Thad Welch, take heart. Since 2009 the Lafayette Parish School Board and system have hired 34 others who did not fully meet the education requirements of their job description.
Thad Welch, take heart. Since 2009 the Lafayette Parish School Board and system have hired 34 others who did not fully meet the education requirements of their job description.
With all the ballyhoo being raised in recent months by several school board members - namely Tehmi Chassion, Greg Awbrey, Rae Trahan and Mark Allen Babineaux - over Welch's lack of a high school diploma, The IND submitted a public records request last week for a list of all the employees hired by the board and system, who like Welch, did not meet the education requirements listed on their job description. Welch, it should be noted, is Superintendent Dr. Pat Cooper's special assistant for facilities, grounds and transportation. The two previously worked 17 years together in the McComb, Miss. school district.
Here's the e-mail we received Tuesday from Mona Bernard, the school system's director of risk management:
The following chart, compiled by our Human Resources Department, contains the names, positions, and dates of hire of LPSS employees hired by the school board who did not meet the education or certification requirements listed in the job description at the time of hire.
The list below includes teachers teaching with an OFAT (Out-of-Field Authorization to Teach) certificate. The Louisiana Department of Education grants OFATs to teachers hired who must be placed outside of their area of certification because of a shortage or critical need. The conditions under which an OFAT is issued include the requirement that the teacher earn the appropriate certification while teaching on the OFAT.
Feb. 2, 2009 - Instructional Supervisor II: Early Childhood Learning
July 1, 2009 - Early Interventionist Teacher
Aug. 20, 2009 - Painter II (no diploma)
Dec. 6, 2010 - Gifted Teacher
March 22, 2011 - Substitute Painter (no diploma)
Jan. 6, 2011 - ESL Teacher
Aug. 9, 2011 - English Teacher
Aug. 9, 2011 - Severe Profound Special Education Teacher
Aug. 9, 2011 - Gifted Teacher
Aug. 9, 2011 - ELA Teacher
Aug. 9, 2011 - English Teacher
Aug. 9. 2011 - Mild Moderate Special Education Teacher
Sept. 8, 2011 - (Former) Principal CMS (expired teaching certificate)
Oct. 3, 2011 - Hearing Impaired Teacher
Jan. 4, 2012 - Substitute Painter (no diploma)
March 30, 2012 - Special Assistant to the Superintendent (Welch) [Editor's Note: By both state law and board action, since July 2012 the superintendent is the sole authority for hiring and firing.]
Aug. 9, 2012 - 5th Grade Teacher
Aug. 9, 2012 - ESL Teacher
Aug. 9, 2012 - Social Studies Teacher
Aug. 9, 2012 - Math Teacher
Aug. 9, 2012 - Mild Moderate Special Education Teacher
Aug. 9, 2012 - Mild Moderate Special Education Teacher
Aug. 9, 2012 - French Teacher
Aug. 9, 2012 - Resource Coordinator
Aug. 9, 2012 - Mild Moderate Special Education Teacher
Aug. 9, 2012 - Significant Disabilities Special Education Teacher
Aug. 9, 2012 - Significant Disabilities Special Education Teacher
Aug. 9, 2012 - 4th Grade Teacher
Aug. 9, 2012 - Gifted Teacher
Oct. 3, 2012 - Significant Disabilities Special Education Teacher
Nov. 1, 2012 - Mild Moderate Special Education Teacher
Dec. 17, 2012 - ESL Teacher
Jan. 7, 2013 - Math Teacher
Feb. 11, 2013 - Substitute painter (no diploma)
The IND decided not to publish these employees' names in an effort to keep them from unnecessarily being put through the wringer like Welch.
Perhaps Chassion, Trahan, Awbrey and Babineaux forgot all the times before and after Thad Welch in which it was apparently OK to hire someone who did not meet all the requirements of their job description.
After board member Hunter Beasley mentioned in early February that Welch was not the only person hired by the board and superintendent (whom, since July, the board and state law have given sole authority for hiring and firing), we thought it might be worth tracking those employees down - and refreshing the memories of Beasley's fellow board members.