Harlan Kirgan
A decision on closing two Opelousas elementary schools and reconfiguring grade levels at the remaining schools was paused as some School Board members backed off from action at a March 13 meeting.
But they also approved more discussion and a meeting Wednesday on the plan.
Board members, meeting in the special session on March 13, were presented with three configurations. All proposed closing North and Southwest Elementary schools in Opelousas.
Board members opened the meeting by wrangling over whether people wanting to comment should have the policy-mandated five minutes or an amended time of three minutes.
The Board policy states five minutes and “our constituents deserve that time,” Board member Anthony Standberry said.
“I’ve got 22 extra minutes. I think we should let them say whatever they want,” Board member Randy Wagley said about the 11 people signing cards to make statements.
The Board settled on keeping its five-minute policy.
Next, some Board members discussed what constituted changing the agenda as it seemingly stalled getting to the point of closing and consolidation of schools.
Opelousas Board member Hazel Sias complained Board members were not given an opportunity to have input on what schools are to close.
The March 13 meeting followed three public forums held in Opelousas on the school changes.
Milton Ambres, an Opelousas Board member, said he knew nothing about North Elementary being one of the schools to be closed until he heard it on the news.
“As a Board member, I feel like I should have been contacted. I should have had some kind of input on which school and what school would close not that I would have changed things ...”
Sias said she heard about the plan to close Southwest Elementary from the principal.
Newly-elected Board member Myron Guillory broke through the developing impasse.
“I’m not comfortable tonight at all with voting on anything. I think we are not there yet. We’ve still got things to discuss and it is too important decision,” Guillory said in calling for the Board to table the issue until a meeting, which is scheduled this Wednesday.
Voting to table were Ambres, Mary Ellen Donatto, Standberry, Raymond Cassimere, Wagley, Kyle Boss, Denise Ross, Sias and Guillory. Voting against tabling were Donnie Perron, Albert Hayes Jr. and Josh Boudreaux. Joyce Haynes abstained from voting.
Another issue raised in delaying action is that the Board’s legal counsel was not present.
Donatto, Board president, said it was unfortunate the attorney was not present.
The school system projects ending its fiscal year with a $2 million deficit. Reducing the number of schools it operates is seen as one way to ease the budget pressure in the years to come.
But the school system also faces an academic crisis with it Opelousas schools.
The elementary schools in Opelousas are rated F and D in the latest state rankings. Opelousas High school had a D for the third year.
Enrollment in St. Landry Parish public schools has declined 11 percent since 2008. In October, the school district’s student count was 13,481, down from 15,185 in October 2008 — a loss of 1,704 students.
The higher the enrollment, the more state funds are received.
Hayes, a Eunice Board member, said, “Postponement in itself is a plan.”
“Stretch it out far enough so we are not going to address the real problem, which is the state of education in Opelousas,” Hayes said.
Ambres agreed that change is needed in Opelousas. “Something needs to be done and needs to be done quickly in Opelousas,” he said.
“We can’t keep going down that same old rut,” Ambres said.
“If we don’t turn out of that rut we are going to lose a generation right here in Opelousas,” he said.
Elsie Semien, principal at South School Elementary in Opelousas, urged action as soon as possible so the information can be digested.
Wagley said a survey of Opelousas parents was supposed to be conducted, but had not been presented.
Superintendent Patrick Jenkins said the survey was compromised when people copied the link to the survey onto to social media.
Hayes helped end the meeting by successfully getting the Board to agree to form a panel of Opelousas Board members and prinicipals to discuss the school plan.
“I certainly would go with the majority of Opelousas Board members on their recommendations for the schools ...” Hayes said.
The Board agreed unanimously with Hayes’ recommendation.