AG Landy Sues Vermillion Parish School Board
Back in January, the Vermillion Parish School Board held a meeting that involved the pay and benefits raise for School Superintendent Jerome Puyau. The proposed raise included at least $30,000 a year for Puyau, along with other benefits. Teachers and school employees from across the district were in attendance, in protest, due to the lack of raises offered to other district employees for an extended period of time.
The meeting gained national attention when teacher Deyshia Hargrave was ordered out of the meeting, and arrested by a Deputy City Marshal after questioning the board about a raise for the Superintendent.
Now, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry has sued the Vermillion Parish School Board, and is asking that the January 8th meeting be voided. The suit says the arrest of Hargrave violated the Open Meeting Law.
Loyola University Law Professor Dane Ciolino told the Louisiana Radio Network that since the action violated the Open Meeting Law, board members in attendance at that meeting, including retired chairman Anthony Fontana could face civil penalties.
Fontana was very outspoken, and demeaning, towards the district teachers, especially Hargrave. He even went public with his anger over her protest, which you can hear below: