Thank you for publishing Dan Fagan’s “Teachers’ unions show true colors” column on April 24. It clarified a mystery and revealed the real intent behind another big-business effort to silence the voices of teachers, school employees and the organizations they choose to join.
The mystery was why the business lobby and so-called “nonpartisan” groups would get behind a bill that purports to support teacher rights. After all, they had just finished opposing bills that would really benefit teachers by easing restrictions on earning tenure, strengthening due process rights, and reducing the unfair and inaccurate Value Added portion of teacher evaluations.
So why would they expend money and political capital in support of HB 343, calling it an important addition to the Teacher Bill of Rights?
Until Tuesday, the bill was cloaked in a comforting, if vague, sentiment — it would defend teachers from harassment and protect instructional time from interruption (despite the fact that teachers are already protected from harassment, and no principal worthy of the title will allow disruption of class time).
That was before Fagan ripped the mask off of this ugly assault on the rights of educators to discuss issues, support political candidates, ask colleagues to join an organization, and otherwise chill the free speech guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
Until Tuesday, the words “teacher unions” were not uttered in reference to HB 343 by its supporters. Thanks to Dan Fagan’s column, we know the bill is just another in a long line of sad attempts by the business lobby to cripple organizations that represent working people in Louisiana.
Larry Carter
president, Louisiana Federation of Teachers
Baton Rouge
