A Call for a New CHS Chancellor

There comes a time in all people’s lives when dissent is no longer enough. That time is now.

Catholic High School has a principal in the form of Timothy Uhl, who has proven to be an unequivocal disaster. Most of the faculty (70% and climbing) have either been fired or have chosen to leave during Uhl’s tenure. Former teachers have spoken out in detail about his failures in office and students have started rather clever Forum articles concerning his way of firing teachers (Bravo, Don Corleone) or his handling of CHS matters (church pews, tea parties.) His defenders are few and usually resort to insidious assaults that all CHS parents are spoiled brats when at heart, they are concerned individuals wondering why they are paying $4,000 or more for a faculty with so little teaching experience and for a school with no perceived purpose any longer.

Any attempts to address this ongoing fiasco have failed, but not due to the efforts of the many concerned parents. The fault lies in the system. In the Diocese of Lafayette, principals are answerable only to the Chancellor of the school and the Superintendent. I believe it is now overdue that Catholic High School gets a new Chancellor.

Chancellors of Catholic schools have a sacred duty to oversee the development not only of the school but of the precious students inside those institutions. When complaints surface, chancellors have a responsibility to investigate and handle such grievances. Msgr. Charles Langlois’ response to the numerous complaints about Uhl has been to ignore the situation entirely. As income for the school declines and church collections dwindle, Msgr. Langlois has had to resort to sending letters informing parents that should they not contribute to Catholic High, their tuition deduction will be rescinded. By allowing Uhl to rule over CHS with little or no oversight, Langlois has abandoned his Christian duties to protect the Catholic students, nay, all the students who attend that venerable institution. Without vital guidance, Uhl will continue to preside haphazardly over an even greater decline in morality, teacher confidence, and societal obligations to teach as Jesus did. Msgr. Langlois is not providing that guidance, so we need, now more than ever, a man of integrity and backbone to either guide Uhl to a renaissance in CHS education or to find a capable man who can.

This is not an easy thing for which to call. To claim a man has failed utterly in his obligations is a serious charge. Msgr. Langlois may be a great priest and a wonderful man to know individually; it is his duties as a chancellor that require a serious re-evaluation of his dedication to Catholic education in New Iberia. CHS needs a new chancellor: who will answer the call?