LETTER WRITING CAMPAIGN !!
I join the thousands of teachers statewide who are very disappointed that due to factors beyond our control we were unable to join the rally on the Capitol steps yesterday. I propose that we "rally" via a letter writing campaign that will afford each and every one of us the opportunity for a strong personal voice in this one-way conversation with legislators. There seems to be not much left but to HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE to us and to the public.
I am suggesting to all my contacts (educators, parents, students and their neighbors, friends, relatives) that they write a short (or long) letter to each one of the Senators who voted YES yesterday in the Senate for HB 976 and HB 974. In that letter, they will include a copy of each of these vote count records (see links below). These letters MUST BE SENT BY SNAIL MAIL - U.S. POST OFFICE - TO THEIR LEGISLATIVE OFFICES. Those who are willing to spend a little more should send them Certified or Return Receipt Requested. The added expense is small compared to the price that we will all pay as a result of this legislation.
I am sending the following letter which can be used, edited or replaced by anyone who participates. Above all, it must conclude with a question and a request for a response to the return address. I would like to collect those responses (or a record of the lack of response) for a future press release/conference on the steps of the Capitol.
Lets make this campaign VIRAL.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Write a letter to each Senator who voted YES for HB 976 and/or HB 974. Indicate in your letter which of the bills they voted FOR.
2. The most effective letters are personal accounts. but conclude your letter with a question and a request for a written response.
3. Attach a copy/copies of the final votes for each of the bills. Circle the Senator's name in RED!
4. Mail using the attached address list.
5. Collect copies of as many letters as you can from your personal circle of friends and professionals and mail or deliver to me at: 178 Abita Oaks Loop, Abita Springs, LA 70420 If you send your correspondence via certified or return receipt requested mail, please include those in your package.
This is my letter:
HB 976 FINAL PASSAGE http://legis.la.gov/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=789473
HB 974 FINAL PASSAGE http://legis.la.gov/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=789137
