Love him or hate him, John White is the focus of another battle – this time over whether he can legally remain as state Education Superintendent.
“I think we could progress a lot more if the conflict that he produces were gone,” says Ganey Arsement, a teacher from Lake Charles.
Arsement is one of 14 plaintiffs who sued the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, trying to oust White.
“We have an elected BESE Board tasked with the responsibility of appointing a superintendent for the duration of their term, and the current BESE Board has not carried out that duty,” Arsement says of the basis for the lawsuit. “They have not voted to keep John White on month-to-month. They have not voted to re-appoint him. Nor did they vote to start a search for a new Superintendent.”
Arsement is clear that he's not a fan of the state superintendent, but says it has nothing to do with being a teacher. It's because he's a parent.
“I got involved because of how his policies were affecting my children.” Arsement opposes Common Core.
The question of White's continued employment went to court in Baton Rouge earlier this month and was tossed out, with Judge William Morvant ruling that the plaintiffs did not have standing to sue.
Arsement explains, “The statute, referenced by Judge Morvant, gives standing to the Governor, Attorney General, president of the Senate, and the person who claims the right to hold the office – which doesn’t exist at this time.”
Asked last week whether he wipick up the cause of action, Governor John Bel Edwards said, “We are taking a look at that.”
Letters to the editor of various Louisiana newspapers have ensued, with former Superintendent Paul Pastorek and LABI president Steve Waguespack arguing to keep White. State Senator John Milkovich – who represented the plaintiffs in the now-dismissed lawsuit -- argued to give White the boot.
White himself says, “I’m hired by the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. I’m going to continue to work for the children of Louisiana until that Board tells me to stop.”