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STATE OF LOUISIANA <br /> ,,,g"Egi7•--. DEPARTMENT OF STATE CIVIL SERVICE <br /> 's"-• <br /> fe- LOUISIANA BOARD OF ETHICS <br /> • •, <br /> P.0 BOX 4368 <br /> BATON ROUGE,LA 70821 <br /> (225)219-5600 <br /> FAX (225)381-7271 <br /> 1-800-842-6630 <br /> www ethics la goy <br /> December 19, 2018 <br /> Mr. Jon K. Guice <br /> Hammonds, Sills, Adkins & Guice <br /> 1881 Hudson Circle <br /> Monroe, Louisiana 71201 <br /> Re: Ethics Board Docket No. 2018-1286 <br /> Dear Mr. Guice: <br /> The Louisiana Board of Ethics, at its December 14, 2018 meeting, considered your request for an <br /> advisory opinion as to whether Esther Jean Watson may be employed by the Catahoula Parish School <br /> Board as a Child Welfare and Attendance/Visiting Teacher while her sister,Dorothy Watson,serves <br /> as a member of the Catahoula Parish School Board. You stated that Dorothy Watson is a member <br /> of the Catahoula Parish School Board. Esther Jean Watson is the sister of Dorothy Watson. You <br /> stated that Esther Jean Watson has applied for the position of Child Welfare and AttendanceNisiting <br /> Teacher position with the school board. You stated that the position requires the applicant to be a <br /> certified teacher. According to the documentation submitted by you, the powers and duties of a <br /> Child Welfare and AttendanceNisiting Teacher position includes:(1)maintaining and keeping pupil <br /> attendance accounting records on forms approved by BESE;(2)investigating cases of nonenrollment <br /> and unexcused absences from school of all children within the compulsory school attendance age; <br /> (3) giving written notice to the parents, tutor or other person in charge of the child when no valid <br /> reason exists for a child's nonenrollment or unexcused absence; (4) visiting the home or place of <br /> residence of a child or where the child may be found if absent during school hours and return him <br /> to his parent or the school; (5) keeping accurate records of attendance of a children returned to <br /> schools or homes,all cases prosecuted and of all other services performed;(6)conducting counseling <br /> sessions; and, (7) undertaking other duties as required by law or the school board policy to reduce <br /> or respond to truancy. <br /> La. R.S. 42:1119B provides that no member of the immediate family of a member of a governing <br /> authority or the chief executive of a governmental entity shall be employed by the governmental <br /> entity. La.R.S.42:1119B(2)(a)(i)permits the school board to employ an immediate family member <br /> of a school board member, provided the family member is certified to teach and teaching in a <br /> classroom. [Emphasis added.] <br /> The Board concluded,and instructed me to inform you,that the Code of Governmental Ethics would <br /> prohibit Esther Jean Watson from accepting a position with the Catahoula Parish School Board as <br /> a Child Welfare and Attendance/Visiting Teacher while her sister serves as a member of the school <br /> board. Although Ms. Watson is certified to teach, she would not be teaching in a classroom, but <br /> AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER <br />