Two Cents: Publisher says BESE candidate Songy and Ascension superintendent commit ‘political sin’

I was amazed to read in The Advocate an account that indicates Ascension Parish Superintendent Patrice Pujol abused her position with her teachers and staff by turning a professional development day into a political rally for her friend and former boss, Donald Songy, a District 6 Democratic candidate for the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. Pujol says Songy asked for time to speak to the teachers away from school. She showed poor judgment in turning the venue over to Songy for his personal political activity. Would she give Songy’s opponents equal time? Pujol claims that as the teachers were breaking for lunch, she—their boss—told them, “But Songy would like a few minutes.” She claims it was “strictly voluntary.” Yeah, right. Five hundred hungry teachers stayed and listened. I wonder if Pujol asked the church, who had provided the public school system the space free for training, whether they minded her turning their facility over for political purposes? My guess is she didn’t, in which case she and Songy should apologize to the pastor for committing a political sin by taking advantage of his generosity in such an unethical manner. They should both be ashamed—and the Ascension school board should reprimand Pujol, if they had any guts. Songy has been a part of the school system for 38 years and this example of old-school union politics is evidence he is still living in the past and has no place in trying to lead our state or BESE into the future. This act demonstrates once again how the unions—and Songy—continue to put the interest of adults ahead of children. I have supported BESE incumbent Chas Roemer and continue to support him because of his bold leadership and concern for children. Roemer, a Republican and reformer, is a stark contrast to Donald Songy: a good reason to re-elect him. Send comments to editors@businessreport.com. —Rolfe McCollister