LRN PM Newscall Tuesday March 31

A poll from LSU finds Louisiana residents like the concept behind Common Core, until you call it “Common Core.” Jeff Palermo has the story…

CUT 1 (28) “reporting”

==================

The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana alleges that Albert Hardison, principal at Walnut Hill Elementary/Middle School in Shreveport, engaged in unlawful religious coercion by using God, prayer, and Christianity in school publications. Eric Gill reports…

CUT 2 (30) “reporting”

===================

As body cameras are being introduced to more law enforcement agencies across the state, a Baton Rouge lawmaker wants to make it a requirement that all law enforcement officers are equipped with the new technology. State Representative Dalton Honore says the use of body cameras can protect both citizens and police officers…

CUT 3 (08)  “down tremendously”

Honore says body cameras can solve a lot of issues between citizens and law enforcement, similar to what dashboard cameras on police vehicles have done…

CUT 4 (05)  “a vehicle”

He says there have been recent incidents around the country where the use of body cameras would have answered a lot of questions. Honore feels that a body camera is a great tool in keeping everyone honest…

CUT 5 (07)  “great protection”

============================

A poll conducted by LSU finds Louisiana residents oppose education standards that are called Common Core, but support the concept. Doctor Michael Henderson, director of LSU’s Public Policy Research Lab, says when citizens were asked if they support Common Core, only 39-percent said yes….

CUT 6 (07)  “67-percent support it”

Henderson says when they didn’t use the term “Common Core” and asked residents if they support higher academic standards that allows Louisiana to compare student achievement with other states 67-percent support it.

Henderson says the poll also shows the public is poorly informed on who developed the education standards for common core. He says that’s based on the answers they got when they asked who developed the standards, the federal government or the state

CUT 7 (06)  “some guessing”

Henderson says the political fighting over Common Core shows that it has tainted the Common Core brand….

CUT 8 (11)  “Common Core”

============================

The American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana allegesthat Albert Hardison, principal at Walnut Hill Elementary/Middle School in Shreveport, engaged in unlawful religious coercion by using God, prayer, and Christianity in school publications. Louisiana ACLU Executive Director Marjorie Esman says they recently learned of a newsletter Hardison sent home to parents ahead of standardized testing…

CUT 9 (09)  “on the test”

She says the school’s website also features a “Principal’s Message” that includes references to God and Christ. Esman says these references are a direct violation of the separation of Church and State. She says it’s troubling because Hardison should know what the Constitution says about this…

cut 10 (11) “good example” (2x)

In a statement, Caddo Parish Public Schools say they are investigating and taking steps to ensure school employees are not violating the Constitution. Esman says a letter has been sent to Caddo Parish School Superintendent Lamar Goree asking that all religious references be removed from the school’s website…

cut 11 (08)  “breaking the law”

============================

Indiana is taking a lot of heat for its new “religious freedom” law. Sarah Jane Brady, with the Forum for Equality, hopes Louisiana can learn from Indiana when they push a law in the upcoming session that protects discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation and gender identity…

cut 12 (10)  “here in Louisiana”

Every year, lawmakers in Baton Rouge shoot down bills to protect the L-G-B-T community and there’s also a constitutional amendment on the books that bans gay marriages in Louisiana. Brady hopes what has happened in Indiana will lead to changes with Lousiaina’s discrimination laws

cut 13 (10)  “need protection”

Critics of Indiana’s law says it allows businesses to discriminate against gays, lesbians, bisexual and transgender individuals. Brady says they’ll seek to pass a law in the upcoming session to make sure the LGBT community is protected from discrimination in Louisiana

cut 14 (11)  “community”