Court Transcript Raises Questions Of Systemic Reporting Failures In St. Tammany Schools

Newly obtained court records are raising broader questions about mandatory reporting inside the St. Tammany Parish Public School System after two former Lyon Elementary administrators pleaded guilty to failing to report suspected child abuse.

The court transcript provides new details about the September 2 guilty pleas of former Lyon Elementary administrators Tanya Barth and Lauryn Faciane, including text messages discussed in open court and a strong reaction from District Judge Ellen Creel.

Faciane pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to report abuse of a child. Barth pleaded guilty to one count. Both received two years of probation and a $500 fine.

The underlying investigation involved three incidents that authorities said should have been reported.

One involved alleged physical abuse of a special needs student in 2024. Two others involved sexual conduct between elementary age children on the Lyon Elementary campus.

According to the police investigation, one incident occurred in December 2025 and was not reported to law enforcement or the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services. Authorities were told that the school instead conducted an internal investigation.

Another incident occurred in April 2026 when a student reported being sexually abused by another student in a school bathroom. According to the police report, school personnel were made aware of the allegation, but authorities were not immediately notified as required.

Text Messages Discussed In Court

The newly obtained transcript reveals that prosecutors presented text messages involving Faciane and other school administrators.

One message discussed administrators becoming concerned about what the investigation could mean for them and referenced reporting everything going forward.

Another message discussed Superintendent Frank Jabbia wanting to protect administrators and acknowledged that incidents involving sexual conduct between children were not necessarily being reported.

First Assistant District Attorney Elizabeth Authement told the court that the messages represented an acknowledgment that incidents involving children were not always being reported as required by law.

Judge Creel questioned whether the concern expressed in the messages was focused on children or on administrators potentially facing consequences.

Creel ultimately said the situation “appears to be systemic” based on what was presented in court and sharply criticized what she viewed as a lack of concern for the children involved.

She also criticized the administrators for what she described as selfishness in the messages and eventually ordered Barth and Faciane removed from her courtroom.

Police Report Identified Other Incidents

The police report also referenced several unrelated incidents at Lyon Elementary that investigators said were not reported by other administrators.

Those included a student possessing a knife in the cafeteria, another student possessing bullets, allegations involving missing PTA money, a student leaving a classroom and another incident involving inappropriate contact between students.

Those additional administrators were not charged in connection with the investigation.

The existence of those incidents, combined with the text messages discussed during the plea hearing, is now raising questions about whether the mandatory reporting failures were isolated to Barth and Faciane or reflected a broader problem.

District Says Additional Safeguards Are In Place

Superintendent Frank Jabbia recently sent a recorded message to St. Tammany Parish families addressing what he described as a serious situation involving mandatory reporting requirements.

Jabbia said the school system has implemented additional safeguards intended to strengthen reporting and documentation procedures.

He also said the district is working with the Department of Children and Family Services, the District Attorney’s Office and law enforcement agencies to provide employees with additional guidance, training and support.

The St. Tammany Federation of Teachers has since called for additional details about those changes, including exactly what procedures were changed, when they were implemented and how employees are being instructed to report suspected abuse.

Special School Board Meeting Monday

The issue is now expected to reach the St. Tammany Parish School Board.

A special School Board meeting is scheduled for Monday, September 21, with an executive session expected to include discussion related to details contained in the police report.

The meeting could provide the first opportunity for School Board members to publicly address the broader questions raised by the investigation and court transcript.

The guilty pleas involving Barth and Faciane have already resolved the criminal cases against the two former administrators.

The larger question now facing the district is whether the failures uncovered at Lyon Elementary were isolated incidents or evidence of a wider breakdown in how serious allegations involving students were handled.

The Rabbit Hole will continue following the investigation and Monday’s School Board meeting as additional information becomes available.

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Court Transcript Raises Questions Of Systemic Reporting Failures In St. Tammany Schools