Protest at Sacred Heart High seeks to replace principal

Following a large protest at Sacred Heart School Monday, a delegation of two people concerned with developments at the school went to the Bishop Michael Jarrell’s office Catholic Diocese of Lafayette on Wednesday, May 6.
The two who met with the bishop were David Vidrine, a Ville Platte physical therapist, and Charles Buller, a retired real estate agent.
The spokesman for the protesters, Jeffery Sylvester, said the goal of the protestors was to have the principal, Diane Fontenot, replaced. He said Monday the group intends to hold more protests. One of the protesters said “We should have done this long ago.”
Vehicles being driven past the school on Main Street Monday frequently honked their horns in support of the protesters. Those included vehicles being driven from the school grounds, apparently after dropping off their children.
The people who were protesting were alumni and parents, like Sylvester, and grandparents. One grandparent said parents were reluctant to take part in the protest because they had signed statements required by the school that indicated their children could be removed from the school if the parents participated in activity such as the protest.
Sylvester said the protesters wanted to let the bishop of the Diocese of Lafayette, Michael Jarrell, know that they are not satisfied with what is happening at the school.
That includes 83 teachers resigning in the past five years, a drop in hundreds of students since Fontenot became principal several years ago, and the firing of the athletic director, Robert Soileau.
Sylvesterf said the principal fired Soileau just before the state playoff game and that football players say they will not play if Soileau is not returned to his former position.
Sacred Heart school officials declined to comment and referred callers to Father Richard Green at the diocese office in Lafayette.
The diocese issued a statement calling for all people involved to be courteous, and that the issue involving “Soileau’s termination cannot and will not be shared to the public.”
Sylvester said he was disappointed in the statement released by the diocese because it showed a lack of understanding about the issues involved.
Sylvester said parents used to have a say in the school’s operations through an advisory committee, but that has been disbanded. He also said donations from parents and alumni have diminished.