The Evangeline Parish School Board, during a meeting held Wednesday via conference call, unanimously adopted a state of emergency proclamation in the wake of the coronavirus.
As Superintendent of Schools Darwan Lazard explained, “It declares Evangeline Parish School District is under an emergency situation which is consistent with the governor and president have already done. Should there be any FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) funds available, as a result of our closure, then we are eligible to apply for those.
The main topic of discussion during the meeting was an amendment to the board’s contract with First Student for the board to pay bus drivers while schools are closed because of the coronavirus.
Hubert Mabe, location manager for First Student, told the board bus drivers have not been paid since the schools were ordered closed on March 20.
“If this amendment goes through,” he said, “the drivers will be paid back pay for the time they missed and going forward through the end of the school year. It this does not go through, we will probably furlough everyone except one or two people in the office.”
After much discussion, the board tabled the matter until next week.
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Tony Marks
Editor