Moreau edges Small for Avoyelles School Board presidency

In the Avoyelles Parish School Board’s first vote of the new year, the prospect of a “5-4” board emerged when Robin Moreau narrowly edged Latisha Small for board president.

State Rep. Daryl Deshotel, who attended the meeting to introduce himself as the parish’s new legislator, urged board members to put the vote for board officers behind them and remain united in seeking the best for the parish’s public school students.

When board member Van Kojis nominated Small for president, it seemed she would become the board’s first black president -- an honor denied one of the board’s first black members, the late Freeman Ford, on several occasions .

The prospect suddenly dimmed when Stanley Celestine Jr. -- one of the three minority members on the board -- nominated Moreau for the presidency.

Celestine, 20, was a student of Moreau’s at LaSAS, just a few years before both men were elected to the board in 2018 when seven new members took office.

Moreau retired and then sought election to the board. Celestine graduated and is now attending McNeese State University.

Moreau was elected to lead the board when he and Celestine were joined by Lynn Deloach, Rickey Adams and Aimee Dupuy in voting for the Hessmer member.

Small received the support of the two members who were re-elected in 2018, Kojis and Chris LaCour. She and the other minority member, Chris Robinson, also voted for her.

The election of vice president was not as fractious. Rickey Adams was unanimously selected to the position.