By Mary Kathryn Carpenter & Leah Schwarting

VIDALIA — Tuesday evening, hundreds of people gathered to protest Concordia Parish Superintendent Paul Nelson’s decisions to reassign school administration officials.

Those against the decisions met in the parking lot near the Vidalia Pizza Hut to sign a petition urging school leaders to reverse the changes.

Rick Brown was recently reassigned to Ferriday Lower Elementary School after 17 years as Vidalia High School’s principal, and 38 total years working in high schools.

While the majority of citizens in attendance at the support rally were there for Brown, people from across the Concordia Parish School District showed up to voice their concern about other reassignments in the district.

“It’s not rational to move that many people in leadership roles at one time,” Paul Cangemi said.

Paul and his wife Missy posted a petition on Facebook calling on the school board to keep Brown and assistant principal Jana Lincecum in their current positions.

Paul believes that Brown is an outstanding principal, a view shared by his son, Cole, who is set to graduate next year.

“My son wants to walk that stage and have Mr. Brown give him his diploma,” Paul said.

As a result, the couple looked up state statute RS 17:54 C, which states that a superintendent can be removed from office by a concurring vote of at least two-thirds of the entire school board.

The Cangemis and others handed out flyers with the statute, as well as the phone numbers of school board members and Nelson. The flyer encouraged attendees to call all board members, as well as the superintendent.

“If we don’t take a stand, who will?” Missy asked.

Parish citizens who showed up at the event Tuesday night, seemed to answer that question, as around 200 parents, students and citizens arrived in the first half hour of the rally.

A separate petition was set up for those under 18, geared at including students.

During the May school board meeting, Missy said she and about 35 students attended in hopes to speak on Brown’s behalf.

However, the board told them they could not speak on personnel matters.

Paul thinks that it is more than a personnel issue though, as it affects the entire district.

“I’ve never fought for anything in my life, but this guy is worth the fight,” Paul said.

Brown was not in attendance at the rally, but Missy believes he knows students want him to stay at VHS.

“He knows the kids love him, and the kids are trying to stand up for him,” Missy said.

One of the students at the rally was recent VHS graduate Heather Weeks. Weeks attended the rally to support Brown and Lincecum, who were the principal and assistant principal for her and her older siblings.

“As good a job as they’ve done for my family and others, I want other generations to experience that,” Weeks said.

Concordia Parish Schools Superintendent Paul Nelson said Tuesday evening that he stands by his decision to move several school administrators, despite ongoing controversy.

Although Nelson said he could not discuss personnel matters, he doesn’t foresee a scenario where he would reverse his decisions.

“At this point I think that I made the right move,” Nelson said.

The decision to move Rick Brown and other officials, in Nelson’s opinion, will benefit the district.

“We felt like we needed to make the decisions to bring about new ideas and infuse new energy around the district,” Nelson said.