Discussion over an issue which was tabled during a recent committee hearing broke into a lively debate in which the Evangeline Parish School Board had to go into recess over outbursts from one of its board members.
The feverish discussion over the board’s assignment policy took place during the school board’s Wednesday meeting.
Voicing on the issue first was Arthur Sampson who had concerns over issues of nepotism. “At a certain school,” he said, “there is a principal where her spouse is employed. In Cameron Parish last year, the ethics board ruled the principal of a school could not hire her son as a teacher.”
Sampson continued, “If this is not resolved by the end of the week, I will file a complaint with the attorney general. This should not be going on right now. It’s not fair to us as constituents.”
Speaking next was Basile High School Principal Tony Bertrand. “It would be catastrophic if our parish had to start turning teachers away in a rural district like we are,” Bertrand said. “I think it is very difficult to find teachers, and, sometimes, the home grown teachers with an interest in the schools are the best ones for the hire.”
He continued, “At Basile High School, where I’m the principal, I have two immediate family members who are on my staff. I am not the evaluator of either of those two immediate family members. They are both in very important roles as they teach in LEAP 2025 classes.”
Bertrand added one of three things would happen if the current policy was changed. He would resign, ask for a transfer, or go work in another parish. He suggested policy to be written where principals could hire immediate family members as long as they are not the evaluator of those immediate family members.
Board member Wanda Skinner asked Bertand who evaluates his two immediate family members. He replied he has two assistant principals who perform those evaluations.
“Do you believe an assistant principal will go against the principal” Skinner asked.
Bertrand started to answer how his assistant principals are trained when Skinner interrupted and said “they are going to go with the principal because they have to answer to you.” Skinner added, “Ethics said it’s a violation, and it’s a violation no matter where it’s at. We need to do the right thing. We’re going to cause chaos in this parish if this continues.”
The discussion began to reach fever pitch when Skinner stated, “For every position, there is a replacement. Let someone die and see if we don’t have somebody in there immediately.”
With his voice raised, Bertrand replied, “I’m going to tell you right now my wife passed away who was a teacher at Basile High when I was an administrator, and she did a fine job. I never did an evaluation on her as well. So, if you don’t mind, don’t talk to me about employees dying.”
While Board President Wayne Dardeau banged the gavel to bring the meeting back to order, Skinner told Bertand, ‘You don’t tell me what to talk about. I am your supervisor. I’m just saying like it is. I didn’t know about your wife who passed away. I wasn’t throwing that at you.”
After Dardeau told Skinner not to get perturbed, the board reviewed conflicting opinions from two lawyers on its assignment policy.
During the discussion, board member Scott Limoges brought up a situation at Mamou High School where an engaged couple had to leave the school. Superintendent Darwan Lazard advised the fact the couple was engaged was not the only reason why the couple left the school.
An argument then broke out between Limoges and Skinner on whether they trust Superintendant Lazard. “He’s the superintendant we all voted for and also who we trust. I sure as heck trust him,” said Limoges.
Skinner interrupted and expressed, “The Bible says put not your trust in man but in God.”
The argument continued which prompted Dardeau to again bang the gavel and call for a recess.
After the recess, Limoges moved to send the policy back to board attorneys for revisions and for the policy to brought back up to the board for approval.
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TONY MARKS Editor