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l** <br /> LLOUISIANA BOARD OFERVICE <br /> 0STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> DEPARTMENT OF STACIE ETHICS <br /> P a o eon aase <br /> EATONROUGE LA <br /> 70B21 <br /> WS)2T FAX -5EU0r1 <br /> I am-842-15630 <br /> June 20, 2017 <br /> Mr. Allen Blanchard, Jr. <br /> Director of Human Capital & Operations <br /> St. Martin Parish School Board <br /> P.O. Box 1000 <br /> Breaux Bridge, Louisiana 70517 <br /> Re: Ethics Board Docket No. 2017-360 <br /> Dear Mr. Blanchard: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics,at its June 16,2019 meeting,considered your request for an advisory <br /> opinion as to whether Meghan Duplechin, the daughter of Frederick Stelly, a St. Martin Parish <br /> School Board member, may accept employment with the school board if she holds a practitioner <br /> license. You stated that Ms. Duplechin has a degree in criminal justice,and a minor in English and <br /> French. You stated that she is interested in becoming a French teacher and she will be enrolling in <br /> an Alternative Certification Program. You also stated that persons enrolled in this program normally <br /> apply for Practitioner License. The Practitioner License is considered to be a standard certificate <br /> by the Louisiana Department of Education; however, the person is not fully certified until he <br /> completes the Alternative Certification Program over a three-year period. <br /> The Board concluded,and instructed me to inform you,that the Code of Governmental Ethics would <br /> not prohibit Meghan Duplechin from accepting employment as a teacher with the St. Martin Parish <br /> School Board while she holds a Practitioner License while pursuing certification. La. R.S. <br /> 42:1119B(2)(a)(i)provides that any local school board may employ any member of the immediate <br /> family of any board member or of the superintendent as a classroom teacher provided that such <br /> family member is certified to teach or is temporarily authorized to teach while pursuing certification. <br /> However, the Board concluded, and instructed me to infomn you,that La R.S.42:1112B(I) would <br /> prohibit Frederick Stelly from participating in any matters involving the St. Martin Parish School <br /> Board and his daughter in which she has a personal substantial economic interest. La. R.S. <br /> 42:1112B(1) states that no public servant shall participate in a transaction involving the <br /> governmental entity in which, to his actual knowledge,any member of his immediate family has a <br /> substantial economic interest. Le. R.N.42:1102(21) defines"substantial economic interest" as an <br /> economic interest which is of greater benefit to the public servant or other person than to a general <br /> class or group ofpersons. However,La.R.S.42:1120 does allow the school board member to recuse <br /> himself from participation to avoid any violations of La R.S. 42:1112. La.R.S.42:1120 provides <br /> that any elected official, in the discharge ofa duty or responsibility of his office or position, would <br /> be required to vote on a matter which vote would be a violation of R.S. 42:1112, he shall recuse <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />