Louisiana Voice

Folks, LouisianaVoice’s October fundraiser is a little more than halfway through and I’ve tried not to be too big a pest this time, choosing instead to leave the real grifting up to the professionals – people like Donald Trump and certain televangelists who seem to be fundraising 24/7/365. Just today, I have received 24 solicitation from Trump – and it’s only 3:15 p.m.

But I have to be honest. Maybe it’s because I haven’t been beating the drum daily for your generosity to kick in, but whatever the reason, it’s been down this month. Check out the story right below this one (and the one above it) to see what we’re trying to do here.

No one else is going to bat for these students at the Louisiana School for the Deaf and the Louisiana School for the Visually Impaired. Perhaps it’s because LSD serves fewer than 100 students. But so what? They deserve a quality education just as your kids do. And the administration at LSD is encouraging them not to use sign language, but to speak instead. It kinda reminds you of how they tried to assiminate Native Americans into the Ango Saxon culture and to abandon their own native languages.

But back to my shameless panhandling. We need your help to do what we do. I’ve got a trip to north Louisiana coming up on another story and gas isn’t 30 cents a gallon like it was when I got my first reporting job more than half-a-century ago. So please click on the magic yellow DONATE button in the column to the upper right of this post and give what you can. Or mail a check to Capital News Service, P.O. Box 922, Denham Springs, Louisiana 70727.

And as ol’ Tennessee Ernie Ford used to say, “Bless your pea-pickin’ heart.”

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Editor’s note: The following letter was sent to the board of directors for the Louisiana Special School District by the Louisiana Association of the Deaf board of directors in an effort to address growing concerns about the loss of qualified staff at the Louisiana School for the Deaf. The letter was written after repeated attempts, without success, to address the SSD board about mounting problems at the school:

As you know, the Louisiana Association of the Deaf (LAD) wrote to you on June 3, 2022, July 8, 2022, and again on August 8, 2022 concerning urgent issues affecting the continuing and successful operation of the Louisiana School for the Deaf (LSD). Each of our good faith attempts, as stakeholders, to communicate with the SSD Board was ignored. Most blatantly, our August 8, 2022 correspondence, which was sent Certified Mail, Return Receipt Requested, was refused by Acting Superintendent Katherine Granier.

Since the inception of LAD almost 115 years ago by alumni of LSD, our organization has supported and advocated for the staff, students, and parents of the Louisiana School for the Deaf. Never, in those 115 years, has LAD been so disrespected by the SSD leadership by being ignored and dismissed in our attempt to address such significant issues affecting the future of the school.

We have attempted to come to you, as concerned stakeholders and advocates, to proactively discuss serious issues affecting LSD. Now, months after our first formal correspondence to you, these same issues have multiplied to the point of endangering the very existence of LSD.

We have repeatedly attempted to communicate to the Board that actions taken by Acting Superintendent Granier have subverted and ignored all recommendations made in the Louisiana Department of Education-commissioned Special School District Review. This review by the Urban Special Education Leadership Collaborative/Education Development Center, Inc., Perkins School for the Blind, American School for the Deaf, and the Cotting School, done at considerable taxpayer cost, stated that “For SSD and the schools to be successful, it is essential that Leaders have the appropriate levels of expertise.”

Pursuant to the SSD Report of 2018, a Strategic Plan for 2021-2024 was developed and adopted by the SSD Board. Since the appointment of Katherine Granier as Acting Superintendent of SSD, the goals of the Strategic Plan, as well as the recommendations of the 2018 Report, have been abandoned.

The first guiding principle of the Plan was to implement a streamlined organizational structure with system-wide policies and collaborative decision-making. Instead, Ms. Granier immediately began implementing wide-ranging changes without the input of SSD administrators and staff, including the hiring of unqualified administrators such as the new Chief Academic Officer, Venesa Harris-Edwards, who lacks any certification in deaf education of education of the blind/visually impaired, and the hiring of her child’s former Gifted Teacher who lacks any special education certification or experience, as an Instructional Specialist, without regard for their lack of experience and certifications, and without input of SSD administrators and staff.

