In its first board of directors meeting since passing a resolution adopting Open Meetings Law compliance procedures — the Bricolage Academy board appears to have violated Louisiana Open Meetings Law.

The Esplanade Avenue charter school’s board of directors called its meeting to order shortly after 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, despite failing to publish an electronic or physical agenda 24 hours ahead of the meeting in accordance with state law. The board’s attorney from Adams & Reese, who was among the attendees, looked on as the meeting began. 

Public agencies are required to provide notice of a public meeting at least 24 hours in advance of a meeting. This requirement in state law is explicitly outlined in the charter school’s new transparency policy. 

That policy was adopted in August after Bricolage was cited by its charter authorizer, the NOLA Public Schools district, because the group “failed to follow Louisiana Open Meetings Law.” The district cited the board in June for failure to post meeting minutes, another requirement of state law. CEO Edward Brown said the issue was technical, not a failure to keep proper documentation. 

Asked why Tuesday’s agenda was not posted in accordance with state law, board president Norman Barnum said the agenda was uploaded in CharterBoards, the board’s online document management system.

“The intent of what was on CharterBoards did not have the public facing out there,” Barnum said after the meeting. “It’s been in CharterBoards.”

Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press attorney Virginia Hamrick said Louisiana’s sunshine law “clearly requires the board to give notice of meetings at least 24 hours in advance, exclusive of weekends and legal holidays.”

Lamplighter documented as of 5 p.m. Monday there was no board agenda posted on the school’s website. As of 6 p.m. Monday, there was no agenda posted on the school’s front doors. With the Labor Day holiday, the notice should have been posted on Friday.  

“The purpose of the Open Meetings Law and the right to direct participation in the Louisiana Constitution is to protect citizens from secret decisions made without any opportunity for public input,” she said. “The public was in the dark as to what the board was considering.”

Told the board’s agenda was not visible to the public, Barnum again said “That was not the intent.” 

Barnum asserted to Lamplighter that during his eight years serving on Bricolage’s board he has never before experienced this level of attention at the school. 

Lamplighter asked Barnum what he would tell families who couldn’t see the agenda in advance of Tuesday’s meeting.

“I would tell them, contact Dr. Brown and contact me.”

After the meeting, Barnum asked Lamplighter the following: “Who’s your major funder?” 

To answer, Lamplighter is an independent news outlet. Founder Marta Jewson has spent 15 years holding school boards accountable to the communities they serve. 

Lamplighter will introduce a subscriber model soon.