The sudden resignation of Education Superintendent Paul Pastorek was greeted warmly by local school officials, teacher union leaders and legislators with whom he had clashed. But some glad to see Pastorek go also warned that his departure will make it easier for Gov. Bobby Jindal and his allies on BESE to push for more changes like what the reform-minded superintendent achieved. As for Pastorek’s interim successor, to serve until January, the governor has come out for newly hired Recovery School District chief John White, 35, the former deputy superintendent of New York City schools. But House Speaker Jim Tucker, R-Terrytown, has a problem with that, stating that managing over 100 troubled schools taken over by the state is more than a full-time job and that White should stick with what he was hired to do. BESE has called a meeting next week to discuss an appointment.
Leaders of the Louisiana Democratic Party are questioning the expense of the state’s holding the presidential preferential primary next year. “I think we ought to consider not having one,” says Rep. John Bel Edwards, D-Amite, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, citing the cost of $5.57 million and the state’s gaping budget deficit. But with a wide-open Republican field, Republican state Chairman Roger Villere says, “We want to be fiscally responsible, but we want the ability to vote.” The election cost is budgeted but its date is subject to change. HB 509 by Rep. Nita Hutter, R-Chalmette, will be heard in committee next week to push back the party primaries from Feb. 18 to March 10 to comply with national party rules.
They said it: “I think we can do less damage every other year.” —Sen. Dan Claitor, R-Baton Rouge, in The Times-Picayune, on his bill to have the Legislature meet every other year. The bill failed.
(John Maginnis publishes LaPolitics Weekly, a newsletter on Louisiana politics, at LaPolitics.com.)
