The attorney representing ousted St. Martin Parish School Superintendent Lottie Beebe says his client is planning to take legal action.
Attorney Lane Roy said, “This could be Mother Teresa running the school board in St. Martin Parish and they’re going to find something wrong there. They’re simply going to say Mother, go home, we don’t want you.”
Despite the board terminating her contract Wednesday night, Beebe is still working. She says she’s working on the advice from her attorney and will keep working until she is forced to leave.
Beebe says she is putting aside her emotions to continue moving the district forward.
Thursday morning, Beebe said, “People are scratching their heads. I received texts and people are in disbelief, as I am.”
She has served 34 years in the education profession. Beebe was a board member at the local and state levels and has worked in St. Martin Parish for 27-and-a-half years.
“I view these people as extended family,” said Beebe. “I love my students and I love my employees.”
She had been on a month-to-month contract since December when the board deadlocked to extend her contract.
“As superintendent, I’m CEO and I have to make decisions that are sometimes not palatable to employees, parents or education stake holders,” Beebe said. “I was hired though to make those difficult decisions and I have no regrets.”
Attorney Lane Roy says his client is planning to take legal action and could file suit as early as Monday.
“She has a contract and the law says what you have to do to terminate a superintendent is give 90 days notice that you’re not going to renew or if you think you have cause you have to give them ample notice and specifics,” said Roy.
Beebe plans to continue working until a judge or law enforcement forces her to leave.
“If they ask me to leave, I will certainly leave the premises, but I also recognize this is a public building,” said Beebe.
She says she loves the St. Martin District and wants to see it continue to move forward.
“Even if a new superintendent comes aboard. I want to leave those things that I implemented to that person so they can carry on and expand on,” Beebe said.
School Board member Aaron Flegeance says he’s afraid of a lawsuit against the St. Martin Parish School Board. He believes if a suit is filed, the board will lose. Flegeance compares the St. Martin Parish School Board to Lafayette’s when they decided to terminate Superintendent Pat Cooper.
He says the only difference is Lafayette listed reasons for terminating their superintendent.
“I’m afraid, we, members of the St. Martin Parish School Board are in serious trouble,” said Flegeance. “Proper procedure was not followed. I’m no lawyer, but you can’t fire anyone or refuse to renew the contract without cause or reason. There was no reason given.