Senator Robert Adley
611 Jessie Jones Drive
Benton, LA 71006
(318) 965-1755
adleyr@legis.la.gov
Senator John A. Alario
1063 Muller Parkway
Westwego, LA 70094
(504) 340-2221
alarioj@legis.la.gov
Senator R.L. "Bret" Allain
600 Main Street
Suite 1
Franklin, LA 70538
(337) 828-9107
(985) 850-2738
allainb@legis.la.gov
Senator "Jody" Amedee
2109 S. Burnside Ave.
Suite A
Gonzales, LA 70737
(225) 644-1526
amedeej@legis.la.gov
Senator Conrad Appel
721 Papworth Avenue
Suite 102A
Metairie, LA 70005
(866) 946-3133
appelc@legis.la.gov
Senator Sharon Weston Broome
P. O. Box 52783
Baton Rouge, LA 70892
(225) 359-9352
lasen15@legis.la.gov
Senator Troy E. Brown
P.O. Box 974
Napoleonville, LA 70390
(985) 369-3333
brownte@legis.la.gov
Senator Sherri Smith Buffington
9973 Mansfield Road
Keithville, LA 71047
(318) 687-4820
smithbuffington@legis.la.gov
Senator Norby Chabert
P.O. Box 2417
Houma, LA 70361
(985) 858-2927
chabertn@legis.la.gov
Senator Dan Claitor
7520 Perkins Road
Suite 160
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(225) 765-0206
claitord@legis.la.gov
Senator Page Cortez
101 W. Farrell Road
Bldg. 5, Suite 100
Lafayette, LA 70508
(337) 993-7430
cortezp@legis.la.gov
Senator A.G. Crowe
201 Crowe's Landing
Pearl River, LA 70452
(985) 643-3600
crowea@legis.la.gov
Senator Jack Donahue
3030 East Causeway Approach
Mandeville, LA 70448
(985) 727-7949
donahuej@legis.la.gov
Senator Yvonne Dorsey-Colomb
1520 Thomas H. Delpit Drive Suite 226
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-9700
dorseyy@legis.la.gov
Senator Dale M. Erdey
P.O. Box 908
Livingston, LA 70754
(225) 686-2881
erdeyd@legis.la.gov
Senator Rick Gallot
P.O. Box 1117
Ruston, LA 71270
(318) 251-5019
gallotr@legis.la.gov
Senator Elbert L. Guillory
633 East Landry Street
Opelousas, LA 70570
(337) 943-2457
guillorye@legis.la.gov
Senator David Heitmeier
3501 Holiday Drive
Suite 225
New Orleans, LA 70114
(504) 361-6356
HeitmeierD@legis.la.gov
Senator Ronnie Johns
1011 Lakeshore Drive
Suite 515
Lake Charles, LA 70601
(337) 491-2016
johnsr@legis.la.gov
Senator Robert W. "Bob" Kostelka
P.O. Box 2122
Monroe, LA 71207
(318) 362-3474
kostelka@legis.la.gov
Senator Eric LaFleur
P.O. Box 617
Ville Platte, LA 70586
(337) 363-5019
lafleure@legis.la.gov
Senator Gerald Long
P.O. Box 151
Winnfield, LA 71483
(318) 628-5799
(800) 265-2437
longg@legis.la.gov
Senator Daniel "Danny" Martiny
131 Airline Highway
Suite 201
Metairie, LA 70001
(504) 834-7676
martinyd@legis.la.gov
Senator Fred H. Mills
800 S. Lewis St.
Suite 203
New Iberia, LA 70560
(337) 365-8484
millsf@legis.la.gov
Senator Jean-Paul J. Morrell
6305 Elysian Fields Ave.
Suite 404
New Orleans, LA 70122
(504) 284-4794
morrelljp@legis.la.gov
Senator Dan "Blade" Morrish
119 W. Nezpique Street
Jennings, LA 70546
(337) 824-3979
morrishd@legis.la.gov
Senator Edwin R. Murray
1540 N. Broad St.
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 945-0042
murraye@legis.la.gov
Senator Ben Nevers
724 Avenue F
Bogalusa, LA 70427
(985) 732-6863
neversb@legis.la.gov
Senator Barrow Peacock
1619 Jimmie Davis Highway
Bossier City, LA 71112
(318) 741-7180
peacockb@legis.la.gov
Senator Jonathan W. Perry
P.O. Box 100
Kaplan, LA 70548
(337) 740-6425 --- )
perryj@legis.la.gov
Senator Karen Carter Peterson
1010 Common St.
Suite 2510
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 568-8346
petersonk@legis.la.gov
Senator Neil Riser
P.O. Box 117
Columbia, LA 71418
(318) 649-0977
risern@legis.la.gov
Senator Gary Smith
P.O Box 189
Norco, LA 70079
(985) 764-9122
smithgl@legis.la.gov
Senator John R. Smith
611-B South 5th Street
Leesville, LA 71446
(337) 238-2709
smithj@legis.la.gov
Senator Gregory Tarver
1024 Pierre Avenue
Shreveport, LA 71103
(318) 227-1499
tarverg@legis.la.gov
Senator Francis Thompson
P.O. Box 68
Delhi, LA 71232
(318) 878-9408
thompsof@legis.la.gov
Senator Mike Walsworth
4007 White's Ferry Rd
Suite A
West Monroe, LA 71291
(318) 340-6453
walsworthm@legis.la.gov
Senator Rick Ward
3741 Highway 1
Port Allen, LA 70767
(225) 246-8838
wardr@legis.la.gov
Senator Mack "Bodi" White
808 O'Neal Lane
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
(225) 272-1324
whitem@legis.la.gov
I am suggesting to all my contacts (educators, parents, students and their neighbors, friends, relatives) that they write a short (or long) letter to each one of the Senators who voted YES yesterday in the Senate for HB 976 and HB 974. In that letter, they will include a copy of each of these vote count records (see links below). These letters MUST BE SENT BY SNAIL MAIL - U.S. POST OFFICE - TO THEIR LEGISLATIVE OFFICES. Those who are willing to spend a little more should send them Certified or Return Receipt Requested. The added expense is small compared to the price that we will all pay as a result of this legislation.
I am sending the following letter which can be used, edited or replaced by anyone who participates. Above all, it must conclude with a question and a request for a response to the return address. I would like to collect those responses (or a record of the lack of response) for a future press release/conference on the steps of the Capitol.
