School Board member again focuses on hiring procedure

A St. Landry Parish School Board member who said she was going to ask for an investigation into the school system’s hiring practices last month raised a new complaint Thursday about a plan to hire a receptionist.
Hazel Sias, of Opelousas, said there are janitors who have worked part-time without benefits for years.
“I have no problem with hiring a receptionist,” she said. But Sias said the receptionist at the central office in Opelousas should be hired without benefits pending the payment of benefits to janitors and bus drivers.
Supt. Edward Brown, who said he appreciated Sias’ concern, noted eight janitors were hired full-time this year. The remaining janitors will be addressed in the next budget, he said.
Hiring a full-time receptionist is needed to cover breaks, lunch and absences, he said.
“We really need to get her hired,” he said.
The dispute came up as the School Board approved its committee minutes, which include a personnel committee.
The board’s attorney, Courtney Joiner, said the board’s authority over hiring extends only to setting the number of employees. The board also hires the superintendent, who has the authority over hiring.
In February, Sias said she was going to ask for an investigation into the school system’s hiring practices. Sias said all recent central office administrators recently hired are white.
“I’ve been on this board ... a little over a year and since I’ve been on the board every person that has been hired for a top position has been white,” Sias said at the February board meeting.
Randy Wagley, an Opelousas board member, said he is concerned about the janitors who have worked for years without benefits as part-time employees.
Wagley said there is little the board can do about the hiring of a recpetionist.
“We can discuss it until we are blue in the face,” he said. “If Mr. Brown wants to hire somebody he can hire somebody and there is nothing we can do about it.”
The meeting included naming the top students in the parish school system. They are Alli Ledoux, fifth grade, Krotz Springs Elmentary; Camille Hollier, eighth grade, Leonville Elementary; and April Pruitt, 12th grade, Opelousas Senior High.
Eunice students named as students of the year are Reagan Hill, fifth grade, Central Middle School; Caroline Andrus, eighth grade, Eunice Junior High; and Jailyn Papillion, 12th grade, Eunice High.
The School Board voted to advertise for bids for hunting leases on its 16th Section property.