Opposition to the Parish Presidents of Louisiana Boys State is mounting. It seems that as our program ramps up, citizens are eager to ensure they have the best man for the job in office, placing the current elected officials under greater scrutiny.
One of our Daily Magnolia reporters interviewed three concerned citizens of Pearl Parish who expressed their discontent with the current presidency. They notified us that there have been talks about stripping him of his position.
According to the aforementioned citizens, an ordinance has been filed to disband the school board and suspend all its operations. They ascribed this decision to the inclement weather, though they noted that they “don’t see why that would result in an order to shut down the school board.” This ordinance seems unpopular, and they are unsure how it will affect their children’s learning.
We also managed to speak with two other Pearl citizens, Mr. Mainers and Mr. Rinando, about what their president has been doing. You can find the video of this interview on our Instagram page.
We spoke with President Hunter Packard and asked for his comment on his constituents’ concerns, which he was unaware of.
“[As of] now, nothing has come to my attention. However, I understand that some have been unhappy in our parish. Our parish has been so strong and done so well in these past few days together that I don’t see any reason as to why we should mess up the system.” He claimed that the school board shutdown will be temporary, as the facilities will be repurposed as safe houses to weather the storm.
Similarly, Mississippians have shown increasing sentiment to hold their president accountable. “From what I’ve heard, our president has been getting a little ahead of himself. I urge him to consider the people of Mississippi Parish […]. There may or may not be a movement to impeach him,” said SPC for the Nationalist and Mississippi Representative Ross Bieber. The concern about his ability to perform his job well seems to have arisen from an ordinance requiring his constituents to address him in an unsavory manner.
According to Mississippi President and Louisiana Boys State Governor candidate Franklin Bridwell, he was not responsible for signing the ordinance in question, noting that his name was misspelled. He also said he was unaware of the potential for impeachment and, after being notified, urged his constituents to speak to him directly about it. “I haven’t heard a word about this. If you have a problem with me, talk to me. I’m here for you.” He has issued a new ordinance that makes referring to him in the aforementioned manner optional rather than mandatory.
So far, no formal action has been taken against him.
Cane Parish President Isaac Moore is facing the most serious pushback. The members of the Parish are actively seeking to inform themselves about the legal process for formally removing him. He is aware of this fact, as well as the potential motivation for his impeachment. The citizens of his parish were upset with his unwillingness to enact an ordinance requiring those who are late to muster to write a page-length apology letter in 6-point font. He instead pushed for a 12-point font and greater leniency. He described the proposed punishment as needlessly harsh and inconsiderate of specific circumstances. “I just felt it was more fair to my citizens.” We hope this situation will reach a reasonable conclusion.
Are the Boys State citizens losing trust in their officials? What are the implications these scandals have on the upcoming state elections? The Daily Magnolia will continue to monitor the situation and keep the public informed.