join me. Tell Jindal to stop bullying Louisiana.

9) Comment by twinkie1cat - 16/11/2012

JIndal's legislators are the school yard onlookers that stand around the bully, either silently or loudly, egging him on. They are just as guilty of bullying as the ones landing the punches and no better than he or she is.

10) Comment by twinkie1cat - 16/11/2012

Thank you Charlie. Well thought out and clearly written letter. You must be an elementary teacher. People from Tangipahoa seem willing to boldly speak the truth. Jindal is the ultimate in bullies and bullies are only stopped by getting bullied back and being disrespected. They never act alone and thrive on attention. The way to stop a bully is to force him to stand alone without his posse. Jindal's posse is the state legislators and employees who do his bidding. Kleckley and company are too cowardly to do anything but his bidding and his staff is too busy counting their ballooned paychecks to stop licking the blood of Louisianians off his jackboots to even notice that their manhood is locked in his office safe. The only way to stop a bully is to isolate and defang him, and use the standard special education technique called extinction where the negative behavior is ignored until it goes away. Take away Jindal's power to intimidate and he will change or run away with his tail between his legs.

11) Comment by tradewinns - 16/11/2012

if the teacher's union was as demanding on their local school boards as they are anti-jindal, our schools could be shining examples of education in the world. teachers all know their problems are caused by the student's parents NOT fulfilling their parental duties in their children's education. perhaps they don't pursue this as if every student arrived ready to learn (good behavior, homework,fed, etc) the only problem left would be unqualified teachers. the solution is legal and quite attainable. monetary fines for the parents of students who arrive UNprepared. regardless of the fiscal standings of the parents, they MUST be made to pay the fine, regardless of where it is derived from. the poorest may be hit the hardest first, but they would respond fastest of any group. mainly because they couldn't afford to "lose" any money regardless of it's source. this is of course politically unpopular as those who represent the poor would be the first to scream the loudest, and possibly lose their position. it would work, period!

12) Comment by Being_Stupid - 16/11/2012

Was this letter plagiarized from a 3rd Grader?

13) Comment by DMJ - 16/11/2012

Jindal is a bully. I'll be glad to be rid of him. Of course, the same people that voted him in will probably just vote in someone else with similar ideas, probably a Jindal lackey. Oh Louisiana... sometimes, we're our own worst enemy.

14) Comment by chem - 16/11/2012

Yea, I've also been reading Piyush's comments in the national media. What a joke. He suddenly sounds like a born-again Democrat!! People will see throught this charade. He has too much of a paper trail in Louisiana. Just like the rest of the Republicans who are in denial, Piyush thinks that simply giving lip service to various groups is enough. He thinks that people will be taken in by his "sincerity". Baloney. It has to come from your mind and heart. You cannot believe that everyone is scum and then on the next day, praise them for their contributions to society. What a clown.

15) Comment by spqr - 16/11/2012

Piyush must have been beaten up often as a child. What else explains his abuse of citizens? Is he just mean? Maybe.

16) Comment by postscript56 - 16/11/2012

Read Jindal's recent interview with Politico. The guy actually sounds reasonable on most issues. Bobby's a smart guy. He can be more moderate if that will build a stronger voter base. The problem is given how he has operated as governor who can trust him? He's a snake in the grass. But more importantly, the guy is an empty bucket. Great at carrying around other people's ideas, but hasn't ever had an original idea on his own.

17) Comment by Bighug - 16/11/2012

The average intelligence of Americans is much higher than that of Louisianans. Unlike us, they are too smart to vote him into office. The letter is right-on about Jindal's bullying.