In light of a new investigative report that highlights the role a clandestine group has played in trying to undermine school reform efforts in the state, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry President Stephen Waguespack is calling on Gov. John Bel Edwards to remove several members from an education advisory council who reportedly signed a secret pledge promising to support the group.
The pledge and the group, which is called Louisiana Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools, or LAROS, came to light in a blog post by New Orleans-based investigative reporter Peter Cook, and was subsequently reported by The Advocate.
According to Cook, LAROS has been working in secret with a small group of education leaders from across Louisiana to curtail charter school expansion and weaken the state’s accountability policies. The group has received financial support from the National Education Association and training from the Center for Popular Democracy.
What’s more, LAROS members have been forced to sign a secret pledge, promising their loyalty to the group. Among those who have signed it are several members of the governor’s Every Student Succeeds Act education advisory council, created earlier this year.
In an editorial today, Waguespack says, “We can only assume the Governor had no idea of this effort and would not have appointed those individuals to the advisory council if he did. However, this new information raises many new questions. How do we know what is motivating their votes and actions on the Governor’s commission?”
Referring to the recent removal of Jimmie Thorns by Edwards from the state Tax Commission because of Thorns’ 30 years of unpaid property taxes, Waguespack goes on to say: “The governor has recently shown he will remove someone from a commission when new information comes to light. Will that quick action be used again this time?”
Edwards’ office did not respond to a request for comment in time for publication.
—Stephanie Riegel
