Another legal challenge to La. education reforms on tap

While the first round of the legal fight over Louisiana’s voucher program ended Friday in a decision against the state—with a Louisiana Supreme Court appeal to come—another piece of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s education agenda will be scrutinized later this month. The Louisiana Federation of Teachers, one of the plaintiffs in the anti-voucher suit, is again one of the parties challenging Act 1 of the past legislative session, which greatly restricts teacher tenure, but also, according to the LFT’s suit, pertains to superintendent contracts with school boards, policies for layoffs of teachers, duties for principals and other matters. The LFT contends the law runs afoul of a constitutional provision that bills have only one object. A hearing is set for Dec. 17 with District Judge Michael Caldwell, says LFT spokesman Les Landon. Last week, District Judge Tim Kelley ruled that the new statewide voucher program impermissibly diverts state funding meant for public schools, but left open the possibility that the program could be funded by other means. The state will appeal. Kelley ruled against plaintiffs’ contention that the vote for the voucher bill violated procedural rules, a decision that might also be challenged. “A win is a win,” Landon says. “The lawyers and leadership [of LFT] are talking about next steps. There’s always the possibility of challenging that.” —David Jacobs