After weeks of stalemate, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board voted unanimously Wednesday night to select Metro Councilman LaMont Cole as the next superintendent of the state’s second largest traditional school district.
The decision comes just two weeks before students return Aug. 8 for the new school year and a day before State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley planned to take unspecified action to compel the selection of a new superintendent.
The only holdout was board member Nathan Rust who had planned to abstain but "God put it on my heart" and he decided to support Cole: "I will not be a hindrance to your success."
Cole jumped in Tuesday after sitting out the initial round of applications held last month. He immediately rose directly to the top. It was a rushed, 17-hour-long, second round of applications.
Four hours after the application deadline, Cole was selected as the lone finalist and immediately sat for a 90-minute interview.
“I’m not remotely interested in leading a district that is just good,” Cole told board members. “I want our district to be great.”
Several board members quickly sang his praises.
“I certainly was moved by the passion and your deep-seated desire to help all of the children in this parish,” said Board Vice President Patrick Martin V. “I certainly share that desire.”
“I know your heart and I know that education is at the forefront of your life,” said board member Shashonnie Steward.
“I think it’s wonderful to have someone of Mr. Cole’s caliber fall in our lap at the last minute,” said board member Mark Bellue.
It has been a meteoric, one-day rise for Cole, who has spent 26 years in education in Baton Rouge. The past 13 years have been as chief academic officer for CSAL Inc., a Baton Rouge-based charter school network. Before that, he spent several years working for the parish school system, including stints as principal at both Capitol and Park Forest middle schools.
"Baton Rouge, this is my home. This is the city I love and I care about it so much,” Cole said, choked up with emotion.
In a statement after the vote, Brumley spoke positively of the board's action Wednesday.
“I’m encouraged by the board’s decision to come together around a new superintendent. Choosing a system leader is a core responsibility of a board, but the true work lies ahead," Brumley said. "Too many students lack a basic education and graduate without the skills to lead a productive life. Too many teaching positions go unfilled. Too many families are trapped in failing schools. For Louisiana to succeed, we need East Baton Rouge to succeed."
Cole’s path to the job was made easier when former Supt. Sito Narcisse withdrew his application minutes before interviews were to begin. In January, Narcisse accepted a voluntary buyout in January, six weeks after the School Board voted 5-4 to not renew his contract. Narcisse left three years after he was hired.
Adam Smith immediately replaced Narcisse as interim superintendent, but Smith’s six-month contract expired Tuesday, putting the district into legal uncertainty.
If the first superintendent search was a slow, traditional courtship that ended in acrimony, the second was more like a round of speed dating that concluded in a shotgun marriage.
As it turned out, Cole did not have to undergo the weeks of scrutiny that the previous applicants underwent, including a long day of interviews by community panels. Board members in the end barely looked at résumés submitted by the remaining nine applicants.
Instead, the board judged Cole based on a mix of reputation, personal relationships and his interview.
Cole made clear his mission is more than just the 40,000 students enrolled in the school district.
"All of the children in this city are our students whether they go to our schools or not,” Cole said. “If they are eligible to attend one of our schools, we have to be concerned about the education they are receiving wherever they are and we have to be willing to own that responsibility."
Cole’s first job in education was as a teacher at Capital Middle, and he worked there for five years, but he has spent the rest of his time as a school-level administrator. He also worked as a program director for Young Leaders Academy in Baton Rouge.
The biggest hole in his résumé is a lack of experience as a Central Office administrator.
In response to a question from board member Mike Gaudet, Cole said, if hired, he would withdraw immediately from seeking re-election to District 7 this fall and would immediately start the process of leaving the Metro Council.
“I have to do this job and be willing to do this job well,” Cole said.
Cole last week qualified for a third term on the Metro Council, but at the last minute his legislative aide, Twahna Harris, also qualified. The third candidate in the District 7 race is Alfred Bell.
Cole applied in spring 2020 to become East Baton Rouge Parish school superintendent but fell one vote short of making the round of semifinalists.
Lanus, who served on the board in 2020 and later was a big supporter of Narcisse, said he’s committed to helping Cole.
“I do really support you. I’m going to fight for you, and I’m going to make sure that you get a fair shake and a chance to rebuild the vision, rebrand this district and bring this community back together,” Lanus said.
Cole is close friends with Adam Smith. Smith has applied three times before to get the job permanently, but his latest bid ran aground late when he fell one vote short last month of being named a finalist.
A subsequent pressure campaign by Smith supporters has failed to move the five board members who have opposed him becoming the district's permanent leader.
Cole said he did not seek the job in June out of respect for Smith, but Smith's stalled bid to become superintendent has changed matters.
"If not me then I would want no one else than LaMont Cole," Smith told the board Wednesday.
He recalled how he was relieved with Cole replaced him as principal of Park Forest Middle, where two of Smith's children were still students.
“I entrusted him with my most precious asset," Smith said. "I would ask the community to entrust him with your most precious assets.”
Hiring Cole is likely the best option to repair relations with school employees who supported Smith and who have pledged a first-day-of-school sickout if Smith is passed over. The repair process was aided when the board on Wednesday voted 8-1 to keep Smith, making him deputy superintendent. Smith will have a contract to be approved by the board.
The hard feelings over the bruising fight of the past month receded Wednesday but did not disappear. At one point, board members Lanus and Mike Gaudet pressed to be included in the negotiations on Cole’s employment contract, which is to be voted on Aug. 1.
That move prompted a negative reaction by Martin, who noted that traditionally board leadership negotiates such contracts. He recalled a meeting he had Friday with Gaudet.
“You told me that you would agree to support Mr. Cole if he would fire Adam Smith,” Martin said. “Is that still your position?”
Gaudet did not respond directly saying simply that he’s dismayed by the “baseless accusations and personal attacks.”
“Some of the issues start up here on this dais,” Gaudet said, addressing Cole. “I apologize for the behavior of our board.”
Cole saw a wave of support right after he announced his candidacy.
Seven of Cole’s 11 fellow Metro Council members issued a news release Wednesday supporting his bid for superintendent. They are Chauna Banks, District 2; Aaron Moak, District 4; Darryl Hurst, District 5; Cleve Dunn Jr., District 6; Dwight Hudson, District 9; Carolyn R. Coleman, District 10; and Jennifer "Jen" Racca, District 12.
Two more council members, Brandon Noel, District 1, and Denise Amoroso, District 8, issued their own press releases soon afterwards.
Six of those council members left after their own Metro Council meeting and made an unusual trip across town to the School Board Office to personally encourage the board to support Cole.
“This is a bittersweet moment for us,” said Dunn. “We’re happy for LaMont and the opportunity, but we’re sad because we’re losing you.”
State representatives Edmond Jordan and C. Denise Marcelle also spoke on Cole’s behalf.
Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome opened Wednesday’s meeting.
“He has the ability to inspire and that is a very significant characteristic for a leader,” Broome said. “I have seen him consistently bring people together across the aisle."
Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct a quote from board member Nathan Rust.