The next guiding principle of the Plan is to cultivate an organizational culture that is engaging, collaborative, and inclusive, and built on open communication and transparency. Instead, SSD staff have been left out of all decision-making. Instead of working in an inclusive environment, numerous staff have reported they live in fear of unjust harassment and discipline and are treated rudely by Ms. Granier and the new CAO. Ms. Granier’s and Ms. Harris-Edwards’s total disregard for open communication are exemplified by Ms. Harris-Edwards and the new Instructional Strategist, Ms. Perpetra Frazier, visiting classrooms and staff without bringing interpreters with them, thus rendering any authentic communication between them, staff, and students impossible, and in possible violation of the ADA.

The Strategic Plan discusses an integrated talent management approach to attract, develop, and retain a team of high-performing employees. Instead, school administrators are left out of all hiring decisions, uncertified/unqualified people are hired, and multiple staff have resigned or been fired since Ms. Granier’s tenure as Acting Superintendent began.

Since our last attempted communication with the Board, staff have been prevented from performing their job duties as delineated in their job descriptions. Students continue to not receive the Speech/Language Therapy services mandated in their Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Federal IDEA funds continue to remain unexpended by both SSD and LSD/LSVI.

Now, in the most egregious action to date, Dr. Heather Laine has been terminated for charges that we believe will lose on the merits if taken to a court of law. The aforementioned 2018 Report stressed the need for qualified leaders, with the educational credentials, expertise, experience, and cultural competency to direct the growth and progress of the SSD schools. Dr. Laine exemplifies those qualities and credentials. She has the support of the LSD staff and students, and her integrity and performance have never been called into question prior to Ms. Granier’s appointment as Acting Superintendent. The termination of such a well-respected, and supported, deaf leader is the complete antithesis of what was recommended in the 2018 Report.

The actions of Ms. Granier, especially towards faculty and staff who are deaf, gives the appearance that she is attacking in a systematic way all who use ASL. Ms. Granier and her CAO have made statements in meetings and in classrooms that students WILL be taught to talk—period. Their apparent distain for ASL violates the rights of students and their parents, who have chosen LSD to provide a unique, language-rich environment. Her blanket attempt to prioritize spoken English, while encouraging the use of hearing aids and cochlear implants, may well also be in violation of students’ IEPs and the provisions of the ADA.

For the reasons described above, as well as those communicated in previous correspondence to the SSD Board, LAD formally requests that the following actions be considered at the November 1, 2022 SSD Board Meeting, and that the public be allowed to speak in support of these demands:

1. We are requesting the immediate removal of Ms. Granier and Ms. Harris-Edwards from their current positions. Neither administrator possesses academic certifications in Deaf Education or Education of the Blind/Visually Impaired; neither person possesses Ed Leadership certifications required for all administrative positions in public school districts. Furthermore, neither administrator is capable of communicating using ASL, and refuse to use interpreters in their campus visits to LSD. The majority of LSD staff have no confidence in either Ms. Granier or Ms. Harris-Edwards, as they feel bullied and disrespected by them, as well as living in constant fear of undeserved discipline and/or termination. We believe the recent survey, if provided to all staff members, will confirm these assertions.

 2. The history of SSD reflects the need for leadership that possesses a deep knowledge of the low incidence, unique disabilities represented in each of the three SSD programs. Because such experience, expertise, academic certification, and cultural competency in the disabilities represented in the three SSD programs are critical to the success of the schools, we are supporting a Tripartite Superintendency: that the Directors of each of the three SSD schools, together, fill this role. This innovation will not only save SSD millions of dollars in a Superintendent’s salary and benefits going forward, but most importantly, will provide for the unique leadership requirements needed to best serve SSD’s unique populations. Even if this model is not adopted permanently, it is imperative that it be implemented immediately during the pendency of the superintendent search.

