Lafayette School Supt. Says Teachers Are Stressed And Things Can Be Done Better

Today on 'Mornings With Ken and Bernie' Lafayette Parish Public School Superintendent Dr. Pat Cooper stopped in to discuss discipline problems in the school system.

When asked how discipline problems in the classroom are handled at this time Dr. Cooper said,

They write that up, they report it to the principal.  The discipline matrix that we use today is the same matrix they've used since 2008.  Pat Cooper has not changed that.  There's a lot of rumor about that.  What we have said to people is that you be more conscientious about it.  We want to make sure we follow through.  If the discipline matrix says do something that's what you do.

When asked what has changed Cooper replied,

The difference this year is we have a 'catchment' system.  We don't want those kids to stay in the regular classroom but we don't want them to be out on the streets.  That's where a lot of the miscommunication has been.  At the first of the year we didn't have the NP Moss annex so we had some problems.

According to Dr. Cooper,

Principals now have options depending on the severity of infraction.  If you bring a gun or knife to school or hit a teacher you're out.  For less severe cases a principal has options.  You can give them a couple of chances but after the first time it might be in-school suspension, the second time it might be out-of-school suspension, third time you go to NP Moss and if NP Moss is full you go home.

You can hear the entire interview with Dr. Cooper by clicking here: