VERMILION PARISH, La. (KLFY)- Four members were absent from tonight’s regular meeting. Those same four school board absent from a committee meeting Tuesday night, which also forced a cancellation. 

The members were absent tonight out of protest because they believe Vermilion Parish School Superintendent Jerome Puyau should not be permitted to return to work.

Those members are Sarah Duplechain, Kibbie Pillette, Laura LeBeouf, and David Dupius.

“Honestly, it was a disgrace to Vermilion Parish. A total insult to the hard work our teachers do, day in and day out to educate our students,” says Puyau. “They must’ve had a pre-determined decision to not be here tonight. An attorney sent a letter that was placed in The Abbeville Meridional that said they would not show up because they had things to do.”

“On their behalf, I reached out to the school board president yesterday morning by email and advised them that they had a commitment that they all had to meet this evening” explains Brian Blackwell. He is the attorney for the 4 absent board members.

The board members attorney says they are not in favor of Superintendent Puyau returning to school board property, as he did last week.

Puyau was placed on leave more than 3 months ago, and it hasn’t been changed by any board action.

The superintendent’s attorney, Lane Roy, says his client has followed all protocol.

“It was for a specific maximum period of time, it can’t be for longer than that. he served that period of time and therefore whatever penalty there was, good or bad, bad or wrong. is over.

The next board meeting will probably be a special meeting, within the next couple of weeks because they have to do have one in November.
and then they will have another meeting, to discuss Puyau’s evaluation. 

There’s also a big runoff election on December 8th for school board district D, between the current school board president Stacy Landry, and his opponent Dale Stelly.

That  could shift the balance of the entire board once again.