Evangeline expands school super's termination authority

The Evangeline Parish School Board agreed to allow the superintendent, Toni Hamlin, the authority to fire both certificated and support personnel during its meeting Wednesday, February 5.
School board President Wayne Dardeau said that Act I, approved by the state but under litigation from school boards, granted the superintendent the authority to hire and release certificated personnel, but only granted authority for the hiring of support personnel (custodians, etc.) and did not state specifically that the superintendent could also terminate employees in support positions. The board agreed that while this litigation surrounds Act I, it would temporarily grant the superintendent the explicit authority to terminate these positions as well.
Board members agreed this would help to keep these responsibilities centralized with the superintendent until a ruling is made by the courts on Act I and its legality.
Hamlin said the move was recommended by the board’s attorney, Robert Hammond, and added that many school boards throughout the state are granting their superintendents this authority in keeping with the spirit of the law.
This measure will remain in place until a court ruling is made on Act I.