 3. We are asking for the immediate reversal of the termination of Dr. Heather Laine, her reinstatement of Director of LSD, as well as an investigation of all other disciplinary actions taken by Ms. Granier and Ms. Harris-Edwards towards other SSD staff.

4. We are requesting that the Board assures that no retaliatory measures of any kind will be taken against any current SSD employees from any of the schools if they chose to participate, outside of work hours, in any public demonstration held to express support for Dr. Laine and the other requests listed in this memorandum.

5. We are requesting a public report on the outcome of all outstanding grievances filed against Ms. Granier and/or Ms. Harris-Edwards, including the timelines followed in the grievance process.

 6. We are requesting that the SSD Board investigate and report to the public the failure to use IDEA funds allocated to both SSD and LSD/LSVI since at least 2018, along with Ms. Granier’s role as CFO in not expending such federal funds.

 7. We are requesting that the SSD Board quell suspicions that the actions of Ms. Granier and Ms. Harris-Edwards have been designed to undermine the continued existence of LSD and LSVI. Their unjustified actions, especially in disciplining and terminating the most qualified staff, give the appearance of a deliberate sabotage of the schools, leaving the public to wonder if charter school investors are waiting in the wings to take over the campuses for financial gain.

Despite being ignored in our repeated good faith attempts to communicate with the Board, LAD will continue its long legacy of supporting and advocating for the staff, students, and parents of the Louisiana School for the Deaf 

Sincerely,

Jimmy Challis Gore, M. Ed

President

Board of Directors

Louisiana Association of the Deaf, Inc.

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Please don’t forget our October fundraiser. We try to bring you stories that get overlooked by others but which are vitally important to those who wish to make wise decisions come election time.

We’ve covered State Police, the legislature, the Department of Hospitals, legal developments, wrongful convictions, private prisons, and a multitude of other subjects. But it does take money to pursue some of these stories. For instance, I am working on a story about how jury selection can be just that – selective and to get that story, I’ve had to make records requests of all 64 parish clerks of court. Some are helpful and forthcoming with information. Others want to be paid. One parish wants $1,000 while another has sent a bill for $285.

I’m not buying a mansion or a jet with your contributions. I don’t even own a suit. At my age, I don’t even buy a full tank of gas. I’m using your hard-earned money to go after the hard-to-get stories.

If you can squeeze a little out of your inflation-riddled budget, please click on the yellow DONATE button in the column to the right of this post and pay by credit card. Or you may send a check to Capital News Service, P.O. Box 922, Denham Springs, Louisiana 70727. (That’s the way the bank account is set up and my bank is getting picky about checks to LouisianaVoice because the account is in the name of Capital News Service.)

As always, your generosity is deeply appreciated.

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The indictment of a Livingston Parish deputy sheriff in connection with a traffic fatality in July has raised more questions than it answered.

Deputy Cory Winburn was indicted by a Livingston Parish grand jury on Monday for the accident in which Winburn crashed into a vehicle occupied by 33-year-old Christinia Estave who was taken to a Baton Rouge hospital but later died.

Winburn, who was responding to a call about a shooting incident shortly after 1 a.m. on July 15 when he rear-ended Estave’s 2004 Saturn in the southbound lane of LA. 16 north of Denham Springs. Neither Winburn nor Estave was wearing a seatbelt.

A witness said he had passed the Estave vehicle moments earlier and observed that it was stopped in the traffic lane without lights, according to information obtained by LouisianaVoice. The witness turned around to see if the driver needed assistance but by the time he returned to Estave, the collision had occurred.

It was the second time that Winburn had rear-ended another vehicle, according to a Baton Rouge TELEVISION STATION. The first resulted in a lawsuit but the litigation was subsequently dismissed. In 2018, he was fired by Ard but was rehired in 2020 after he spent about a year with the neighboring Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office.

District Attorney Scott Perrilloux said the grand jury had the choice of indicting Winburn on negligent homicide or careless operation and chose to go with careless operation, a misdemeanor for which Winburn will be ticketed.

