August 24, 2000
To The Editors et al
Dear Sir or Madam:
It is my opinion that the Ascension Parish School Board has little to no regards for our students’ health and safety.
I have for the past year or so brought to the attention Mr. Clouatre, Mr. Songy, and their staff serious health and safety issues that have virtually fallen on deaf ears.
In August 1999, I informed them of intense temperatures in the Dutchtown School gym that exceeded 96 degrees. This temperature coupled with an average humidity factor of 80%, not uncommon at this time of year, would create a heat index in that facility well over 136 degrees.
Countless emails, telephone calls, faxes, not to mention the intervention of the Ascension Parish Health Unit, the Louisiana State Board of Health, and the State of Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals from August 1999 until the present have failed to persuade the Ascension Parish School Board to stop using this dangerous facility as a student home room, gym, and assembly center.
In October 1999 I brought to the attention of Mr. Clouatre and his staff the very real possibility of physical harm to our students having to carry excessive weight in their book sacks. Again countless emails, telephone calls, faxes, not to mention the intervention of the Ascension Parish Health Unit, the Louisiana State Board of Health, the Louisiana Board of Education, recommendations from Jansport, a manufacturer of book sacks, and an article from Kids Magazine clearly showing that the amount of weight in student book sacks was in some cases was 2 to 3 times the recommendation failed to move Mr. Clouatre and his staff into action to reduce this excessive weight in student book sacks.
Lastly, an effort to get Mr. Clouatre, and his staff to aggressively pursue and convince the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development to issue a permit to the parish to decrease the speed limit on Highway 74 at the entrance to Dutchtown School Road from 55 miles per hour to 25 miles per hour, and install a set of flashing school zone lights failed miserably. It was only through the intervention of other Ascension Parish government and myself that this request will soon be accomplished.
To further emphasize just how serious this Highway 74 issue is, a D.O.T.D. representative told me that the permit to reduce the speed limit and install the flashing caution lights was issued although it went against policy, but they saw no other way to remedy the serious safety situation that exists on Highway 74. Not only did they issue the permit but added that turn lanes should and will be installed at a later date.
A recent email request to the Ascension Parish School Board asking for the names of all schools in ascension parish not having reduced speed limit signs and caution lights was answered by Mr. Songy with the terse statement, “All of our schools have the safety equipment required by law on the roads used to enter and exit school grounds.”
This mindset clearly shows the Ascension Parish School Boards lack of concern for our students’ health and safety. Meeting the requirements of the law does not in all cases meet the requirements needed to insure a safe and healthy environment for our students.
Hopefully you will find it necessary to publish this letter with the hope it will motivate Mr. Clouatre and his staff into action before a student, parent, or motorist is seriously injured or killed because of their lack of concern for these serious issues.
Sincerely,
Chuck Le Mieux
Cc/Fax to:
Mr. Anthony Falterman Ascension Parish District Attorney
Mr. Landry Gonzales Chief of Police
Ms. Elizabeth Stafford Dutchtown Primary Principle
Ms. Cathy Meredith Dutchtown Middle Principle
Mr. John (Juba) Diez Louisiana State Representative
Mr. Anderson Louisiana State Board of Health
Mr. Ron Nettles Louisiana State Board of Health
Mr. Morris Miller Ascension Parish Health Department
Mr. Harry Robert Insurance Agent for Ascension Parish
Ms. Jean Payne of Gallagher Bassett Insurance Services
Cc/email to:
Mr. Harold Marchand Ascension Parish President
Mr. George Valentine Ascension Parish School Board Member
The Ascension Parish Council c/o Randy Anderson
Mr. Bill Roux / Mr. Doyle Mitchell
Ascension Parish Public Works
Mr. Jeff Wiley Ascension Parish Sheriff c/o Mr. Tony Bacala
Ms. Jennifer Sheffield Channel 2 Education Reporter
Ms. Jennifer Sheffield Channel Two Road Patrol
Ms. Keisha Lacour Channel 2 Two On Your Side
Mr. J. Connelly Channel 2 News Room
Mr. John MacMillan The Advocate’s River Parish Office
Mr. David Young The Gonzales Weekly
Mr. David Young The Community Mirror
Mr. David Young Ascension Parish TV
The Ascension Citizen
Mr. Cecil Picard Louisiana Board of Education
Mr. Robert Clouatre Ascension Parish School Board Superintendent
Mr. Ronald Carter D.O.T.D.
