Counsel Says No Cause To Investigate Lafayette Superintendent

LAFAYETTE, La. (AP) — The assistant district attorney representing the Lafayette Parish School Board has advised the Attorney General's Office that the board has no cause to hire special counsel to investigate Superintendent Pat Cooper.

The school board had approved in July a resolution seeking special counsel to investigate Cooper over the March 2012 hiring of Thad Welch as a special assistant to the superintendent for facilities, maintenance, grounds and transportation.

Some board members claimed Cooper violated board policy and should be reprimanded because he recommended Welch for the job knowing that Welch did not have the high school education required for the job.

Cooper said he'll ask the board to rescind its resolution requesting special counsel and rescind its decision to reprimand him.