Catholic schools leader to bring blended experience to BESE
A Central Louisiana superintendent plans to bring his experience in both public and private education to the table as a member of the state's top education board.
"The greatest thing I hope to bring is both sides of the world," said Thomas "Tommy" Roque, superintendent of Catholic schools for the Diocese of Alexandria. "... I'm really excited. I firmly believe the Lord puts you where he wants you to serve."
Roque, 64, is among three members appointed to the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education by Gov.-elect John Bel Edwards. He grew up a student in Catholic schools, worked 38 years in public education — most of that as an administrator — and is in his fifth year back in private education as a superintendent.
"I love children. I love the profession," Roque said. "Education has always been dear to my heart."
The Cane River native spent one year teaching in the New Orleans area after graduating from Southern University in 1971. Then he returned to Natchitoches Parish to teach a few years at St. Matthew High School and earn a master's degree in administration from Northwestern State University.
He took the helm of St. Matthew, a public school, as principal at 25 years old in 1976. He's been in an administrative post in different locations in the nearly 40 years since, including a stint as assistant superintendent of administration for Rapides Parish from 1997 to 2010.
After less than a year of retirement he applied for the position of superintendent for Catholic schools. He stepped into that role in 2011.
Roque expects that experience to benefit him as he takes the place of BESE member-at-large Judith Miranti, director of the Graduate Counseling Program at Xavier University and a professor emeritus at Our Lady of Holy Cross College, and represents the non-public side of education.
"I think I really understand schools (and their employees)," he said. "I was principal of some very rural schools where there's not much money and not always parental support. You've got to be real creative."
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Also appointed to BESE as members-at-large are St. Bernard Parish schools Superintendent Doris Voitier and Lurie Thomason Jr., an assistant professor at Grambling State University. They will have their first meeting with the board next week after Edwards is inaugurated Monday.
In the two days since Edwards announced the appointments, Roque has been asked some of the obvious questions — where does he stand on Common Core State Standards, the state Department of Education's voucher system and teacher pay?
He has some answers, but mostly he wants to research more and listen first, he said. He has some time to do that before committee meetings Tuesday and the full board meeting Wednesday.
"I'm going in with an open mind," Roque said. "... I'll be reading (BESE materials) between now and then. ... There's a lot that I don't know, even though I have so much experience (in education). I'm going to do more listening than anything on Tuesday."
He wants to listen to stakeholders — educators and parents — on both sides of arguments like Common Core.
"I will listen and then ultimately make a decision," Roque said. "... I think a lot of it was pushed too fast. I hope we will take a deep breath and breathe in fresh air. I want to listen to parents against it and for it and put the true facts on the table, not the bad interpretations, not the bad information."
"There's nothing wrong with the word compromise," he added. "As I sit on that board in Baton Rouge I will think of the children."
As private schools, those under Roque as superintendent aren't required to use Common Core State Standards, but he said some of his schools incorporate some of them.
"It's standards," he said. "What we do we don't call it Common Core. It's just a high standard."
And at the end of the day that's what he wants.
"I'll be for high standards," Roque said. "... I want to do all I can for children."
Roque has been happy with the Louisiana Scholarship Program, the state DOE program that gives qualified students zoned for failing schools vouchers to attend private schools. He said it fits in with the mission of the Catholic church. Three of his schools participate.
"I have the program here in my school system," he said. "It's awesome."
When it comes to other issues of school choice, like charters, he said he has more research to do. But he plans to do just that because he knows it will come up. He also hopes to do "whatever we can do" to improve salaries for teachers, while not forgetting the state faces a deficit.
"I know we're strapped tough with the budget," he said. "... I don't care what you are, somebody taught you. They touch the lives of all professions."
As a governor's appointee, he said he'll "collaborate" with Edwards, which isn't to say they'll always agree, he said. But he's looking forward to working with him in this way.
"I think he's going to be positive with education," Roque said about the governor-elect. "... Education is just vital. To me, it's always been the key."