Lafayette Parish School Board talks fail in Comeaux lawsuit

Aaron Gonsoulin, Lafayette Daily AdvertiserTue, May 5, 2026 at 3:14 PM UTC

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The Lafayette Parish School Board convened a special meeting Monday night to address ongoing litigation tied to its recent decision to close Ovey Comeaux High School, but settlement efforts between the district and plaintiffs have failed, officials confirmed.

The meeting, held May 4, followed weeks of legal exchanges after a lawsuit was filed challenging the board’s vote last month to shut down the school. Plaintiff Suzanne LaJaunie is seeking to block the closure, arguing against the board’s decision affecting students and the community.

Board members spent more than two hours in executive session with legal counsel discussing possible terms to resolve the dispute. Upon returning to open session, board attorney Bob Hammonds provided an update on negotiations.

“The plaintiffs had presented certain terms and conditions of a possible settlement,” Hammonds said Monday night.

According to Hammonds, the school board responded with proposed revisions to those terms. However, the plaintiffs rejected the changes.

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“Those changes were not considered to be acceptable to the plaintiffs, as we were notified by counsel,” Hammonds said. “So as a result, the settlement negotiations have proved to be unfruitful.”

With talks breaking down, the case remains unresolved. Both sides are preparing to proceed with the next phase of court action today.

The outcome of the lawsuit could have significant implications for the future of Ovey Comeaux High School and broader school system decisions across Lafayette Parish.

Aaron Gonsoulin is the General Assignment/Trending Reporter for The Daily Advertiser. Contact him at AGonsoulin@theadvertiser.com.

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