Vermilion Parish Schooly Superintendent Tommy Byler’s new contract to be approved with no drama

There is not expected to be any drama at tonight’s Vermilion Parish School Board meeting when the school board approves a new four-year contract for Superintendent Tommy Byler.
Five and half years ago, Vermilion Parish School Board made the national news after it awarded then-superintendent Jerome Puyau a $30,000 pay increase when the board approved his new contract.
Teacher Deyshia Hargrave stood up in the audience and questioned the board on why the pay increased despite teachers not getting a pay raise in years.
Moments later, Hargrave would be arrested and handcuffed by a security guard at the meeting, escorted outside, and brought to the Abbeville Police Station.
The video of her being arrested and escorted out of the meeting got national attention and attracted the national media to Abbeville.
Do not look for anyone to be arrested at tonight’s school board meeting when the board approves a new contract.
The board is not expected to have any discussion on the contract. It was approved at Monday’s committee meeting and will be approved on tonight’s consent agenda.
Byler’s new contract is expected to contain less than a three percent pay raise, just under $3,000 more yearly.
Byler signed a three-year contract that paid him $132,000 three years ago.
In 2020, Byler was unanimously selected as the district’s leader at a school board meeting Aug. 11, 2020. He contended for the position against then-Interim Superintendent Brad Prudhomme and Assistant Superintendent for Personnel and Administration Paul Hebert.
Under his old contract, Byler received $750 monthly to cover vehicle maintenance, gas, cell phone costs, and residential internet instead of receiving a district-owned vehicle or cell phone. Byler was required to maintain minimum automobile liability coverage of $250,000/$500,000 with the school board listed as an insured party, a new requirement for the board.
The new contract is expected to contain the $750 a month reimbursement for expenses like the old contract.
The school board will release the details of the new contract after he signs his new contract.
Byler’s new salary will continue to rank him at the bottom of superintendent’s pay in Acadiana and the state.
His pay will rank him No. 10 out of 11 superintendent’s in Acadiana. Only St. Landry’s superintendent makes less than Byler.
Statewide, it will rank him No. 43 out of 67 school districts, despite Vermilion being the 19th largest district in the state.