State lawmakers grilled LSU officials about the school’s mishandling of sexual misconduct and assault cases documented in the Husch Blackwell report. LSU interim President Thomas Galligan was asked by Baton Rouge Senator Regina Barrow if the school has reached out to assault victims it once ignored…
Galligan was not President during the period covered by the report.
According to the state department of health only a quarter of those who have received at least one dose of their COVID vaccine, so far are Black. Director of Community Partnerships and Health Equity at LDH, Dr. Earl Benjamin-Robinson says they are working to counter hesitancy among blacks to be vaccinated.
The 1.9 trillion-dollar American Rescue Act contains a significant, one-year expansion of the child tax credit. Parents are now eligible to receive up to 3,600 dollars per child five and under and 3,000 dollars per child age six to sixteen. Louisiana Partnership for Children and Families Director Susan East Nelson calls it a landmark policy.
The State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education has voted in favor of teacher and support staff pay raises along with $40-million in aid to public schools. BESE Member Doris Voitier (Vo-chey) expenses have increased, and many school systems anticipate a decrease in local funding.
BESE has also requested if the legislature finds more money that they return the request to BESE so they can offer more in teacher pay raises.