A judge in Baton Rouge has dismissed a lawsuit brought by 14 Louisiana residents that sought to oust state Education Superintendent John White.
The Baton Rouge Advocate reports that Judge William Morvant ruled that only Gov. John Bel Edwards, Attorney General Jeff Landry, East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III or Senate President John Alario could file such a court petition challenging White's right to continue holding office. The judge did not ruling on the merits of the case.
The residents seeking to remove White from office are critical of the Common Core academic standards he advocated. The suit contends that the Common Care academic standards are "substantively and academically flawed." White has run afoul of the governor and former Gov. Bobby Jindal over Common Core.
State Sen. John Milkovich, who represents the plaintiffs, said after the ruling his clients are considering their legal options. He maintains that White is "illegally in office."
White was appointed by the state's Board of Elementary and Secondary Education and approved by the Senate in 2012, but since then a new board has been elected. The suit contends that because White wasn't reappointed by the board or reconfirmed by the Senate, his post should be declared vacant.
