Waterloo Region Record

Handcuffed teacher: board head should resign

- Stacey Plaisance and Gerald Herbert

ABBEVILLE, LA. — The Louisiana teacher who was arrested after questionin­g her superinten­dent’s pay raise at a school board meeting called Thursday for the board president’s resignatio­n.

Deyshia Hargrave, whose removal in handcuffs sparked internet outrage, made the remarks to The Associated Press before a Thursday rally of her supporters in the city of Abbeville. People around her wore T-shirts with the words: “Stand by Deyshia.”

While Hargrave said Vermilion Parish School Board President Anthony Fontana should resign, she declined to suggest any discipline for Reggie Hilts, the deputy city marshal who handcuffed her on the hallway floor after she left the meeting and marched her out of the building.

“He obviously needs more training,” the middle school English teacher said.

She wouldn’t say whether she plans to sue anyone, but both the American Civil Liberties Union and her teachers’ union is investigat­ing the case.

“By taking away my voice they’ve taken away — or tried to take away — my First Amendment rights to speak,” Hargrave said earlier in a video posted on the Louisiana Associatio­n of Educators’ Facebook page.

“Go to your local school board meetings,” Hargrave said. “Speak out. Be vocal.”

The turmoil followed the board’s 5-3 vote Monday night approving a new three-year contract raising Puyau’s salary by roughly $30,000, to about $140,000 annually, with incentive targets that could add three per cent a year.

Video of the meeting shows that Hargrave addressed the superinten­dent directly after raising her hand to speak and being recognized.

She questioned Puyau’s raise, given that teachers haven’t received an increase in 10 years, despite growing class sizes and other demands.

Fontana then declared that her comment wasn’t “germane” to the vote on the contract, and banged his gavel in an attempt to silence her. According to school board member Kibbie Pillette, Fontana then beckoned off-camera to the officer, who interrupte­d Hargrave while she was speaking and ordered her out.

“I’m going,” she said, making her way out. The officer followed her into the hallway, where moments later, a camera recorded her on the floor with her hands behind her back, being handcuffed and complainin­g that the officer had pushed her down.

Asked by the AP on Thursday who’s directly to blame for the incident, Hargrave said “Anthony Fontana.”

Fontana has not returned calls for an interview with the AP, but has defended his actions and that of the officer.

In an interview that aired Thursday morning on NBC, Hargrave said she hopes the ordeal prompts others to get more involved in education.

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