Lets make this campaign VIRAL.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Write a letter to each Senator who voted YES for HB 976 and/or HB 974. Indicate in your letter which of the bills they voted FOR.
2. The most effective letters are personal accounts. but conclude your letter with a question and a request for a written response.
3. Attach a copy/copies of the final votes for each of the bills. Circle the Senator's name in RED!
4. Mail using the attached address list.
5. Collect copies of as many letters as you can from your personal circle of friends and professionals and mail or deliver to me at: 178 Abita Oaks Loop, Abita Springs, LA 70420 If you send your correspondence via certified or return receipt requested mail, please include those in your package.
This is my letter:
Dear Senator _______:
At the conclusion of the historic debate on April 4, 2012, your vote was cast to dismantle public education via the provisions of HB 976. No longer will every child in the State of Louisiana have an equal opportunity for a free and appropriate education. Many children will be reduced to nothing more than a name on a lottery ticket. Gambling in Louisiana has reached its zenith with the passage of this bill.
Your vote was also cast to remove the Profession of Educator in the state of Louisiana via the provisions of HB 974. The expertise earned by our classroom teachers, principals, administrators and our District Superintendents through their continued pursuit of advanced degrees and certification has been denied. The respect and quality developed through experience and years of professional development have been deemed meaningless. Classroom teachers are now nothing more than at-will employees - human capital (lower case).
The fact that so many highly qualified educators throughout the state and the nation have expressed so much opposition to the types of provisions contained in these laws should have been a red light - an indicator to STOP, look BOTH ways, before speeding head long into passage of this legislation. Instead you chose to accuse teachers of being incompetent, lazy, and self-serving. That was your primary SELLING point to the public as you bartered with Governor Jindal for your vote.
I would appreciate a response from you explaining how you believe these bills will improve the quality of education in the classroom. What provisions in these bills actually address that? Senator Guillory said, "You can tell a good school when you SEE one." What do you expect to SEE when you visit a good school? When you visit a classroom of children and are handed a list of test scores, can you match the score with the child?
I look forward to your response so that we can all know what good teachers and good schools LOOK like.
Sincerely,
Lee P. Barrios, M.Ed., NBCT
Retired Teacher/Parent/Grandparent
178 Abita Oaks Loop
Abita Springs, Louisiana 70420
HB 976 FINAL PASSAGE http://legis.la.gov/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=789473
