News | Jefferson Federation of Teachers

New School Board Member

Last night, the Jefferson Parish School Board appointed Rafael Rafidi to take the place of Larry Dale, who resigned his seat on the board at the end of last year. Mr. Rafidi’s appointment has proved controversial given statements he has made online and his lack of experience in education.

Unfortunately, the decision to appoint Mr. Rafidi was made without input from the community at large and stakeholders like JFT were not given a chance to vet Mr. Rafidi or provide feedback prior to the meeting on January 5th. Although we may come from different perspectives, we have been able to work with the

JFT Update: Happy Holidays

December 20, 2021 Paraeducator Grievance JPPSS Policy states that para educators may be used as substitutes only in emergencies when substitutes including teachers as substitutes are not available. It has come to our attention that at many schools, Para educators are increasingly being used as substitutes in situations that do not qualify as emergencies. The justification provided is that para educators are covering classes because of staffing shortages and vacancies. These shortages and vacancies were not caused by an emergency. There was no sudden, urgent, unexpected occurrence or occasion requiring immediate action. Staffing shortages and vacancies could and should have been anticipated. The school system’s vacancies and high absenteeism should not fall on the shoulders of para educators. Given this information, it became necessary for the Jefferson Federation of Teachers to file a grievance on behalf of the paraeducators of the district. It has been received by the district, and we anticipate a meeting, in the near future, to resolve this issue. We will meet with our paraeducator members to discuss the results of the grievance. MORE

Statement on JPPSS "Performance" Stipends

On behalf of the employees of the JPPSS, we write to express concern about the distribution of this year’s performance stipends. We applaud those teachers and administrators who received the JPPSS performance stipend as approved by the voters of Jefferson Parish in 2019. Their accomplishments cannot be overstated, but they are not the only educators in Jefferson Parish who have gone above and beyond for their students, despite the unprecedented hardship of the last two years. Much has transpired since this millage was originally passed, including a world-wide pandemic and a catastrophic hurricane. Now, schools are facing a major teacher shortage. MORE

JFT Update: Oct 26th

General Membership Meeting October 28, 2021 JFT’s general membership meeting will be held on Thursday, October 28, 2021, via Zoom at 5:30 p.m. Election of delegates to the LFT Virtual Convention will be held at this meeting. The LFT Virtual Convention is Saturday, November 20, 2021, at 9 a.m. Click here to register for the General Membership Meeting. Or visit: https://forms.gle/3aK83s2ThZdUmqTk9 Vote Early voting dates are October 30, 2021-November 6, 2021 (closed Sunday, October 31st). Election Day is Saturday, November 13, 2021 MORE

General Membership Meeting, Election Details, and More!

JFT Update: October 22, 2021 General Membership Meeting: October 28, 2021 JFT’s general membership meeting will be held on Thursday, October 28, 2021, via Zoom at 5:30 p.m. Election of delegates to the LFT Virtual Convention will be held at this meeting. The LFT Virtual Convention is Saturday, November 20, 2021, at 9 a.m. To register for the General Membership Meeting, visit: https://forms.gle/3aK83s2ThZdUmqTk9 MORE

JFT Update: October 13, 2021

From the Lawyer's Desk What should you do when your principal or supervisor approaches you and says you are required to get a drug or alcohol screening? It's a scary situation for anyone to be in and if you're a union member, the first thing you should do is call the union office. Save the Date General Membership Meeting: October 28th MORE

JFT Update: September 30, 2021

From the Lawyer's Desk You're sitting at school one day, very innocently doing your job, and someone comes into your room and says, "I'm from central office and I'd like to ask you a few questions." We strongly recommend you call the union. MORE

JFT President Respond to New LDOE Policy on COVID-19 Quarantines

JFT President Kesler Camese-Jones wrote an open letter to Jefferson Parish Schools Superintendent Dr. James Gray in response to a new policy released by the Louisiana Department of Education on September 29th, which would eliminate the requirement that students exposed to COVID-19 quarantine before returning to school.

Click here to read the full letter.

How Is Your School After Ida?

Let Us Know. You have recently received communication from the district regarding some of the school buildings requiring minor repairs and attention. While some may view these repairs as minor, we understand that many of you are seeing extensive damage that would be a safety concern or a hinderance to learning. MORE

September Update: After Hurricane Ida

JFT, along with other locals affected by Hurricane Ida, will work with our state affiliate, the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, on a comprehensive plan to request a waiver of instructional minutes for this school year, as many are in the process of rebuilding their homes and lives. We believe, first and foremost, an emphasis should be placed on the social emotional needs of our students and their families in order for any type of instruction to be effective. MORE