PROCEEDINGS OF THE SCHOOL BOARD OF THE PARISH OF CONCORDIA, STATE OF LOUISIANA TAKEN AT A TENURE HEARING HELD ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 28, 1992.

The School Board of the Parish of Concordia, State of Louisiana, convened for a tenure hearing for Mrs. Henrietta C. Williams at the Concordia Parish School Board Office in Vidalia, Louisiana on Tuesday, January 28, 1992, at 5:30 o'clock p.m.

Members present were Honorable J.W. Calhoun, President;  Rev. Johnnie Brown; Mrs. Marie Cowan; Mr. Manson Nelson; Mrs. Polly Miley; Mr. Charles Partridge; Mr. Walter Stampley; and Mrs. Georgia Washington.

Mr. Jerry King was absent.

Honorable J.W. Calhoun called the meeting to order.  Prayer was led by Mrs. Cowan, and the pledge was said.  Mr. Calhoun then turned the meeting over to Mr. Norman Magee, Concordia Parish School Board Attorney.  After a brief explanation, Mr. Magee turned the meeting over to Mr. Ronnie McMillin, the official Hearing Officer, who called the hearing in session.

Mr. Norman Magee was attorney of record for the Concordia Parish School Board (Plaintiff):

Following is a list of witnesses for the plaintiff: (All testimony on tape)

1.  Mr. Fred Marsalis, Vidalia Junior High Principal

2.  Christie Lipscomb, Vidalia Junior High Student

3.  Mr. Eugene Chelette, Retired Concordia Parish Superintendent

4.  Mrs. Cindy Lipscomb, Parent

5.  Heather Hendricks, Vidalia Junior High Student

6.  Ms. Julia Hendricks, Parent

7.  Lynn Marsh, Vidalia Junior High Student

8.  Josh Hoffpauir, Vidalia Junior High Student

9.  Tommy Lanius, Vidalia Junior High Faculty Member

10. Ross Dyer, Vidalia Junior High Assistant Principal

11. Wilton Nolan, Concordia Parish School Psychologist

Mr. Brian Cespiva was the attorney of record for Mrs. Henrietta C. Williams ( Defendant):

Following is a list of witnesses for the defendant: (All testimony on tape) 

1.  John L Eubanks, Ph.D,  Rapides Parish Certified School  Psychologist

2.  Willard Johnson, President of Concordia NAACP

3.  Rev. L.A. Martin, Pastor

4.  Dr. Allan Williams, Dean of Speech and Theater at Grambling

    State University

5.  Mrs. Henrietta C. Williams - Defendant

At 7:37 o'clock p.m., Mr. Magee requested that the board go into executive session.  It was moved by Mr. Partridge, seconded by Mr. Nelson and carried to go into executive session.  The executive session ended at 8:21 o'clock p.m.  Mr. McMillin continued the hearing.

Witnesses were called and proceedings were recorded.

Following the testimony of witnesses, Mr. Cespiva suggested that Mr. Partridge might have a conflict of interest since he was present during the reading of the material at Vidalia Junior High School.  Mr. Partridge asked to be excused from all deliberations and voting.  This request was noted and accepted by the hearing officer.

It was moved by Mrs. Cowan, seconded by Rev. Brown and carried to go into executive session.

The session began at 2:56 o'clock a.m. and ended at 3:56 o'clock a.m. 

A roll call vote was called to determine if the defendant was guilty of committing the offenses listed below.  Offenses and results were as follows:

I. Inappropriateness of the Narrative:

YEAS                          NAYS

Mr.  Calhoun                  Rev. Brown  

Mrs. Cowan                  

Mrs. Miley

Mr.  Nelson

Mr.  Stampley

Mrs. Washington

II. Profanity in the Classroom

YEAS                          NAYS

Mr.  Calhoun                  Rev.  Brown

Mrs. Cowan                   Mrs.  Washington

Mrs. Miley

Mr.  Nelson

Mr.  Stampley  

A second roll call vote was called to determine if these offenses constituted willful neglect of duty and/or incompetence.

The results were as follows:

Offense #1 - Inappropriateness of Material

Willful Neglect of Duty (YEA)             Incompetence (YEA)

Mr.  Calhoun                                      Mr.  Calhoun

Mrs. Cowan                                       Mrs. Cowan

Mrs. Miley                                          Mrs. Miley

Mr.  Nelson                                        Mr.  Nelson

Mr.  Stampley                                     Mr.  Stampley

                                                           Mrs. Washington

Willful Neglect of Duty (NAY)             Incompetence (NAY)

Mrs. Washington                                 Rev. Brown

Rev. Brown

Offense #2 - Profanity in the Classroom

Willful Neglect of Duty (YEA)             Incompetence (YEA)

Mr.  Calhoun                                      Mr.  Calhoun

Mrs. Cowan                                       Mrs. Cowan

Mrs. Miley                                          Mrs. Miley

Mr.  Nelson                                         Mr.  Nelson

Mr.  Stampley                                      Mr.  Stampley

A roll call vote was taken to determine if termination should be the penalty for having been found guilty of the offenses.  Results were as follows:

Willful Neglect of Duty (YEA)        Willful Neglect of Duty (NAY)

Mr.  Calhoun                                 Rev. Brown

Mrs. Cowan                                  Mrs. Washington

Mrs. Miley                 

Willful Neglect of Duty (YEA)        Continued

Mr. Nelson

Mr. Stampley 

Incompetence (YEA)                   Incompetence (NAY)

Mr.  Calhoun                              Rev. Brown

Mrs. Cowan                               Mrs. Washington

Mrs. Miley

Mr.  Nelson

Mr.  Stampley

It was moved by Mr. Stampley, seconded by Mrs. Cowan and carried that Mrs. Henrietta C. Williams' employment with the Concordia Parish School Board be terminated, effective August 20, 1991.

It was moved by Mr. Stampley, seconded by Mrs. Cowan and carried that the meeting adjourn.

The hearing adjourned at 4:18 o'clock a.m.     

 ___________________        ______________________

James E. Lee, Secretary                  J.W. Calhoun, President

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