Among the questions left hanging are:

• Did Perrilloux exert undue influence on the grand jury in order to get the lesser charge? It’s common knowledge that prosecutors can influence grand juries. There’s an adage that says a skilled prosecutor can get a grand jury to indict a ham sandwich or allow a killer to walk.
• Why did Sheriff Ard refuse to identify Winburn for nearly a full month – until he was finally identified with the indictment? Ard steadfastly refused to release any information about the accident, saying the criminal investigation had been turned over to State Police. Was that because it involved his department? He says his office is considering internal discipline for Winburn.
• Why was Estave stopped in the travel lane with her lights off? She was in 18-year-old vehicle; was she having car trouble? If so, that would explain the reduced charged against Winburn, but if so, why hasn’t Ard claimed as much?
• Why was Winburn driving a public vehicle (or any vehicle) without wearing his seatbelt? It’s the law and police in Livingston Parish periodically operate check points and ticket non-belted drivers. Seems law enforcement officials should be setting the example.

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John Neely Kennedy, aka Randy Quaid as Cousin Eddie, has gotten a lot of national publicity over his latest reelection ad in which he admonishes those who hate cops to “CALL A CRACKHEAD” the next time they’re in trouble.

And national publicity is exactly what he was shooting for. It was, especially with the not-so-subtle racist overtones, vintage Kennedy.

Louisiana’s answer to Foghorn Leghorn – “Son, Ah say, son, You ‘bout as useless as taste buds on a butthole” – is a throwback to Earl Long, but without the charm or the good looks. He is convinced (and he’s probably correct, given the collective depth of political perception of the average Louisiana voter) that the more homilies he can throw out, the more votes he will capture.

On President Biden’s announced intention of nominating a black woman to succeed retiring Justice Stephen Breyer, Jed Clampett, er Kennedy opined that he’d prefer a nominee “who knows a law book from a J. CREW CATALOG.”

Clever, Gomer, er Kennedy. Except when once used, you don’t keep coming back with the same line – or even a variation of it – like your earlier line which substituted L.L. Bean for L. Crew. I should know; it’s why I quit stand-up at a local comedy club. After years there, everyone in Baton Rouge had heard my joke.

And let’s not forget his opposition to all things that reek of socialism. Things like public roads and bridges, police and fire protection, water and sewer systems, public stadiums where rich athletes play, public schools, public libraries, recreation programs where your kids or grandkids play organized sports, zoos, social security, Medicare, FEMA, and the VA. And before any of you start confusing socialism with communism (they’re two entirely different philosophies), answer one question for me: what did you do with your stimulus checks you received during the pandemic? If you sent them back, you are free to criticize; If you cashed them, do not pass Go on this board game.

But what really puzzles me is why Kennedy, Ron DeSantis, Greg Abbott, and other fringe lunatic Republicans are so down on wokeness.

• Aren’t they the ones who insist that we “Don’t say gay”?
• Aren’t they the ones who insist that “offensive” books be removed, or at least relocated, in our public libraries?
• Aren’t they the ones who substituted “All Lives Matter” for “Black Lives Matter”?
• Aren’t they the ones who bitch and moan every time someone suggests a ban on assault weapons so there won’t be so many school children slaughtered?
• Aren’t they the ones who are scared to death of those hordes of murderers and rapists flooding our southern border?
• Aren’t they the ones stripping away women’s right of choice?
• Aren’t they the ones terrified of minority voting rights?

It doesn’t get any wokier than that.

Kennedy boasts in his ads that he was cited as one of the “10 most effective Republican senators in the 117^th Congress. Well, considering the competition, that designation is no great shakes.

There’s Rick Scott who, as CEO of Health Management Associates, agreed to pay a fine of $260 million for Medicare/Medicaid fraud; Ted “Cancun” Cruz, “Lapdog” Lindsey Graham, Josh “Watch Me Run” Hawley, Ron Johnson, Rand Paul, Mitch McConnell, Marco Rubio, and Tommy Tuberville, just to name a few of the contenders.

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