The Lafayette Parish School Board's request to hire special legal counsel is still void of any cost control measures or reasons to substantiate an investigation of Superintendent Dr. Pat Cooper, but nonetheless, it was finally submitted to the state attorney general's office for approval on Wednesday.
The Lafayette Parish School Board's request to hire special legal counsel is still void of any cost control measures or reasons to substantiate an investigation of Superintendent Dr. Pat Cooper, but nonetheless, it was finally submitted to the state attorney general's office for approval on Wednesday.
Rae Trahan
According to an email from Laura Gerdes Colligan of the AG's Public Information Division, the request from the school board was received on Wednesday and "is currently being processed."
When the school board originally approved hiring the Gretna-based law firm of Grant & Barrow, the resolution made no mention of why the investigation was needed or how much it would cost. According to Louisiana RS 42:263, for a public body to hire an outside legal counsel, it must state "fully the reasons for the action and the compensation to be paid." The resolution must then be submitted to the AG's office for final approval.
The resolution, which has been called nothing less than a "witch hunt," remains the same as it did when it was first introduced by board member Rae Trahan in July. Despite the resolution's holes, not to mention protests from the Youngsville City Council (which represents the same constituency as Trahan), Lafayette's representative on the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education Holly Boffy and the Greater Lafayette Chamber of Commerce, all calling for the fight against the superintendent to stop, the board has done everything but listen, and now awaits the AG's response.