We have prepared a series of guides and pamphlets that are intended to provide general information covering a variety of legal topics. Note: the information is not intended to substitute for individualized legal advice. The information is printed in .pdf format.
The following information should be particularly useful for Louisiana public school educators. Members of teacher unions affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers may also receive copies through their union office.
These guides become outdated as laws change. We urge you to periodically check this page for updates.
Please note: the information presented at this site should not be construed and is not intended to be formal, individualized legal advice, or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.
| Publication Title | Content |
| Banning Persons from School Property | Are you experiencing problems with a difficult parent who creates disturbances at school, or uses profanity in front of students, or makes threats of physical harm? You have the right to ask the school district to ban the parent from coming to school except for a pre-arranged appointment. Parents who ignore school district orders to stay away can be arrested and face criminal prosecution. This is a very useful law when parents create a disturbance on campus, or interfere with orderly instruction. |
| Child Abuse and Neglect | Do you have cause to believe that one of your students has been abused or neglected? If so, you are a "mandatory reporter," and must contact the proper child abuse authorities. If you fail to make a report, you could face criminal prosecution! How do you report? What if you aren't certain that the child is being abused? Is reporting to the school social social worker sufficient? This brochure provides answers to frequently asked questions. |
| Discipline QA | You have a student in your class who persistently disrupts instruction. You send him to the office but the principal returns the child to your class. You have rights! This brochure explains your right to demand that students are held accountable for disruptive behavior. We explain the primary discipline law in a question-and-answer format. |
| False Accusations | Educators around the country face an increasing number of false accusations made by students and parents. This brochure explains your rights and provides useful suggestions. |
| Legal Reference Guide for Educators | Here is a handy guide summarizing your rights in numerous situations that you may encounter at school. |
| Safety in Our Schools | Unfortunately, many school districts feel that acts of violence happen elsewhere and would never happen within their school districts. This is a dangerous "head-in-the-sand" approach to a very serious problem. This article discusses the problem and provides suggestions to educators who have concerns. |
| Workers Comp/Injuries on Duty | Have you been injured during the course of employment? If you, you have rights. You have the right to workers' compensation, which includes not only payment of a percentage of your salary, but also payment of medical bills, medicines, and even reimbursement of transportation costs to and from the doctor and hospital (there is a formula). Additionally, if you were injured because of an assault (threat) or battery by a student or any person, the school district must pay your full salary with no loss of sick leave days, as long as your doctor certifies that you are injured or disabled because of the assault or battery. You also have the right to receive full salary for certain time periods if you are injured because of physical contact with a student while assisting the student to prevent physical injury to the student. This flyer answers frequently asked questions. |
| Electronic Communication with Students Law | Effective November 15, 2009, all school boards were required to adopt policies governing educators' electronic communication with students. This includes texting. Here is the law...make sure you know your school board's policy. |
| Grade Changes Law | This law states that you have rights if an administrator, principal, orothers directly or indirectly attempt to influence or alter the grade you assign to a student. |
| Interaction with Students Law | This law, passed in 2008, limits your ability to be alone in a room with a student. |
| Length of School Day Law | This is the law governing the length of the school day, and provides for additional compensation in certain situations. |
| Paperwork Reduction Law | This is good for a laugh. |
| Parent Conference Leave Law | Employers masy grant leave to employees to participate in certain educational conferences or classroom activities. |
| Planning Time Law | This law states that you have the right to duty-free planning time each day. |
| Reporting Criminal Offenses Law | You want to press criminal charges against a student but you are being discouraged by school administrators. Check out this law! |
| Safety Crisis Plans Law | This law requires all Louisiana school districts to establish comprehensive safety plans in schools. Does your school have a plan? Has the staff been in-serviced? |
| Safety Duty Law | This law states that school board are required to furnish you with a place of employment "free from recognized dangers or hazadrs that are causing or likely to cause serious injury or death." |
| Sick Leave Law/Assault Pay Law | Here is the entire law governing your right to sick leave, assault/battery pay, physical assistance pay, and extended sick leave. |
| Suspension of Student Drivers Licenses Law | This is the law that provides for the suspension of student drivers' licenses. It requires principals to notify the Office of Motor Vehicles when students face certain suspensions and expulsions. |
| Teacher Bill of Rights | Did you know that teachers in Louisiana public schools are protected by a Bill of Rights? Trouble is, the law itself doesn't impose any penalties against school boards that violate these rights. Stay tuned...maybe someday a court will. |
| Technology Uses and Abuses Flyer | Do you have a facebook page? Do you text or blog? Beware! You may face problems as an educator. |
| Tenure Laws | This is the entire law governing the employment of probationary and tenured teachers in Louisiana public schools. |
| Visitor Authorization Law | This is the law that allows public school districts to establish policies governing visitors entering school property. |
| Visitor Searches Law | This is the law that allows public schools to search visitors entering public schools. |
| Whistleblower Law | Do you want to report a violation of law or acts of impropriety at your school or in your school district, but you are worried that you may suffer retaliation or reprisal? Here is the law that states how you must make a report in order to be free from reprisal. |