Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024
A.
Respecting the authority of teachers is essential to creating an environment
conducive to learning, effective instruction in the classroom, and proper
administration of city, parish, and other local public schools. To maintain and
protect that authority, it is important that teachers, administrators, parents,
and students are fully informed of the various rights conferred upon teachers
pursuant to this policy, which are:
1. a
teacher has the right to teach free from the fear of frivolous lawsuits,
including the right to qualified immunity and to legal defense, and to
indemnification by the employing school board, pursuant to
R.S.
17:416.1(C), 416.4, 416.5,
and 416.11, for actions taken in the performance of duties of the teacher's
employment;
2. a teacher has the
right to appropriately discipline students in accordance with
R.S.
17:223 and 416 through 416.16 and any city,
parish, or other local public school board regulation;
3. a teacher has the right to remove any
persistently disruptive student from his classroom when the student's behavior
prevents the orderly instruction of other students or when the student displays
impudent or defiant behavior and to place the student in the custody of the
principal or his designee pursuant to
R.S.
17:416(A)(1)(c);
4. a teacher has the right to have his or her
professional judgment and discretion respected by school and district
administrators in any disciplinary action taken by the teacher in accordance
with school and district policy and with
R.S.17:416(A)(1)(c);
5. a teacher has the right to teach in a
safe, secure, and orderly environment that is conducive to learning and free
from recognized dangers or hazards that are causing or likely to cause serious
injury in accordance with
R.S.
17:416.9 and 416.16;
6. a teacher has the right to be treated with
civility and respect as provided in
R.S.
17:416.12;
7. a teacher has the right to communicate
with and to request the participation of parents in appropriate student
disciplinary decisions pursuant to
R.S.
17:235.1 and 416(A);
8. a teacher has the right to complete only
paperwork that is not excessively burdensome that, if required by law or
regulation, adheres to the law or regulation and does not result in overly
cumbersome interpretations of that law or regulation;
9. a beginning teacher has the right to
receive leadership and support in accordance with
R.S. 17:3881,
including the assignment of a qualified, experienced mentor who commits to
helping him become a competent, confident professional in the classroom and
offers support and assistance as needed to meet performance standards and
professional expectation;
10. a
teacher has the right to be afforded time during the school day or week to
collaborate with other teachers.
B. No LEA shall establish policies that
prevent teachers from exercising the rights listed above or in any other
provisions included in
R.S.
17:416-416.16.
C. The provisions of this policy shall not be
construed to supersede any other state law, BESE policy, or LEA policy enacted
or adopted relative to the discipline of students.
D. Each LEA shall provide a copy of this
policy to all teachers at the beginning of each school year. Each such LEA also
shall post a copy of the rights provided in this policy in a prominent place in
every school and administrative building it operates and provide such a copy to
parents or legal guardians of all children attending such schools in a form and
manner approved by the school board. Each LEA and every school under its
jurisdiction that maintains an internet website shall post on such website a
copy of the Teacher Bill of Rights required by this policy.
AUTHORITY NOTE:
Promulgated in accordance with
R.S.
17:416.18.
