A Covington principal and assistant principal were arrested Wednesday and are facing charges after they were accused of failing to comply with the state’s mandatory reporting law.
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The St. Tammany inmate roster shows that Tanya Barth and Lauryn Faciane were arrested and released on the same day. Their bonds were set at $5,000 each.
Barth and Faciane work at E.E. Lyon Elementary School in Covington, according to the school’s website.
According to Covington police, both Barth and Faciane have been charged with failure to comply with Louisiana’s mandatory reporting law.
The law requires school administrators to promptly report suspected abuse, neglect and other incidents involving children to authorities.
Police say the charges follow an investigation conducted by the department’s Criminal Investigations Division.
According to police, due to children being involved in the investigation, no further details regarding what led to the charges will be released.
The Department of Children and Family Services, the Louisiana Department of Education, and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education have been notified of the investigation, according to Covington police.
The St. Tammany Parish Public School District issued the following statement:
“The district takes all matters involving student safety seriously and has fully cooperated with law enforcement during this investigation.
“Because this was an active investigation, the School System was limited in what information could be shared prior to the arrests.
“The School System has a plan in place to provide leadership and support at Lyon Elementary moving forward as we prepare for the upcoming school year. The district provides annual training and regular updates on mandatory reporting laws and remains committed to continuing professional development on the recognition of child neglect and abuse.
“Lauryn Faciane and Tonya Barth no longer serve at Lyon Elementary but remain employees of the district. These charges are accusations and all individuals are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
“We will continue to monitor the legal process and remain committed to supporting Lyon Elementary students, families, and employees during this time,” STPPS Superintendent Frank Jabbia.
Anyone with information regarding the investigation or any other matter involving the safety of children is asked to contact the Covington Police Department’s Criminal Investigations Division at 985-892-8500.
READ MORE:Principal, assistant principal accused of failing to comply with mandatory reporting law
