| Advisory opinion regarding whether the Code of Governmental Ethics prohibits the employment of a teacher with the Vermilion Charter Academy if she marries the brother of a member of the Vermilion Charter Foundation Board of Directors. |
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The Vermilion Charter Foundation holds a charter contract with the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education to operate a Type 2 Charter School known as Vermilion Charter Academy. The Vermilion Charter Foundation enter into a contract with Charter Schools USA to manage the school, including the hiring and firing of employees of the school.
Riley Meaux is a member of the Vermilion Charter Foundation Board of Directors. Catherine Touchet is a certified teacher who has been employed with the Vermilion Charter Academy since July 23, 2025. She was promoted to Administrative Assistant effective June 1, 2026.
Catherine Touchet is engaged to be married to the brother of Riley Meaux.
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La. R.S. 42:1119B provides no member of the immediate family of a member of a governing authority or the chief executive of a governmental entity shall be employed by the governmental entity.
La. R.S. 42:1119B(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection:
(a)(i) Any local school board may employ any member of the immediate family of any board member or of the superintendent as a classroom teacher provided that such family member is certified to teach or is temporarily authorized to teach while pursuing certification.
La. R.S. 42:1119C(2) provides that the provisions of this Section shall not prohibit the continued employment of any public employee nor shall it be construed to hinder, alter, or in any way affect normal promotional advancements for such public employee where a member of public employee's immediate family becomes the agency head of such public employee's agency, provided that such public employee has been employed in the agency for a period of at least one year prior to the member of the public employee's immediate family becoming the agency head.
La. R.S. 42:1102(12) defines "immediate family" as the term relates to a public servant to mean his children, the spouses of his children, his brothers and their spouses, his sisters and their spouses, his parents, his spouse, and the parents of his spouse.
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Adopt proposed advisory opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Tracy Barker |
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