DANIEL TYLER GOODEN / L’Observateur / September 30, 2000

SOUTH VACHERIE – Walter Landry’s racial discrimination case against the St. James School Board has been thrown out of court by federal Judge Morey Sears due to lack of evidence. Member Lloyd LeBlanc Jr. informed the schoolboard of the dismissed case during its Sept. 26 meeting.Landry had sued the board after his one-year contract as interim superintendent of schools was not renewed and current Superintendent Edward Cancienne was hired. Landry had served in the temporary positionafter former superintendent John Boughton retired.

The suit was filed in May 1999 after Cancienne, who is white, was given a four-year contract with the school system.

Sears found that although Landry had been the first African-American superintendent in St. James Parish, not rehiring him wasn’t evidencesubstantial enough to be considered discriminatory.

Sears also agreed that the St. James School Board had properly weighedboth Landry’s and Cancienne’s qualifications before deciding to hire the latter.

LeBlanc also explained that a motion to recover attorneys fees for the case from Landry was being filed. “The case cost about $60,000 in fees,” saidLeBlanc. The insurance company, Hanover, is paying for the petition and allcourt costs in the attempt to receive the $60,000, added LeBlanc. No actionwas required by the board; the petition was a standard filing under law USC.42:1988.Landry continues to work for the school system, returning in July as supervisor of child welfare after a one-year sabbatical.

Also during the meeting the board voted to accept Morgan, Keaton and Co.’sbid for the purchase of $6 million general obligation bonds. Their 5 percentinterest bid was the best offered and better than expected by the board.

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