Questionable Hire Has Past Ties to LPSS

Posted: Mar 6, 2013 6:36 PM by Dwayne Fatherree & Chris Welty
Updated: Mar 6, 2013 6:43 PM

KATC was the first to uncover, Thad Welch was on the payroll before officially being hired as the Superintendent's Special Assistant.

In a KATC investigation, we uncovered before Thad Welch got the job as Special Assistant to Superintendent Pat Cooper, without a high school diploma, he worked for the Lafayette Parish School Board as a consultant.

In January last year, Welch began working as a contract employee for LPSS at $320 per day plus $180 per diem for a total of $500 a day.

According to Cooper, he earned $14,500 between January and March last year. On February 15th, the administration created a new job position, special assistant to the superintendent: facilities, maintenance, grounds and transportation.

Then, on February 28, Welch submitted his resume for the position while he was still a consultant. He was interviewed about a week later and officially hired on March 8, 2012.

Welch was still being paid as a consultant during the interview process. If he would have continued working a full 244 days as a consultant, his compensation would have totaled roughly $122,000.

His salary in his current job is $76,000.

Cooper maintains hiring Welch saves the district money and has not violated any hiring policies.

Two weeks ago, the school board passed a motion making it mandatory for all consultants hired by the school system to have a high school diploma or "G-E-D."

At the board meeting tonight, Superintendent Cooper says Thad Welch is working on his GED.

Chris Welty
cwelty@katctv.com