A Tale Of Two School Systems

To find out why two school systems exist we went to an expert. Dr Sidney Seegers worked in the Monroe school system for 31 years- the last 10 as superintendent. According to Dr Sidney Seeger- time has a way of slipping up on you. He tells us, "Its hard to believe for example, next may i will have graduated from Tech 60 years ago". Dr Seeger spent almost 40 years working as an educator in northeast Louisiana. Dr Sidney Seeger, "I came to Monroe in 1953 as a teacher at Neville high school, taught chemistry and physics and math". From those humble beginnings Seeger worked his way to the top. Dr Seeger says, "Became superintendent is 1974 and served in that capacity until i retired in 1984". We asked Dr Seeger why two separate school systems existed in Ouachita parish. He says the division that created the two systems began a very long time ago. Griffin Scott, "The Monroe city and Ouachita parish school systems merged... in 1890. It wasnt a happy union. the city sued and successfully separated the two systems in 1894". Dr Seeger says, "The Monroe city schools as it is today was established". Among Louisiana school systems Monroes is very unusual. Griffin Scott asks, "In Shreveport, Lake Charles, Lafayette, Alexandria, those other metropolitan areas of the state, they just have one school system. Dr Seeger replies, "We have two superintendents, so we have have 2 superintendent salaries, we have 2 school boards, so we have 2 sets of school board salaries". And those arent the only duplicate positions a merger of the school systems would eliminate. Dr Seeger says, "One less school business manager, one less director of transportation, one less director of maintenance, one less director of school food services". We asked Dr Seeger if he thought the two school systems could ever again merge into one. Dr Seeger replies, "My opinion you know, that doesnt seem to good a prospect". When asked about recent events regarding the school system he once led- Dr Seeger displays the discretion and civility many say the current leaders of the Monroe city school system lack. He says, "No, Id rather not speak to it, Ive been retired a long time". In order to merge the Ouachita parish and Monroe city school systems all the residents of both systems would have to vote in favor of a merger or the systems could be merged under a federal court order. Education experts say neither scenario is likely.