Not making sense

By: ELIZABETH WEST
Associate Editor

Evangeline Parish School Board Member Arthur Savoy simply wants a level playing field.
“I just feel that it needs to be fair,” said Savoy, about mileage reimbursement for area coaches. “We should either pay for all, including students that belong to organizations like FFA (Future Farmers of America), or pay for none.”
The EPSB member’s motion to stop the mileage reimbursement for coaches bringing student athletes home was voted down six to five at Tuesday’s School Board meeting.
Prior to serving on the school board, Savoy spent 10 years in the classroom teaching at what is now known as Evangeline Central before becoming an instructor at Coreil Community College. The years he spent in the classroom coupled with the time he has served as a school board member gives Savoy nearly 34 years of experience within the Evangeline Parish school system.
With his experience, Savoy feels that the money being dispersed out to these coaches could be better spent elsewhere. “The nearly $9,000.00 we are spending on this transportation could be used in classrooms in this parish,” said Savoy.
All of the cuts that education has seen in Louisiana within recent years concerns Savoy. “I worry about the future of the schools and teachers,” said Savoy. “I remember years ago when the economy was not good, we had to lay teachers off. We did that before but I will not do it again.” Savoy continued, “That was the worst decision we ever made as a board.” With a shortage of certified teachers in the state Savoy said, “We can’t afford to lose any teachers.”
Having witnessed teachers being laid off in the past due to lack of funds, Savoy wonders how the parish can afford to dish out $8,800.00 to employees (coaches). “Oil prices are down and the state is in debt 750 million dollars. We can expect more cuts and I just don’t want to see it affect our teachers.”
The $8,800.00 that Superintendent Toni Hamlin informed the board is being spent on reimbursements for coaches could rise. Savoy stated, “That is what we are spending right now but when the word gets out that there is an opportunity for student athletes to have a ride home after sporting activities that number could very well double.”
Savoy said, “I am not against athletics. I just feel like our focus needs to be more on what is going on in the classroom.”
School Board President Wayne Dardeau voted to approve Savoy’s motion to stop reimbursing coaches for bringing athletes home. At the meeting Dardeau said, “We cannot tell athletes that they are more important than other students who choose a different extra curricular activity to participate in.”
Board Member Hamlin who is in favor of reimbursements for coaches said, “These kids didn’t ask to be bused to Pine Prairie when they live one block from Ville Platte High.”
Evangeline Parish is not the only parish to experience consolidation of schools but according to Board Members Dardeau, Limoges, and Savoy, “This is the only parish that gives reimbursements to coaches for providing transportation home for athletes.”
At the meeting, Pine Prairie High’s boys basketball coach Chris Guillory who was opposed to Savoy’s motion said, “Now, if I lived all the way out in Clearwater I don’t know how I would feel about having to bring someone home in Ville Platte.”
With Savoy’s motion shot down coaches now have no choice but to bring an athlete home if the athlete does not have transportation. “If an athlete needs a ride home and it isn’t in the direction that the coach lives it doesn’t matter,” Savoy said. “The coach will have to provide the transportation anyway.”
Savoy represents Ward 1, District 10 and is currently serving his sixth four-year term.