CADDO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — Mike Morales is a teacher in Bossier Parish and he says his everyday experience makes him qualified and ready to take on the role of the District 8 school board representative in Caddo Parish.
“Me and my wife both live there. We are both teachers. We feel that’s it’s important that we start getting a lot more bridging of the gaps between the school board, the community, and the teachers,” said Morales. “There is a big gap there right now that is affecting how the children are learning.”
Morales teaches Spanish at Benton High School and feels having those with boots on the ground in the classroom serving on the board is necessary.
“We have a lot of people that have never been in the classroom once,” said Morales. “How can you decide what’s important for a classroom when you’ve never been in there on a daily basis.”
He says the biggest obstacles facing Caddo Schools are low pay and teacher retention.
“Teachers shouldn’t have to go on Facebook and post Amazon wish lists so that they can afford to get the stuff for their students. That’s what they are resorting to because they are not paid enough,” said Morales. “Teachers are just quitting. If that teacher is changing every two months, they are not going to succeed.”
Morales says he’s pleased to have the area’s largest teachers’ union, Red River United, endorsing him for the job.
“The teachers union has already supported me,” he said. “So hopefully I can live up to the standards they are setting and help all the teachers.”
Morales is running against incumbent school board member Christine Tharpe.
