Judge tosses lawsuit that challenged closing of Louisiana high school

From The Baton Rouge Advocate: A judge in Louisiana has ruled that the Iberville Parish School Board did not violate state laws in connection with a decision earlier this year to close North Iberville High School. Maringouin Mayor John Overton had challenged the closing in court, contending is a lawsuit that School Superintendent Ed Cancienne violated open meeting laws by lobbying board members for their votes. In April, Cancienne recommended closing the high school and transferring its 150 students to the larger Plaquemine High School where, he said, students would have more opportunities to achieve academically.

MAY 2009...from The Baton Rouge Advocate: Despite several tries, the Iberville Parish (La.) school superintendent appears to have not yet made a dent in community resistance to his planned closing of North Iberville High School. On Tuesday, Superintendent Ed Cancienne arranged for buses to pick up 60 North Iberville High sixth- and seventh- graders to take a tour of Plaquemine High School, where they would transfer. Only five showed up for the trip.

APRIL 2009...from The Baton Rouge Advocate: The Iberville Parish (La.) School Board has voted to close North Iberville High School when the school year ends on May 28. North Iberville High students will attend Plaquemine High School in the fall. North Iberville High has only 155 students in the seventh through 12th grades.