Just over 100 students will be leaving Lafayette High School and attending Acadiana High School next school year. This after the Lafayette Parish School Board made the decision at Wednesday nights board meeting. There was a lot of back and forth from the board before making the decision. The vote came down to 7 to 1, with one member abstaining. The vote will send some students living in the Azeala Park neighborhood back to a familiar campus.
School board member, Tehmi Chaisson, said this issue for the rezone needs to be addressed.
"The elephant in the room is that there is a conflicting group of kids that keep getting into it frequently," Chaisson said.
Because of that issue, the board voted to send a group of students back to what they call their "home"school.
"Its not good kids versus bad kids, its everybody has to understand that yes we live within Lafayette Parish, but within Lafayette Parish we have Mccomb and Veazy and Fightingville and Crop and Himbola and Four Corners," Chaisson said.
"This small group of kids whether or not they are aware of it or not are representing something that either they understand or don’t understand, and they just happened to be getting into it," Chaisson said.
The plan is supported not only by Acadiana High’s principal, but also by the school’s board member, Britt Latiolais.
"The request was made for these children to come back to Acadiana, to come home where they belong. To come home where they are wanted. We will gladly accept them back home.they never should have left," Latiolais said.
"I should have fought to keep these children at Acadiana. I didn’t, I apologize to these students and their parents. Lets make the vote, hopefully my kids are coming home," Latiolais said.
Justin Centanni, another board member, said he wants to honor what the principal of the school wants to do.
"Mr.Lejeune said that is an area that Acadiana High has had for the last 40 years, he would love to have the children back, he has room for them and lets try to do what’s best for the children," Centanni said.
Parents requested the school board members reconsider the move, and put the students back at Acadiana High.
