INDReporter

Lafayette teacher announces BESE bid

by Andrew Smith

Kreamer

Michael Kreamer, a lifelong resident of Lafayette Parish and long-time educator, announced this week his candidacy for the District 7 seat on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Kreamer announced the campaign Tuesday night at Don’s Seafood & Steakhouse Downtown.

“With over 32 years of experience in Louisiana schools, both large and rural, with teachers and parents of all backgrounds, I am in touch with the day-to-day issues of education and am committed to all schools and the families they serve. I am ready to serve.” Kreamer says in a release announcing his bid for the state school board.

Kreamer’s ties to education in Acadiana include his parents, Drs. Jean and Larry Kreamer, both retired professors of UL Lafayette; his wife Terri Kreamer, a second-grade Iberia Parish teacher; his son Garret Kreamer, a graduate assistant at UL Lafayette; and daughter Michelle Kreamer, an English teacher in Lafayette Parish.

Kreamer adds that he is “ready to go to work representing all educators, students and parents in our district focusing on such important issues as reducing the classroom stress caused by the over-testing and high-stakes accountability while emphasizing the needs of individual students in classrooms.” Furthermore, he adds, “We need to assure adequate and fair funding, early learning, sensible accountability and local control for our public education system so all students can be served equally well.”

Kreamer will vie to unseat first-term incumbent Holly Boffy, seen by many as a confederate of Gov. Bobby Jindal who voted in favor of allowing charter schools in Lafayette.