The Independent Weekly of Lafayette, LA produced an intriguing expose about one of the less scrupulous practices plaguing the public education sector. Entitled “The Revolving Door,” the article exposes how public school administrators, mainly in the Lafayette area, are exploiting retirement benefits intended for teachers. These retirement benefits are designed to be a financial incentive to encourage potential public school teachers. Instead, money designated for teachers is being pocketed by administrators who are then taking other salaried jobs within the school system.

While there is no consensus on the legality of this process, one thing is certain: this is another example of the lack of clarity and transparency which impedes the progresss of our public schools, as well as another sad testimony to the wasteful spending which invariably exists within the public sector.

Fortunately, Rep. Page Cortez has sponsored House Bill 519, which would prohibit “prohibit retirees in the TRSL from receiving retirement benefits during their period of reemployment unless such retirees are reemployed as classroom teachers in grades K through 12 in the areas of mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics or special education.” Kudos to Rep. Cortez for attempting to address this problem.