A federal judge has denied an emergency request from Mount Hermon parents seeking to temporarily halt the Washington Parish School Board's plan to move their children's school into Franklinton campuses, leaving the broader legal fight over the reconfiguration unresolved as the board met behind closed doors this week to discuss the case.
U.S. District Judge Anna St. John denied the parents' renewed request for a temporary restraining order on October 13, ruling that plaintiffs had not demonstrated entitlement to emergency relief, including an immediate threat of irreparable harm, according to WWL Louisiana. The parents had asked the court to halt meetings related to the reconfiguration while their preliminary injunction request remained under consideration. Because the reconfiguration is not scheduled to take effect until the 2027-28 school year, the judge found no immediate harm justifying emergency intervention, a reasoning detailed in the federal docket reviewed by CaseMine.
The ruling does not resolve the underlying lawsuit. Plaintiffs still have a pending request for a preliminary injunction, and the court's order left that broader question open for future review, per the same filing.
Board Huddles in Private Session While Member-Plaintiff Is Shut Out
The Washington Parish School Board's agenda for Thursday's meeting included a motion to enter executive session to discuss the pending federal case, and the board did just that on October 15. Public bodies in Louisiana are permitted to hold closed-door sessions to discuss pending litigation under Louisiana Revised Statute 42:17, the statutory basis the board cited for the private discussion, the court record notes.
Board member Keith Giles, who represents the Mount Hermon district, was excluded from Thursday's executive session. Giles cast the sole dissenting vote when the board approved the reconfiguration plan on September 24, following extensive community protest, as reported by The Bogalusa Daily News. The final vote was 7-1.
What the Lawsuit Alleges
The federal lawsuit, filed on September 24 and officially captioned Kerbow et al. v. Washington Parish School Board, Civil Action No. 26-2156, identifies Kerbow as a plaintiff and names Superintendent Jennifer Thomas and eight individual board members as defendants in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. The lawsuit alleges that the reconfiguration could affect students with disabilities and their access to individualized education and specialized services, and the plaintiffs are also challenging the process the board used to approve the plan.
Parents have expressed concerns about moving their children into a larger school environment, transportation and services for children with disabilities. Mount Hermon is about 11 miles from nearby Franklinton locations.
Why the District Says the Change Is Necessary
The reconfiguration would move roughly 140 students in grades 7 through 12 out of Mount Hermon School, sending seventh and eighth graders to Franklinton Junior High School and ninth through twelfth graders to Franklinton High School starting in the 2027-28 school year. The school system has cited declining enrollment, staffing, and financial concerns as reasons for the change. Total enrollment at Mount Hermon School fell by nearly 30 percent over the past decade, from 456 students in 2016 to approximately 323 students in 2026, with grades 7 through 12 making up only about 140 to 150 of those students, per data reported by The Era-Leader.
District leaders have also pointed to cost figures to justify the move. Annual per-student spending at Mount Hermon reached approximately $18,100, compared with a districtwide average of roughly $16,000 per student, figures presented in September and detailed by the Bogalusa Daily News. Officials have said the proposal would expand career and technical electives, industry credential programs and dual-enrollment courses for secondary students beginning in 2027-28.
Community opposition to the plan predated the lawsuit. A community petition gathered 711 signatures, according to The Era-Leader.
District Response and What Comes Next
A school system spokesperson declined to comment on the pending litigation but said previously that the district is focused on an orderly transition and on ensuring continued educational services for affected students, per WWL Louisiana's reporting. The preliminary injunction request remains before Judge St. John.
With the reconfiguration scheduled to take effect in the 2027-28 school year and the injunction request unresolved, the case leaves Mount Hermon families, district administrators, and a sitting board member turned plaintiff in an unusual legal standoff that is likely to continue playing out in both courtrooms and board meetings in the months ahead.
