Board approves center plan

Published 12:00 am Saturday, April 1, 2000

DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / April 1, 2000

LUTCHER – Lutcher Junior High will stay open, said St. James Parish SchoolSuperintendent Edward Cancienne.

But Lutcher Elementary School will be closed, and the facility will be used for a community education center.

This announcement came Tuesday at the parish School Board meeting just before the board voted to approve Cancienne’s education center plan.

Cancienne said the changes were made after community concerns over the previous decision to close Lutcher Junior High and distribute its students among the parish’s east bank elementary schools and Lutcher High School.

Also, the name Cypress Grove was dropped from the project after the superintendent said some individuals were offended by the name since Cypress Grove was the name of a black school during segregation.

When Cancienne announced his plans for the education center, it was evident many in the community wanted to see the Lutcher Junior High building retain its function of a traditional school. Thus Cancienne proposed that LutcherElementary students be moved to the junior high building, with the resource and community center to take up residency at the elementary school.

The board unanimously voted to accept the changes.

The board then voted 5-2 to approve the program, with members Charles Nailor and Willis Octave objecting.

Before that vote Nailor asked the board to table the vote until members had a chance to review a program designed for the west bank that would mesh with the east bank program and cost $130,000. Nailor proposed the two beinitiated at the same time.

His motion did not pass, and board member Carol Lambert later reassured him the board would like to review the proposition but felt the east bank project should be passed first.

The project passed without much difficulty after weeks of criticism at community and school meetings. At this meeting supportive citizens offeredtheir enthusiasm.

R.J. St. Pierre, Nolan Albert and Gramercy Alderman Betty Colemanseparately approached the board and thanked them for pursuing the project and asked them to vote in favor.

“Here is a chance for the underprivileged. Children are no longer competingagainst the boys and girls down the street. They are competing across theglobe,” said Albert. “This is not about a building; it’s about our children.”Coleman said Cancienne’s project “meets the common and individual needs of all children.””I’m proud that Dr. Cancienne has expressed such interest in our schools,”said Coleman, who asked the board to vote in favor and give the project a chance. “Nothing beats the failure like a good trial.” Coleman said schools today are fundamentally different than before and must provide a broader base of skills.

“Yes, Yes, Yes I stand for this project because of the goals it sets,” she added.

With multiple people snickering and muttering objections as Coleman spoke, she turned to address them in conclusion. She explained that the education,morals and basic values of politeness the children would be taught at the new facility were certainly needed by those audience members, as well.

Before the board passed the project, member Lloyd LeBlanc commented that every call he got concerning the proposition was positive.

“Every meeting I attended last week there were the same negative people, but always different positive people,” said LeBlanc.

At that point one man was escorted from the room by sheriff’s deputies after disturbing the proceedings. LeBlanc continued, saying he was certainthat though there have been some opposing the project, the majority is in support.

Cancienne also defended his five-year plan during the meeting, presented to the board for informational purposes.

“This is a five-year Cancienne plan; it won’t happen overnight,” he said.

He said he is prepared to take the plan to the community.

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