Editor’s Note: The views expressed in this letter are solely those of the author and do not reflect the editorial stance of the Journal.
Dear Webster Parish Journal,
I am reaching out anonymously because I am concerned about possible retaliation, but I believe the people of Webster Parish deserve to know more about what is happening with school employees and the decisions being made within the Webster Parish School System.
I work as a school secretary, and I want to make it clear that I genuinely love my job, my school, my students, and the people I work with. I am not writing this because I dislike my job. In fact, I have chosen to stay because I care so much about the work I do. However, I continue to struggle financially because of the pay, and I know I am not the only employee facing this problem.
School secretaries are often referred to as the heart of a school, and there is a reason for that. We answer constantly ringing phones, greet parents and visitors, check students in and out, respond to walkie-talkies, monitor the front door, handle records, paperwork, attendance, transportation issues, handle medical needs, emergencies, student needs, and countless other responsibilities that happen behind the scenes. There is rarely a moment of downtime.
Yet many school secretaries, along with aides, custodians, cafeteria workers, and other support employees, remain among the lowest-paid employees in the school system.
Louisiana school secretaries reportedly average around $11 an hour, while some surrounding parishes pay considerably more. Within Webster Parish, many secretaries are still near the bottom of the pay scale despite the amount of responsibility they carry.
The turnover should also raise concerns.
From what I have seen within the parish, there are only two secretaries with more than 10 years of experience, three with approximately 5–6 years of experience, and the majority have less than two years on the job. If those numbers are accurate, I believe that deserves closer examination. Why are experienced employees leaving? Why is it so difficult to retain people in these positions?
At the same time, there are questions about district spending and priorities that I believe deserve public attention.
Employees are told there is not enough funding for meaningful raises, while the district is considering plans such as repurposing the old J.L. Jones school into a parish-wide facility and adding positions such as content coaches. There are also questions surrounding compensation for higher-level administrative positions, including significant increases in the superintendent’s salary.
I am not saying that every one of these decisions is necessarily wrong. I am asking whether the priorities are right when the people working directly in our schools are struggling to make ends meet and experienced employees continue to leave.
With an upcoming Webster Parish School Board election, I believe voters deserve to have these questions brought into the light. School board members make decisions that affect employees, students, families, and the way taxpayer dollars are spent.
This is bigger than one secretary and bigger than one school.
These are people who show up every morning, take care of children, support teachers, answer parents’ questions, handle emergencies, keep schools organized, and help keep our schools running every single day. They deserve more than words of appreciation. They deserve fair compensation and a reason to stay.
I am asking the Webster Parish Journal to look into school employee pay, turnover, administrative salaries, new positions, and district spending priorities. I believe the public deserves to see the numbers and understand how these decisions are being made.
I am asking that my identity remain completely confidential because I am genuinely concerned about retaliation. My intention is not to attack anyone. I simply believe these issues deserve to be investigated and discussed publicly.
I love what I do. I love my school. I love my students. But people should not have to choose between a job they love and being able to afford to live.
It is time for the Webster Parish School Board to do better—for the employees who keep our schools running and the families who depend on them.
Thank you for taking the time to consider this concern.
Sincerely,
A Concerned Webster Parish School Employee