HB 974 FINAL PASSAGE http://legis.la.gov/billdata/streamdocument.asp?did=789137
Senator Robert Adley
611 Jessie Jones Drive
Benton, LA 71006
(318) 965-1755
adleyr@legis.la.gov
Senator John A. Alario
1063 Muller Parkway
Westwego, LA 70094
(504) 340-2221
alarioj@legis.la.gov
Senator R.L. "Bret" Allain
600 Main Street
Suite 1
Franklin, LA 70538
(337) 828-9107
(985) 850-2738
allainb@legis.la.gov
Senator "Jody" Amedee
2109 S. Burnside Ave.
Suite A
Gonzales, LA 70737
(225) 644-1526
amedeej@legis.la.gov
Senator Conrad Appel
721 Papworth Avenue
Suite 102A
Metairie, LA 70005
(866) 946-3133
appelc@legis.la.gov
Senator Sharon Weston Broome
P. O. Box 52783
Baton Rouge, LA 70892
(225) 359-9352
lasen15@legis.la.gov
Senator Troy E. Brown
P.O. Box 974
Napoleonville, LA 70390
(985) 369-3333
brownte@legis.la.gov
Senator Sherri Smith Buffington
9973 Mansfield Road
Keithville, LA 71047
(318) 687-4820
smithbuffington@legis.la.gov
Senator Norby Chabert
P.O. Box 2417
Houma, LA 70361
(985) 858-2927
chabertn@legis.la.gov
Senator Dan Claitor
7520 Perkins Road
Suite 160
Baton Rouge, LA 70808
(225) 765-0206
claitord@legis.la.gov
Senator Page Cortez
101 W. Farrell Road
Bldg. 5, Suite 100
Lafayette, LA 70508
(337) 993-7430
cortezp@legis.la.gov
Senator A.G. Crowe
201 Crowe's Landing
Pearl River, LA 70452
(985) 643-3600
crowea@legis.la.gov
Senator Jack Donahue
3030 East Causeway Approach
Mandeville, LA 70448
(985) 727-7949
donahuej@legis.la.gov
Senator Yvonne Dorsey-Colomb
1520 Thomas H. Delpit Drive Suite 226
Baton Rouge, LA 70802
(225) 342-9700
dorseyy@legis.la.gov
Senator Dale M. Erdey
P.O. Box 908
Livingston, LA 70754
(225) 686-2881
erdeyd@legis.la.gov
Senator Rick Gallot
P.O. Box 1117
Ruston, LA 71270
(318) 251-5019
gallotr@legis.la.gov
Senator Elbert L. Guillory
633 East Landry Street
Opelousas, LA 70570
(337) 943-2457
guillorye@legis.la.gov
Senator David Heitmeier
3501 Holiday Drive
Suite 225
New Orleans, LA 70114
(504) 361-6356
HeitmeierD@legis.la.gov
Senator Ronnie Johns
1011 Lakeshore Drive
Suite 515
Lake Charles, LA 70601
(337) 491-2016
johnsr@legis.la.gov
Senator Robert W. "Bob" Kostelka
P.O. Box 2122
Monroe, LA 71207
(318) 362-3474
kostelka@legis.la.gov
Senator Eric LaFleur
P.O. Box 617
Ville Platte, LA 70586
(337) 363-5019
lafleure@legis.la.gov
Senator Gerald Long
P.O. Box 151
Winnfield, LA 71483
(318) 628-5799
(800) 265-2437
longg@legis.la.gov
Senator Daniel "Danny" Martiny
131 Airline Highway
Suite 201
Metairie, LA 70001
(504) 834-7676
martinyd@legis.la.gov
Senator Fred H. Mills
800 S. Lewis St.
Suite 203
New Iberia, LA 70560
(337) 365-8484
millsf@legis.la.gov
Senator Jean-Paul J. Morrell
6305 Elysian Fields Ave.
Suite 404
New Orleans, LA 70122
(504) 284-4794
morrelljp@legis.la.gov
Senator Dan "Blade" Morrish
119 W. Nezpique Street
Jennings, LA 70546
(337) 824-3979
morrishd@legis.la.gov
Senator Edwin R. Murray
1540 N. Broad St.
New Orleans, LA 70119
(504) 945-0042
murraye@legis.la.gov
Senator Ben Nevers
724 Avenue F
Bogalusa, LA 70427
(985) 732-6863
neversb@legis.la.gov
Senator Barrow Peacock
1619 Jimmie Davis Highway
Bossier City, LA 71112
(318) 741-7180
peacockb@legis.la.gov
Senator Jonathan W. Perry
P.O. Box 100
Kaplan, LA 70548
(337) 740-6425 --- )
perryj@legis.la.gov
Senator Karen Carter Peterson
1010 Common St.
Suite 2510
New Orleans, LA 70112
(504) 568-8346
petersonk@legis.la.gov
Senator Neil Riser
P.O. Box 117
Columbia, LA 71418
(318) 649-0977
risern@legis.la.gov
Senator Gary Smith
P.O Box 189
Norco, LA 70079
(985) 764-9122
smithgl@legis.la.gov
Senator John R. Smith
611-B South 5th Street
Leesville, LA 71446
(337) 238-2709
smithj@legis.la.gov
Senator Gregory Tarver
1024 Pierre Avenue
Shreveport, LA 71103
(318) 227-1499
tarverg@legis.la.gov
Senator Francis Thompson
P.O. Box 68
Delhi, LA 71232
(318) 878-9408
thompsof@legis.la.gov
Senator Mike Walsworth
4007 White's Ferry Rd
Suite A
West Monroe, LA 71291
(318) 340-6453
walsworthm@legis.la.gov
Senator Rick Ward
3741 Highway 1
Port Allen, LA 70767
(225) 246-8838
wardr@legis.la.gov
Senator Mack "Bodi" White
808 O'Neal Lane
Baton Rouge, LA 70816
(225) 272-1324
whitem@legis.la.gov