LAFAYETTE, La. — In the latest development in the fight to keep Ovey Comeaux High School open, a state district judge has granted a preliminary injunction temporarily blocking the Lafayette Parish School System from moving forward with the planned closure.
The ruling, issued Monday afternoon, bars the district from progressing with its decision to close Comeaux High at the end of the 2025-26 academic year while the court weighs a legal challenge brought by a parent’s petition.
During Thursday’s hearing, plaintiff Suzanne Lajaunie argued that closing the school could cause lasting harm to students, including her child who relies on special education services. Lajaunie contended that Comeaux High has a proven record of positive results but that her child, if rezoned, could be sent to a campus described as being in “urgent need of intervention.”
The hearing also centered on how the school board conducted the March meeting that resulted in the controversial 5-2 vote to close the school. Lajaunie alleged that the public was limited to just two minutes for comment and barred from posing direct questions during the proceeding. While the district’s policy allows for public questioning during a hearing, the judge noted that such hearings must be properly noticed in advance — a step not taken in this case.
Cassandra Vincent LaGrange, a third-generation Comeaux student who attended the hearing, expressed hope that the injunction will lead to a permanent solution. “I'm hoping that Comeaux High School gets its due respect as a secondary institution of learning to uplift the student population instead of bring them down by closing it,” she said.
The judge’s decision keeps Comeaux High’s closure on hold for now, with a trial date set for April 29. The legal process will determine the long-term future of the Lafayette school and the hundreds of students and families affected by the board’s decision.
This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
