Employee Rights and Resources

Respecting the authority of teachers is essential to creating an environment conducive to learning, effective instruction in the classroom, and proper administration of city, parish, and other local public schools. To maintain and protect that authority, it is important that teachers, administrators, parents, and students are fully informed of the various rights conferred upon teachers pursuant to this Section, which are:

1. A teacher has the right to teach free from the fear of frivolous lawsuits, including the right to qualified immunity and to a legal defense, and to indemnification by the employing school board, pursuant to R.S. 17:416.1(C), 416.4, 416.5, and 416.11, for actions taken in the performance of duties of the teacher’s employment.
2. A teacher has the right to appropriately discipline students in accordance with R.S. 17:223 and 416 through 416.16 and any city, parish, or other local public school board regulation.
3. A teacher has the right to remove any persistently disruptive student from his classroom when the student’s behavior prevents the orderly instruction of other students or when the student displays impudent or defiant behavior and to place the student in the custody of the principal or his designee pursuant to R.S. 17:416(A)(1)(c).
4. A teacher has the right to have his or her professional judgment and discretion respected by school and district administrators in any disciplinary action taken by the teacher in accordance with school and district policy and with R.S. 17:416(A)(1)(c).
5. A teacher has the right to teach in a safe, secure, and orderly environment that is conducive to learning and free from recognized dangers or hazards that are causing or likely to cause serious injury in accordance with R.S. 17:416.9 and 416.16.
6. A teacher has the right to be treated with civility and respect as provided in R.S. 17:416.12.
7. A teacher has the right to communicate with and to request the participation of parents in appropriate student disciplinary decisions pursuant to R.S. 17:235.1 and 416(A).
8. A teacher has the right to complete only paperwork that is not excessively burdensome and that, if required by law or regulation, adheres to the law or regulation and does not result in overly cumbersome interpretations of that law or regulation.
9. A beginning teacher has the right to receive leadership and support in accordance with R.S. 17:3881, including the assignment of a qualified, experienced mentor who commits to helping him become a competent, confident professional in the classroom and offers support and assistance as needed to meet performance standards and professional expectations.
10. A teacher has the right to be afforded time during the school day or week to collaborate with other teachers.

Louisiana Revised Statutes § 17:416.18 — Acts 2003, No. 1252, §1, eff. July 7, 2003; Acts 2008, No. 155, §1, eff. June 12, 2008; Acts 2013, No. 329, §1; Acts 2024, No. 400, §1, eff. June 19, 2024.

Respecting the authority of school employees is essential to creating a safe environment conducive to learning, effective instruction in the classroom, and proper administration of city, parish, and other local public schools. To maintain and protect that authority, it is important that school employees, administrators, parents, and students are fully informed of the various rights conferred upon school employees pursuant to this Section, which are:

1. A school employee has the right to work in a safe, secure, and orderly environment that is conducive to learning and free from recognized dangers or hazards that are causing or likely to cause serious injury in accordance with R.S. 17:416.9 and 416.16.
2. A school employee has the right to work free from the fear of frivolous lawsuits, including the right to qualified immunity and to a legal defense, and to indemnification by the employing school board, pursuant to R.S. 17:416.4, 416.11, and 439, for actions taken in the performance of duties of the school employee’s employment.
3. A school employee has the right to hold students accountable for disorderly conduct, in accordance with R.S. 17:416 and 416.14 and any city, parish, or other local public school board regulation.
4. A school employee has the right to have his professional judgment and discretion respected by school and district administrators in any disciplinary action taken by the school employee in accordance with school and district policy and with R.S. 17:416(A)(1)(a) and (b).
5. A school employee shall have the right to be involved in decisions regarding student behavior management in accordance with R.S. 17:416.8.
6. A school employee shall have the right to additional compensation in accordance with R.S. 17:418 and 419.2, and any compensation provided by any city, parish, or other local public school board regulation.
7. A school employee shall not have his wages reduced for any school year below the amount paid to the school employee in hourly wage or annual salary during the previous school year, nor shall the amount of the hourly wage or annual salary paid to any school employee be reduced at any time during an academic year in accordance with R.S. 17:422.6.
8. A school employee serving as a substitute teacher shall have the right to additional compensation as provided in R.S. 17:419.3.
9. A school employee has the right to be treated with civility and respect as provided in R.S. 17:416.12.
10. A school employee shall have the right to perform noncomplex medical procedures only if all the requirements in R.S. 17:436 have been met and documented.
11. A school employee shall have the right to administer medication only if all the requirements in R.S. 17:436.1 have been met and documented.
12. A school employee required by law or regulation to be trained for a specific job requirement shall be required to perform those specific duties only if they have received the mandated training and the training has been documented as required by law or regulation.
13. A school employee shall have the right to professional development and career advancement and should be supported in advancing their careers, pursuant to R.S. 17:7.4, 7.7, and 7.8.
14. A school employee has the right to complete only paperwork that is not excessively burdensome and that, if required by law or regulation, adheres to the law or regulation and does not result in overly cumbersome interpretations of that law or regulation.

Louisiana Revised Statutes § 17:416.18.1 — Acts 2025, No. 439, §1, eff. June 20, 2025.