Christine Harvey / L’Observateur / October 18, 1999

LUTCHER – School children in St. James Parish may be required to wearuniforms next school year.

The St. James School Board on Tuesday unanimously approved theformation of a committee to look into adopting a mandatory school dress code for the 2000-2001 year at St. James Parish schools.Though school uniforms are not required by state law, Louisiana Revised Statute 17:416.7 authorizes individual school boards to adopt dress codesin their districts, said Superintendent P. Edward Cancienne.Cancienne brought the matter before the board and cited several reasons the policy should be implemented, which include the potential for fewer disciplinary problems, greater focus on academics, a lower cost for clothing and less pressure on children to wear “gang”-related clothing.

Cancienne will serve on the committee with Lona Becnel, Vacherie Elementary principal; Mary Carpenter, an educational diagnostician on the parish pupil appraisal team; Janie Vee Henderson, acting administrative director for school accountability, Terry Mullen, Lutcher High principal; John Brass, St. James Junior High principal; and, Michael Avant, PaulinaElementary principal.

Also serving on the committee are three school board members, PTO presidents, student council presidents and one teacher each from six parish schools.

In other business, Rodney Johnson, the owner of Ryan Industry Supply, Inc.,in Vacherie, asked board members why the school district abruptly stopped doing business with him.

Johnson said the man who usually bought supplies from him on behalf of the board was ordered by the board to cease doing business with him.

The man offered no explanation as to why the board decided to stop buying from Ryan’s, and no bid opportunities have come up either, Johnson said.

“After all, I am the only electrical supply company in St. James Parish,”he said.

Board President Ken Foret said he was unaware of the situation and would look into it.

In other action, the board voted to move its Oct. 26 meeting from VacherieElementary to the school board office in Lutcher.

Kathleen Becnel, who represents district seven on the west bank, requested the change of venue citing difficulty in transporting equipment and materials and a lack of proper meeting space in the event the board needs to enter into an executive session.

“It’s so nice, everything’s here,” she said.

Becnel also requested the board look into the possibility of moving future off-site meetings, scheduled to be held at Romeville Elementary in January, Fifth Ward Elementary in February and Sixth Ward Elementary in April, to the office in Lutcher.

She said she does not think people would mind traveling farther distances for the extra meetings in Lutcher.

If parents want to be seen and heard, they will make it to a meeting, wherever it is, Becnel said.

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