UPDATE (Wednesday, August 30)
40 of the total of 65 Washington Parish school buses ran this morning. That's 61% of parish school buses picked up students today.
82% of the parish's students were in attendance today.
For the students who did not have bus transportation today, many were brought to school by parents or other family members. Some students walked if their school was close enough. And in some cases, carpooling was arranged by friends, relatives, or neighbors.
(Original article, Tuesday, August 29)
Washington Parish Schools were closed Tuesday (Aug. 29) because of a job action by some school system employees.
Bus drivers, cafeteria workers, aides, teachers, custodians, and some other school employees, upset with their pay and certain other issues, held a meeting which started at the Washington Parish Fairgrounds Monday evening. The meeting participants decided not to go to work Tuesday.
Parish School Superintendent Frances Varnado was notified at 7:30 p.m.Monday that the job action would occur on Tuesday.
At 8:51 pm Monday, a notice was placed on social media canceling schools for Tuesday.
The abrupt job action with little advance notice caused confusion and concern among some parents of WPSS students. Some parents who were unaware of the situation showed up at schools Tuesday morning with their children, only to find the schools closed. Other parents, who had no backup for day care, were left scrambling.
One parent told The Era-Leader, "I totally sympathize with the employees because of their salary situation, but some advance notice would have been appreciated."
The Washington Parish School Board has scheduled a special meeting for Thursday evening at 6 pm at Franklinton Primary School to address the situation of employee compensation.
School employees participating in the job action protested Tuesday in front of the the school system office on Main Street in Franklinton. The protest, while enthusiastic, was peaceful as the employees gathered across Main Street from the school system offices, with some of the protesters carrying signs.
The school system employees who are participating in the job action feel like they have been denied pay increases while others in the school system have received them. One of the employees participating in the job action said promises have been made with no results, so the job action was necessary "to get their attention."
UPDATE (Tuesday, August 29)
The Washington Parish School System advised parents Tuesday that schools will re-open Wednesday.
Schools will be open for Grades K-12. There will be no pre-K.
The school system said in its advisory that "some buses will not run due to the staff walkout."
Parents are advised to contact their child's bus driver to find out if they are driving Wednesday.
If a particular bus driver is continuing the walkout Wednesday, parents are asked to bring their child to school via private transportation.
The school system also stated that although cafeteria workers are expected to continue the walkout on Wednesday, breakfast and lunch will be available for all students. One school administrator said that because some students rely on meals received at school, it is important for the school system to serve breakfast and lunch without interruption.
The school system said it is committed to making sure students are back in school on Wednesday.
Employees who met at the Fairgrounds Monday evening were asked by police to leave, as it is private property and the group did not have permission from the Fair Association to meet there. The employees then moved across Bene Street to the former Rutter-Rex property, but that is also private property and they were again asked to leave.
Superintendent Varnado was notified following the meeting Monday evening of the impending walkout, and the decision was then made to cancel classes for Tuesday, and the decision was also made to hold the special School Board meeting Thursday evening to address the situation.
