10 signatures reached
To: St. John the Baptist Parish School Board
Stand for Fairness: Protect Our Teachers, Protect Our Schools
Call for the immediate reinstatement of Mr. Cook, the resignation or removal of the superintendent, his cronies, and a full independent review of recent administrative hires and personnel decisions.
Why is this important?
Our schools thrive when we have great teachers who inspire, mentor, and lead our children toward success. When those teachers are unfairly targeted, silenced, or removed because of politics, favoritism, or personal connections, our students and community pay the price.
Recently, Mr. Cook — a respected Black male educator, the parish’s teachers’ union president, and a dedicated teacher of over 10 years — was terminated under troubling circumstances.
After a disagreement with the Chief Operations Officer, who was hired by the superintendent and is his fraternity brother, Mr. Cook was removed from the classroom. The situation raises further concerns as the superintendent also hired the HR director, a friend and sorority sister to his fraternity. These facts point to a clear pattern of favoritism and compromised leadership.
We believe that:
- Decisions impacting our children’s education must be made in the best interest of students — not friendships or fraternity/sorority ties.
- Educators who advocate for their colleagues and students should not face retaliation.
- Our parish deserves leaders who act with fairness, accountability, and respect for all employees.
We, the undersigned, call for the immediate reinstatement of Mr. Cook, the resignation or removal of the superintendent, and a full independent review of recent administrative hires and personnel decisions.
Our children are watching. Let’s show them what courage, fairness, and community leadership look like.