Puyau put on leave; School Board votes to conduct investigation

For the second straight year, the Vermilion Parish public school system is expected to start school without a superintendent.
On Thursday, the School Board voted 4-3 to put superintendent Jerome Puyau on administrative leave.
Voting to place him on leave were board president Laura LeBeouf, vice president Kibbie Pillette, Dr. David Dupuis, and Charlotte Detraz.
Voting not to put him on leave were Chris Gautreaux, Jason Roy and Dale Stelly.
Kristy Hebert was absent from the meeting.
In August of 2018, the school board also voted to place Puyau on administrative leave while an investigation took place against Puyau. That leave lasted two months.
Before the vote on Thursday, Puyau, in public comment, went to the podium and told the school board members, “What is about to transpire…is going to have a significant impact on the Vermilion Parish School System. The Board does not have the authority to suspend the superintendent. It only has the authority to hire or fire for cause,” Puyau said.
The school board went behind closed doors in executive session to discuss with their lawyer on the correct way to place the superintendent on leave.
Puyau attempted to go into executive session with the Board, but was stopped by the Abbeville Police officers assigned as security for the meeting.
“They went into executive session, the agenda did not state there was an executive session, and they did not allow me the right to have the executive session to be held in an open session,” Puyau said.
Here are the reasons the Board gave as to why it is putting Puyau on administrative leave.
• Failing to put items on Board agendas as requested by Board members, in violation of Board policy and District Court orders
• Failing to acknowledge and implement Board action on May 30, 2019, to eliminate the position of Risk Manager/Legal Counsel, effective that date
• Failing to acknowledge and implement Board action on May 30, 2019 to name Hammonds, Sills, Adkins & Guice as Board General Counsel and to direct that all legal matters concerning the school system be referred to that firm for handling, effective that date
• Hiring administrative personnel who do not meet the qualifications for the position outlined in Board-approved job description
• Authorizing the payment of private attorneys’ fees with Board funds without the knowledge or approval of the Board.
After the vote, Erath Principal Marc Turner asked the Board who is going to be their boss?
Puyau answered by saying he is still the superintendent.
When the meeting over, Puyau told the Board to hire a special firm to investigate the allegations but allow him to go to work. The Board did not take him up on his offer.
Despite being told not to show up for work Friday, Puyau did.
He walked around the central office with tape on his mouth and carried a note pad. The reason he did that is that the school board also told Puyau not to talk to any school employees while on leave.