For decades teachers’s unions have been giving teachers—and unions—a bad name. A prime example is the intimidation tactics used by Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE):
A Louisiana teachers union is threatening private schools with legal action if they accept money from a new voucher program – and the threat has already forced at least one school to put its participation in the program on hold.
The demand was sent a few weeks ago by law firm representing the Louisiana Association of Educators and several other interests, and it argues the state-approved program is illegal because participating schools would be receiving an unconstitutional payment of public funds.
The two-page letter further states if schools don’t agree, then the law firm has “no alternative” than to take legal action.
“Our clients have directed us to take whatever means necessary to prevent the unconstitutional transfer of public money,” wrote Brian Blackwell, of the firm Blackwell & Associates.
After the LAE was called out on their thuggish behavior, they claimed the threatening letter was not meant as intimidation but rather a helpful gesture. “We hope to prevent schools from having to pay back the money when the courts rule that Act 2 and SCR 99 are unconstitutional,” said LAE Attorney Brian Blackwell.
Perhaps these educators need some remedial reading comprehension because the actual letter says, “The purpose of this letter is to try to avoid litigation with [Name of school].”
If we do not receive a signed copy of the attached letter from you by 4:00 P.M. on Fnday, July 27, 2012, we will have no alternative other than to institute litigation against [Name of school] and will request that a temporary restraining order, preliminary and permanent injunction be issued restraining, or joining and prohibiting – its officers, agents, employees, and counsel, and those persons in active concert or participation with – from accepting any funds from the State of Louisiana, the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and/or the Louisiana Department of Education pursuant to the Student Scholarships for Educational Excellence Program during the pendency of our client’s lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Act 2 and 5CR 99.
In other words, the LAE wants to “help” by suing any private schools that take the voucher money. The LAE cares so much about children that they are willing to helpfully sue any private schools that might try to give them a decent education. That’s how much they care about our kids.
