School board holds executive session on long-running lawsuit; reconvenes with no action

The St. John the Baptist Parish School Board convened in executive session at 7:08 p.m. on March 13 to discuss strategy in the pending litigation Kathy Duhon et al. v. St. John the Baptist Parish School Board, Doc. No. 90-1669 (Eastern District of Louisiana), citing La. R.S. 42:17(A)(2).

Atty. John Blanchard requested the executive session. A motion to enter executive session, made by Mitchell-Williams and seconded by Vicknair, passed on a roll-call vote of 11 yeas (Holden, Burl, Triche, Morris, DeFrancesch, Frizzell, Mamou, Wallace, Mitchell-Williams, Vicknair, Schum). The Board reconvened in regular session at 7:56 p.m.

Following the executive session, the Board considered Item 6b, which asked for consideration or action as a result of the executive session regarding the same litigation. No action was taken on that item, and the meeting proceeded to other business.

The board did not record any motions or public-facing directives resulting from the executive session during the open meeting. The statutory basis cited for the meeting in executive session, La. R.S. 42:17(A)(2), authorizes closed deliberation to discuss litigation strategy.