Letters: Louisiana is headed in the wrong direction on teacher testing

I took and passed the National Teachers Examination. Simply put, I had to pass it in order to get a teaching position. Back in the day, all my teachers were certified to teach.

All of us can point to some teacher who made a difference in our lives. They gave us hope and inspiration.

Teaching was their first choice, not a second or third option. They taught because they were trained to teach. That is just the way it was.

Now, the Bayou State has come up with another law that is simply wrong at all levels. If you want to teach in the state, you do not have to take the Praxis test. To even write these words is unthinkable and defies any logic, at least to me.

There were some who applauded the decision. Because you and your friends could not pass the test after several attempts probably meant that a career in teaching wasn’t for you.

Trying to defend the indefensible isn’t a good practice. You don’t get anywhere.

Would you go to a heart surgeon who hadn’t passed the state board? Would you hire a lawyer who hadn’t passed the licensure requirements? Would you go to a dentist who didn’t have the required credentials? The answer is a resounding no.

By having minimal standards, we minimize the importance of education in the state.

If you are a member of any education board or committee, you should call for a repeal of this law.

By having this law, you are saying that with a college degree and minimal testing, you can become a teacher. That in my opinion is both sad and troubling.

This new law will not bode well for recruiting new teachers. Our education system is already suffering. With this, the pain only increases.

Louisiana, we can’t fall victim to worst practices. We must do better.

JAMES B. EWERS JR.

retired teacher

New Orleans