Community fights back against LPSS plans to possibly close Paul Breaux Middle School

According to Alton Trahan, President of 100 Black Men of Greater Lafayette, LPSS Superintendent Francis Touchet told him in a meeting that the school board is considering moving the gifted and enrichment programs from Paul Breaux Middle School. He said the proposal is to then close the school and turn it into a warehouse.

LAFAYETTE, La. (KLFY)— Parents, students, educators and community leaders are fighting back against the Lafayette Parish School System, claiming the school board is discussing closing Lafayette's first Black public school, Paul Breaux Middle School.

According to Alton Trahan, President of 100 Black Men of Greater Lafayette, LPSS Superintendent Francis Touchet told him in a meeting that the school board is considering moving the gifted and enrichment programs from Paul Breaux Middle School. He said the proposal is to then close the school and turn it into a warehouse.

LPSS District 4 School Board Member Amy Trahan confirmed the allegation. In a community meeting Thursday evening, she said the superintendent has also informed her it's something they're looking at.

Hundreds of people showed up at the community meeting, frustrated LPSS would consider closing the first public school opened for Black students in Lafayette.

"When I saw this, it was unbelievable. It was a true testament of the struggle," Alton Trahan said.

100 Black Men of Greater Lafayette organized the meeting, informing the community of plans they've heard from LPSS to close Paul Breaux Middle School, a school founded in 1896 once it was deemed proper for Black students to be educated.

The school was named after the Black man who started it: a man who fought to educate students of color.

Formerly just a wooden building, the school was reconstructed in the 1950s. Twenty years later, desegregation forced many students at Paul Breaux out.

"Here we are now in 2024 revisiting that same issue. So for us, I explained to the superintendent, this was quite insulting, not only for the community, but for the African Americans who went to that school," Alton Trahan added.

LPSS District 4 School Board Member Amy Trahan also voiced her disproval of how the superintendent has handled this.

She said she was only informed last week, just two weeks before a decision could be made at the school board meeting.

That decision involves moving the gifted and immersion programs from Paul Breaux to Edgar Martin and Scott Middle Schools respectively.

Amy Trahan's research shows LPSS's plans have flaws that will reduce the number of students and result in the potential closing of the school. That does not sit well with the community.

She continued, "and how they feel about what was not presented to them by Lafayette Parish School System and what had to be put into this type of meeting by 100 Black Men of Greater Lafayette."

Over 50 community leaders also met with Touchet this week. They say they made it clear removing the programs and closing Paul Breaux is not what they want.

News 10 did reach out to LPSS about the alleged proposal to close this school. They didn't answer that question, and we are still waiting on Wednesday's school board meeting agenda. The hundreds of people at the meeting Thursday, however, say they'll be there.

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