dr. pat cooper

Sources tell KPEL News the state's 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled in favor of former Lafayette Parish School System Superintendent Pat Cooper, who was fired in 2014 by the Lafayette Parish School Board in a 7-2 vote.

A judge has denied former Lafayette Parish schools superintendent's request for a new trial to reconsider his November 2014 termination.

District Judge decides Cooper's termination was valid on one of four charges brought against him by the Lafayette Parish School Board.

Cooper's wrongful termination lawsuit against the Lafayette Parish School Board is slated to go to trial on Sept. 21.

A jump of 1.2 million dollars between the bid and the actual cost of doing the work to renovate L.J. Alleman Middle School has put the brakes on funding until the Lafayette Parish School Board has more time for study.

Cooper distributed a letter Wednesday waiving his right to privacy in the matter.

This year’s final meeting of the Lafayette Parish School Board focused largely on the political conflict plaguing it. Accusations ranged from defacing a public document to conspiracy theory.

Board attorney Roger Hamilton advised the board to restart the entire process.

Wednesday night's meeting was a pendulum swing: the vote to hire a special attorney to investigate allegations against Cooper overshadowed his positive evaluation.

Board members had stripped funding for Thad Welch, Cooper's special assistant, following a dispute over whether his lack of a high school diploma disqualified him for the job.

In a tense executive session that featured a heated back-and-forth between district 6 board member Greg Awbrey and district 7 board member Mark Cockerham, Awbrey accused Cooper of violating school board policy and state law when he hired Welch.