LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY) — When it comes to education in Louisiana, Congressman Cleo Fields is making it a priority to address the state’s issues. Earlier this week, He stopped in Lafayette to hold a town hall meeting where residents asked questions and let their concerns be heard. One of the things Fields discussed was the need for educators and how he plans to address it.

“We are losing teachers on a day-to-day basis,” Fields said.

Representing Louisiana’s 6th Congressional District, Fields says education has always been important to him. He says when he graduated from Southern University, the Department of Education was the largest department on campus. However, in recent years, he says that’s changed.

“I went there two or three years ago and only two students graduated in the Department of Education,” he said.

Describing the Department of Education as an endangered species, Fields says for lack of better terms, educators are not being valued.

“We as legislators need to take this seriously,” said Fields. “Our kids are not majoring in education because they don’t feel we value educators.”

Fields says one of the ways he plans on addressing the issues the state faces when it comes to a shortage of educators is by introducing a bill.

“I’m going to be introducing a bill right after the Easter break to forgive student loans for those people who major in education,” said Fields.

He says this is a way he believes he can help incentivized majoring in education as a start to addressing not only the shortage of educators, but also other issues the state faces.

“I just started an education caucus in Congress, and anything I can do to zero in on education, I’m going to do it,” he said.

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