Bill > SB178

This bill establishes the School Employee Bill of Rights, which comprehensively outlines the legal protections and professional rights of school employees in Louisiana. The bill provides 14 specific rights for school employees, including the right to work in a safe environment, protection from frivolous lawsuits, the ability to hold students accountable for disorderly conduct, and respect for their professional judgment in disciplinary actions. Additionally, the bill ensures employees cannot have their wages reduced from the previous year, have the right to professional development and career advancement, and are entitled to fair compensation, including additional pay for substitute teachers. The bill requires school boards to provide a copy of these rights to all employees at the start of each school year, post them prominently in school buildings, and publish them on school websites. School administrators are prohibited from retaliating against employees who exercise these rights, and the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education is tasked with adopting rules to implement the legislation. The bill also slightly modifies existing law by adding a paraprofessional member to school discipline policy review committees and clarifying teachers' and school employees' disciplinary action rights.