The Policy and Athletic Committee of the Evangeline Parish School Board met Wednesday night to discuss changes in the athletic handbook and existing policies to bring them more in line with changes in state law. The committee also met to discuss adopting two new policies.
With regard to the handbook, the district already had one in place, according to Career and Technical Education Supervisor Johnny Deshotel, but it was outdated.
Deshotel explained all coaches now have to be at least 21-years or older to coach in the district. “We did that to try to keep younger coaches from putting themselves at risk with students,” he said. “We’ve had some issues in the past with younger kids trying to coach basketball teams or track teams and to help with football.”
Board member Karen Vidrine asked if the policy applied to Coaches Education and Certification Program (CECP) coaches. Deshotel replied state policy is for CECP coaches to be age 18, but district policy calls for them to be age 21.
When asked why by board member Wanda Skinner, Superintendent Darwan Lazard stated, “It is the recommendation to go with 21 as opposed to 18 simply because, at 18, there’s not much difference between that person’s age and the students on campus. I just felt it was too close, and I thought we should put a little more space just for the amount of respect that an older person might be able to get from those students and also to make it less likely that they might be peers or associates or have a certain arrangement that might not be appropriate.”
The superintendent added issues could arise with coaches aged 31, 41, 51, or beyond but pointed out “I think 21 is a good starting point, and you have to draw the line somewhere.”
Board member Mike Fontenot brought up the fact there are currently two CECP coaches who are coaching in boys’ and girls’ basketball in Mamou and are under 21-years-old. He was concerned about when this policy would take effect and about the school trying to replace these coaches midseason.
Superintendent Lazard said those coaches could be grandfathered in because the policy would take effect upon the board’s approval.
Deshotel along with the superintendent and the committee went through the remainder of the athletic handbook and discussed, among other items, the job descriptions of athletic directors, head coaches, and assistant coaches.
The committee voted to adopt the handbook with several changes to the document and with the amendment to grandfather in for this current school year the 18-21-year-olds who are currently CECP coaches at any school in the parish.
After the athletic handbook was approved, Assistant Superintendent Michael Lombas and the committee went over revisions to 14 existing policies and the two new policies. Such policies were suggested to the committee by the firm Forethought
The following is a rundown of major revisions to the existing policies along with the new policies. Upon full approval by the board, a brochure detailing all these policies will be distributed.
Computer access and use
Lombas explained to the committee these revisions “most of the changes aligns the district with the Children’s Internet Protection Act.”
Child abuse:
“The big change,” as Lombas explained, “is the policy now defines who is a mandatory reported.” He added, “Basically, we all are. If you know about it, you’re a mandatory reporter.”
He went on to explain an important inclusion in the new policy that has not always happened in the district. This inclusion deals with the reporters immediately notifying the principal or a designee “that a report has been filed.”
Dismissal of employees
As Lombas noted, the big change is “what happens with someone with a criminal offense.”
He further noted the new policy is “in more detail than what we’ve seen previously.”
The policy outlines reasons the superintendent shall dismiss an employee because of criminal offenses along with outlining termination of an employee based on abandonment of position.
Recruitment
The big change in recruitment, according to Lombas, deals with people who were convicted or pled nolo contendre to certain felonies. He said they “shall not be hired as a bus operator, substitute bus operator, or janitor or as temporary, part-time, or permanent school employee of any kind.”
Lombas added these people with such a conviction “can be granted a waiver through BESE (Board of Elementary and Secondary Education).”
Sick/ maternity and adoptive leave
The policy revisions, according to Lombas, include sick and maternity leave being applied to adoptive parenting. He said, “If you’re adopting a child, you can use sick leave up to 30 days.”
School and student safety
Lombas expressed this new policy “deals with what is deemed a threat and how the school responds to the threat.” He added this policy “is a response to the times we live in.”
The policy outlines definitions and mandatory reporting procedures.
Employee use of social media
“This new policy is because we have a rash of social media events taking place which are involving school board employees going online and talking about their schools, talking about kids, talking about our principals, saying things inappropriate, posting pictures that are inappropriate,” said Lombas, “and we need a policy that is updated to address these situations.”
Superintendent Lazard added the policy also cautions teachers against “being online friends with their students.” He added,
“It’s not appropriate.
Board President Wayne Dardeau (who is not a committee member) expressed he is concerned about the board going down a slippery slope with this policy and would feel more comfortable about it after a special meeting where the board went into executive session to “find out the nitty gritty” because he felt the policy is a “two-edged sword.”
The superintendent replied other districts in the state have implemented such policies and this policy “brings other policies all into one place.”
Even with President Dardeau’s concerns, the committee voted to adopt all the revisions to the policies and the new policies. They will become final upon approval by the full board at its next meeting.