(Baton Rouge – August 12, 2010) Two unions representing the vast majority of teachers and school employees in East Baton Rouge Parish have jointly endorsed a slate of candidates for the upcoming school board elections.
To select the most qualified candidates for the city-parish school board, the East Baton Rouge Parish Association of Educators and the East Baton Rouge Federation of Teachers formed a Joint Screening and Recommendation Committee. The committee invited all candidates for school board to be interviewed, and forwarded its recommendations to the executive boards of both unions. The two executive boards adopted the recommendations of the screening committee.
“The candidates we endorsed are those who are committed to the wellbeing of public schools,” said EBRFT President Carnell Washington. “We believe these candidates will focus on the best interests of our children, our schools, and the teachers and school employees who dedicate themselves to public education.”
Said EBRPAE President Donna Sedevie, “Our endorsed candidates are dedicated public servants with a wide variety of work, community and education experience. They recognize the many strengths and challenges facing our school system during the next school board term and they are committed to sustaining and advancing public education in East Baton Rouge Parish.”
In choosing the endorsements, the unions focused on candidates’ positions on issues including charter schools, vouchers for private and religious school tuition, the use of student test scores to evaluate teachers and the privatization of school services.
The presidents of both organizations said they and their members will be actively involved in campaigns on behalf of the endorsed candidates.
The endorsed candidates are:
District 2: Vereta Lee
District 3: Darryl Robertson
District 4: Tarvald Smith (unopposed)
District 5: Sterling Anthony (open seat)
District 6: W.T. Winfield
District 7: Noel Hammatt
District 8: Brian Blackwell (Open seat)
District 9: Jerry Arbour