“Today’s ruling was a victory for the constitution and the rule of law,” said LFT President Steve Monaghan following the verdict. “It was also a victory for the nearly 700,000 children who depend on public schools for an education, and for local citizens who do not want their tax dollars diverted away from the uses they intended.”

This week AFT-Maryland, the Baltimore City Public School system, the Baltimore Teachers Union and the Labor Movement lost a great friend.  On Tuesday November 27, 2012,  Patricia Cook-Ferguson passed away after a brief illness.  

You’ve certainly seen, and hopefully are wearing, a Respect button; within the next few days we’ll have Respect signs for your doors.  These buttons and signs beg the question - what does RESPECT mean to you?  What does RESPECT mean in our workplace?  For months now, your negotiating team has been working to translate respect into concrete contract language.  

It’s time to set the record straight…and correct the inaccurate media reports as to what our Act 2 lawsuit is all abou

As superintendent of a small Texas school district, John Kuhn seems to be an important voice of common sense in education world.  He is against an overreliance on test scores and believes some of the things we are being asked to do in school today does nothing to advance the education of our students.  Read this great interview from the Dallas Morning News. 

November School Board Meeting

November 26, 2012

I.  Doug Kyllo absent because of new baby.

III. Agenda approved.

IV. Truth in Taxation Hearing: annual, required presentation for the budget.  General fund difference of  +235,000.  Food service, Community Ed, Student Activity funds all in black.  Debt redemption fund is -201,000.  See attached documents.  (obtain a copy of this)

VI. Consent Agenda - see attached; approved

Charter Constitution and Bylaws
Local 5197 - AFT Healthcare-Maryland, AFT, AFL-CIO

Adopted 09/29/2012

Please see the attached document.

U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle agreed with the Tangipahoa Parish School Board that both Act 1 and Act 2 of the 2012 legislative session will upset the agreement that allows Tangipahoa Parish schools to operate within federal desegregation guidelines.

Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan praised the judge’s ruling, saying that Gov. Jindal’s plan was hustled through the legislature too quickly for proper debate and oversight.