Lafayette School Board To Pay Remainder Of Pat Cooper’s Contract

The Lafayette Parish School Board has come to a decision on thier legal battle with former superintendent Dr. Pat Cooper.

At Wednesday night's regular school board meeting, the board voted unanimously to pay out the remainder of fCooper's contract. The board agreed to offer Cooper his salary and benefits plus interest.

This decision follows an appeals court ruling that the board wrongfully fired cooper in 2014.

Last October, the Louisiana Supreme Court refused to hear the School Board's appeal--which solidified the lower court's ruling.

Cooper's attorney, Lane Roy, sent a letter to the board in November asking for more than $4 million dollars in damages. Roy said that amount is based on a total of salary, benefits and interest (which will be paid) and also loss of future employment opportunities, legal fees, and general damages for "physical and mental health problems brought on by the stress of the situation."

The school district doled out nearly $2 million of taxpayer money during the course of the three-year legal battle.