Civil rights organizations are urging school districts not to post the Ten Commandments in classrooms starting January 1st as required by a new state law. Alanah Odoms, the executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana, says Judge John DeGravelles (de-GRAVEL) was very clear in his ruling that the posting of the Ten Commandments in public schools is unconstitutional.
The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, however, ruled that DeGravelles’ injunction only applies to the five districts named in the lawsuit – East Baton Rouge, Livingston, Orleans, St. Tammany and Vernon. Attorney General Liz Murrill says despite DeGravelles’ ruling, the law is constitutional and will appeal all the way to the Supreme Court if necessary.
Fewer Louisiana teachers are leaving the profession. The Louisiana Department of Education’s upcoming Teacher Exit Data Report shows a two-percent drop in the number of teachers exiting their positions, with 13-percent leaving in 2023-2024 compared to 15-percent the previous year. LDOE Deputy Superintendent Jenna Chaisson (CHASS-on) says this marks the second consecutive year of decline.
Cut 10 (11) “…leaving the classroom.”
Speaking of jobs, the Bureau of Labor Statistics says the state’s seasonally adjusted employment numbers continue to rise. The bureau says the state added four-thousand non-farm jobs last month and more than 20-thousand non-farm jobs in the last year. Leisure and hospitality is the sector that gained the most jobs. The seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate is 4.3-percent, up two-tenths of a point from last month.