LAFAYETTE, La. — The latest hearing on the fate of Ovey Comeaux High School was put on hold Tuesday as a district judge reviews whether Lafayette Parish School System board members defied a court order while moving to rescind the vote that would close the school.
The hearing was suspended so the court could examine video footage of an April 15 school board meeting, which has now become central to the ongoing legal dispute.
The trial began April 29, with the school board’s attorney asserting that the district was simply correcting procedural issues related to its controversial March 12 vote to shutter Comeaux High. But Judge Valerie Gotch Garrett said she was “highly insulted” that the board proceeded with its actions just two days after she issued an injunction temporarily blocking any steps toward closure.
During Tuesday's testimony, District 3 school board member Joshua Edmond said he was aware the injunction was in place at the time of the April 15 meeting. However, he told the court he did not have the understanding that the order prevented the board from rescinding its earlier closure vote, stating that this was the guidance provided to him by legal counsel.
No settlement was reached Monday after hours of closed-door negotiations between the school board and plaintiffs challenging the closure. Board members have announced a tentative hearing for April 23 to further discuss the school’s future.
The judge has suspended the trial while she determines whether the school board should be held in contempt of court for allegedly violating her order. Tuesday’s hearing is set to resume at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday after the court reviews the meeting footage.
The fate of Comeaux High School — and the transparency of the board’s process — remains in limbo as legal proceedings continue.
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