In a vote of 10 to 3, the Evangeline Parish School board shot down a motion to move some Ville Platte students who attend Pine Prarie High and Bayou Chicot to Ville Platte High and Elementary.
“I just am against it.” said board member Nancy Hamlin as the audience cheered.
“They have relationships there they want to graduate from that school (Pine Prarie) and to bring them back to another school ( Ville Platte ) is not right. You just don’t do that to kids. A happy child is a productive child.” said Villle Platte Mayor Jennifer Vidrine.
The decison came after an hour long discussion period
“I’m a parent and a part of a community that is not in favor of what you are proposing to do.” said one speaker at Wednesday’s meeting.
Some thought the board’s proposal could rob black students of the opportunity to attend Pine Prarie High and felt there was underlying racisim. The move would have affected about 69 students living in a sub zone which was established in 2004, the last time school zones were restructered.
“You’re wanting to take kids out of a school they want to progress at, a school that has other courses that they don’t have here.” said another man.
According to a recent Evangeline Parish School Board capacity study, Pine Prarie High and Bayou Chicot Elementary are overpopulated but still fall within state standards by a difference of 5 to 8 students more per teacher. Based off of those numbers, Bayou Chicot exceeds enrollment by about 5 students and Pine Prarie by 78.
“We have 148 freshman (at Pine Prarie) every classroom is used, we have two teachers who do not have classrooms and have to roam around and use the classrooms of other teachers during their planning periods.”