Legislative Report – May 6, 1986
Louisiana: The State We're In
Details
Collection:LPB
Genre: Newsmagazine
Place Covered: Baton Rouge, East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana
Copyright Holder: Louisiana Educational Television Authority
Date Issued: 1986-05-06
Duration: 00:26:47
Subjects: Politics | Government | Louisiana. Legislature | Louisiana Legislative Session, 1986 | Education | TRIALS | Edwards, Edwin W.
Contributors:
- Johnson, Ken Host
- Nachman, Karen Reporter
- Myers, Laura Reporter
- Clark, Linda Speaker
- Delpit, Joe Speaker
- Grand, Debbie Interviewee
- Baker, Richard Interviewee
- Williams, Shirley Interviewee
- Skelton, Fred Interviewee
- Hudson, Tommy Interviewee
- Edwards, Edwin Speaker
Description
This episode of the series “Louisiana: The State We’re In” from May 6, 1986, features Ken Johnson hosting a daily legislative report on the 1986 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislature. Johnson first reports on the day’s headlines, including a hearing in the House Appropriations Committee on cutting $30 million from the Minimum Foundation Program (MFP) for K-12 education. It includes testimony by Linda Clark of Friends of Public Education and State Representative Joe Delpit questioning whether the state has a plan to improve public education. Next, Karen Nachman reports on teachers’ concerns about teacher competency testing. Her report includes interviews with Debbie Grand of Westdale Elementary School, State Representative Richard Baker, and Shirley Williams of the Louisiana Association of Educators. Johnson then conducts an in-studio interview with Fred Skelton, the president of the Louisiana Federation of Teachers, and State Senator Tommy Hudson. They discuss: teachers’ concerns about school discipline; teacher competency testing; and whether legislators have confidence in teachers. Lastly, Laura Myers reports on the latest news from the seventh week of the retrial of Governor Edwin Edwards and four other defendants in New Orleans on fraud and racketeering charges related to the permitting process for building new hospitals and nursing homes. Her report focuses on the prosecution’s closing arguments. Her report includes highlights of Governor Edwin Edwards’ press conference on the courthouse steps.