LAKE CHARLES – The school superintendent for Calcasieu Parish is facing calls for his resignation after he chose not to cancel classes April 10, when three tornados hit the area.
Shannon Lafargue defended his decision in a video statement, saying he kept schools open based on the information available to him and prioritized safety.
However, many community members are angry the superintendent did not cancel school, saying he put students, teachers and staff at risk. Bus drivers are particularly upset, as they were forced to drive through dangerous conditions, including flooded streets and winds of more than 25 mph. Bus routes were further impacted six days later when more than 30 drivers decided not to report to work in protest.
Emails the Illuminator obtained show Lafargue was aware the National Weather Service modified its risk forecast for severe storms April 10 to level 4 out of 5 as early as the morning of April 9. The worst of the weather struck between 4 a.m. and 10 a.m.
The National Weather Service confirmed three separate tornadoes touched down in the Lake Charles area on the morning of April 10. They included an EF-2 tornado with winds up to 115 mph near McNeese State University, and two EF-1 twisters in Cameron Parish.
At the April 16 Calcasieu Parish School Board meeting, District 11 representative Phylis Ayo asked for a formal investigation of how the school superintendent handled the April 10 weather event to determine where the breakdown in communication occurred.
“Something went down, and we don’t know what it is. A formal investigation needs to happen sooner rather than later,” Ayo said.
A unanimous board vote was needed to add an item to the meeting’s agenda for the proposed investigation. District 8 Representative Eric Tarver said he would not support the motion, drawing boos from the standing-room-only audience. Board members Billy Breaux, Glenda Gay and Dean Roberts also voted against the agenda change.
At a special board meeting April 30, Lafargue recommended school board members approve a delayed school start protocol for future weather events. Bus drivers also got the opportunity to air their grievances, with many saying Lafargue owed them an apology.
Bus driver Sharon Welcome said school district officials have previously failed to prioritize the safety of bus drivers, students and teachers during severe weather.
“It’s not the first time. It’s not the fourth or the fifth time that something like this has happened. Enough is enough,” Welcome said. “I’m not going to jeopardize myself for your negligence.”
“The buck stops with you, bus drivers,” Kathy Landry, district representative for the Louisiana School Bus Operators Association, told drivers in the audience. “As your rep, anytime you don’t feel it’s safe to drive that bus, you don’t have to, and the federal government will back us on that one.”
Corey Arvie said he had seven students on board when the severe weather struck April 10. The conditions left them stuck in the middle of the road, less than 2 miles away from the tornado that struck Ryan Street. Arvie said his bus was facing toward the wind, and he worried about tree limbs crashing through his windshield.
“Today marks 20 days that I’ve dealt with trauma, crying out of nowhere, trying to earn the trust of parents again to be their bus driver,” Arvie said. “It’s hard getting up every morning knowing that these parents are trusting us with their kids’ lives, and any wrong turn, any little mistake can cost a life. It’s hard for us to keep going right now.”
Arvie said bus drivers should be represented on the school board and among school district leadership.
“I really do feel like … there should be a bus driver, either on the crisis team, in an office, because no one knows what we go through on a day-to-day basis.”
Teri Johnson, a Southwest Louisiana Federation of Teachers and School Employees representative, asked Lafargue to apologize to those in the audience.
“I haven’t earned your trust. I’m going to do something about it tonight,” Lafargue responded. “It may be too late, but at least from this point forward, no matter what happens to me, our district is going to be better … You voiced your opinion. I said in that video, that didn’t resonate with you, that this will never happen again. You are the most valuable people … I take full responsibility, and everything that goes with that is an apology.”
The school board approved a delayed start policy that would go into effect when severe weather threatens, allowing school to begin as late as 10 a.m.
According to District 10 School Board member Tony O’Banion, the board has received evaluation forms that would decide Lafargue’s future with the system. He told the Illuminator the board will go into executive session during its May 14 meeting to discuss the evaluations and will decide whether Lafargue’s contract will be renewed by June 30.
