In front of a packed boardroom full of visitors at the Special Called meeting of the Jackson Parish School Board held on Thursday, October 1st, Jackson Parish School District Superintendent William “Billy” Carter has been placed on Administrative Leave pending the outcome of an upcoming hearing.
The session was called solely to determine if any disciplinary measures would be handed down against Carter following three allegations of misconduct that had been filed and investigated against him. Immediately after roll call, which showed board members Mary Saulters, Rick Barlow, Gerry Mims, Paulette Belton, Wade McBride, and Dennis Clary in attendance, the board went into executive session pursuant to La.R.S. 42:17(A)(4), which allows a public body to hold a closed executive session under Louisiana’s Open Meetings Law for investigative proceedings regarding allegations of misconduct. Board member Calvin Waggoner was absent.
After a little over an hour and a half, the board returned to open session with no action taken, prompting public comments in which Kari Potts, Kyle Leach, Morgan Dison, Shelly Hall, Brandi Hasley, Timothy Stewart, Jessica Sims, and Wess Smith voiced their support for Carter.
Rick Barlow then made a motion, seconded by Paulette Belton and unanimously carried through a roll call vote, to bring charges against Superintendent Carter. Following, Wade McBride made a motion that was seconded by Gerry Mims to place Superintendent Carter on paid Administrative Leave pending the outcome of a hearing. Again, the motion was unanimously carried.
In a final move before the meeting was adjourned, a motion was made by Dennis Clary, seconded by Rick Barlow, and unanimously carried to appoint Dr. Robin Potts as Acting Superintendent until the regularly scheduled Board Meeting, which will take place on Monday, October 5, 2026.
The Special Called Meeting was called pursuant to a Resolution of the Jackson Parish School Board calling for a hearing in accordance with LA R.S.17:54, which governs the election of local school board officers and the appointment, qualifications, contracts, and removal of parish and city school superintendents.
Details of the three charges filed against Carter showed the dates of the alleged offenses occurred between August 2025 and June 2026, constituting violations of LSA R.S.17:54, LSA R.S.17:811, Title 28 Part CX, Bulletin 741, Jackson Parish School Board Policy BA Goals and Objectives, BBD School Board – School Superintendent Relations, BD School Board Policy, BDA Administrative Regulations and Procedure, CB School Supertindent, CDA School Superintendent/Building Administrators, GBD Employment of Personnel, GBE Assignment, and/or Employment Contract. Such action further constitutes unworthiness, inefficiency, and/or breach of contract
Specific reasons for the charges are as follows:
Charge #1: Unworthiness, Incompetence, Inefficiency, Breach of Contract, Failure to Comply with Board Policy and State Law
Explanation: Mr. Carter failed to properly approve personnel charges prior to the start of the school year and /or contemporaneously with the requested change. Mr. Carter paid a head coach when he knew or should have known that such person was not the head coach and was not entitled to such payment. Mr. Carter failed to timely advise the Board of the prescribed events when it inquired relative to the same
Charge #2: Unworthiness, Incompetence, Inefficiency, Breach of Contract, Failure to Comply with Board Policy and State Law
Explanation: Mr. Carter authorized payment to an employee who was not properly approved or designated internally. Mr. Carter authorized payment of head coach stipends to a coach who served the entire academic year as an unpaid faculty assistant coach, retroactively.
Charge #3: Unworthiness, Incompetence, Inefficiency, Breach of Contract, Failure to Comply with Board Policy and State Law
Explanation: Mr. Carter submitted requested policy changes, failing to consider and/or comply with the board policy and process for reviewing and involvement of certain constituent groups for the development of the policy.
No comments were made by any party involved due to the nature of the ongoing investigation and future hearing.
A copy of the Resolution and official meeting minutes is available under the Public Notice designation in the Classifieds Section of the Jackson Parish Journal.