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'''Charles Edgar Thompson''', known as '''C. E. Thompson''' or '''Charles Ed Thompson''' (February 25, 1932 – November 27, 1993), was a [[Louisiana]] educator who from 1970 to 1977 served as the  superintendent of his native Tensas Parish in the northeastern portion of his state. Thereafter, he was an administrator in [[Baton Rouge]] with the Louisiana Department of Education under then state Superintendent James Kelly Nix.

'''Charles Edgar Thompson''', known as '''C. E. Thompson''' or '''Charles Ed Thompson''' (February 25, 1932 – November 27, 1993), was a [[Louisiana]] educator who from 1970 to 1977 served as the  superintendent of public schools in his native Tensas Parish in the northeastern portion of the state. Thereafter, he was an administrator in [[Baton Rouge]] with the Louisiana Department of Education under then state Superintendent James Kelly Nix.

==Background==

==Background==

===Tensas Parish superintendent===

===Tensas Parish superintendent===

As the new Tensas superintendent, Thompson gained a statewide reputation in educational circles and was in demand to address professional gatherings. In October 1970, he was the keynote speaker at the Louisiana School Administrators Conference in Baton Rouge, at which he lectured on "Educational Performance Contracting," an examination of a pilot summer reading program for disadvantaged pupils used that year in Tensas Parish. In 1974, Thompson was elected president of the Superintendents' Association for the then fifteen parishes of Louisiana's 5th congressional district, anchored at [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. In 1975, he became president of the then 66-member Louisiana Association of School .<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", pp. 36-37.</ref>

As the new Tensas superintendent, Thompson gained a statewide reputation in educational circles and was in demand to address professional gatherings. In October 1970, he was the keynote speaker at the Louisiana School Administrators Conference in Baton Rouge, at which he lectured on "Educational Performance Contracting," an examination of a pilot summer reading program for disadvantaged pupils used that year in Tensas Parish. In 1974, Thompson was elected president of the Superintendents' Association for the then fifteen parishes of Louisiana's 5th congressional district, anchored at [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]]. In 1975, he became president of the then 66-member Louisiana Association of Schools.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", pp. 36-37.</ref>

Under Thompson, the school board budgets did not exceed $2.15 million. By 1997-1998, long after Thompson's tenure in the parish,  the budget topped $9.5 million, with $6,704 spent per pupil. Ninety-four percent of the pupils qualified for free or reduced lunches of the National School Lunch Act of 1946. In the fall of 1974, Tensas Parish enrolled 2,335 students in public education. Of these, 546 were at the former Newellton High School, which was 62 percent [[African American]]. Waterproof High School had 366 pupils, of whom 90 percent were black. And Joseph Moore Davidson High school in the parish seat of St. Joseph, since renamed Tensas High School, had 342 students, of whom 93 percent were black. The 1974 enrollment represented a decline of 358 pupils, or 13 percent, from the preceding year. From 1970 to 1980, the Tensas Parish population dropped 12.4 percent from 9,732 to 8,525.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p. 37-38.</ref>   

Under Thompson, the school board budgets did not exceed $2.15 million. By 1997-1998, long after Thompson's tenure in the parish,  the budget topped $9.5 million, with $6,704 spent per pupil. Ninety-four percent of the pupils qualified for free or reduced lunches of the National School Lunch Act of 1946. In the fall of 1974, Tensas Parish enrolled 2,335 students in public education. Of these, 546 were at the former Newellton High School, which was 62 percent [[African American]]. Waterproof High School had 366 pupils, of whom 90 percent were black. And Joseph Moore Davidson High school in the parish seat of St. Joseph, since renamed Tensas High School, had 342 students, of whom 93 percent were black. The 1974 enrollment represented a decline of 358 pupils, or 13 percent, from the preceding year. From 1970 to 1980, the Tensas Parish population dropped 12.4 percent from 9,732 to 8,525.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p. 37-38.</ref>   

Public school enrollments declined in part because of the still functioning Tensas Academy, a private school in St. Joseph which opened in 1970 at the advent of desegregation. Located on land donated by the Panola Company of Fred Maher Miller (1915-1996). The company originated in the 20th century by William Mackenzie Davidson (1857-1930), the founding mayor of St. Joseph and the father of the young man for whom the former Davidson High School was named. Fred Miller, who lived at Avondale Plantation in St. Joseph, was also the long-term president of the Tensas Parish School Board during the time of Thompson's service as superintendent. Tensas Academy had rapid success. Its [[football]] team, the Chiefs, won the state Class A championship in 1971 by defeating the Claiborne Parish Rebels from another academy north of Homer, Louisiana. Tensas Academy had 359 white students in the 1971-1972 academic year. In 2016, the academy website reported an approximate enrollment of two hundred. Only whites have applied to attend the academy, but non-whites would not be excluded where they to seek admission.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p.  39-40.</ref>

Public school enrollments declined in part because of the still functioning Tensas Academy, a private school in St. Joseph which opened in 1970 at the advent of desegregation. Located on land donated by the Panola Company of Fred Maher Miller (1915-1996). The company originated in the 20th century by William Mackenzie Davidson (1857-1930), the founding mayor of St. Joseph and the father of the young man for whom the former Davidson High School was named. Fred Miller, who lived at Avondale Plantation in St. Joseph, was also the long-term president of the Tensas Parish School Board during the time of Thompson's service as superintendent. Tensas Academy had rapid success. Its [[football]] team, the Chiefs, won the state Class A championship in 1971 by defeating the Claiborne Parish Rebels from another academy north of Homer, Louisiana. Tensas Academy had 359 white students in the 1971-1972 academic year. In 2016, the academy website reported an approximate enrollment of two hundred. Only whites have applied to attend the academy, but non-whites would not be excluded where they to seek admission.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", p.  39-40.</ref>

In 1974, Superintendent Thompson developed a policy to prevent teachers from abusing sick leave. He had found that some educators had taken time off to engage in private farming and business interests. Thompson also faced civil suits filed by some African-American educators who claimed unfair policies in his office. Tensas was a defendant in a suit by school boards in six parishes which sought to forbid the use of public funds to finance bus transportation and books and educational materials for private schools. Despite his specialization in handling disciplinary issues, Superintendent Thompson in 1976 struggled with vandalism of school board properties and sought parental assistance to halt disruptions. The matter grew sufficiently glaring that Thompson asked Sheriff Theo "Bill" Poe (1912-1988) to issue a reward for information leading to the arrest of suspects. Thompson was forced to drop the popular vocal music program at Davidson High School because of teacher-pupil funding guidelines. He grappled too with reductions in the Title I program of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. In 1974, he ended the holding of baccalaureate ceremonies with a religious theme, which had long preceded high school commencements. In 1976, he managed to obtain completion of the renovation of Newellton High School, a $700,000 project.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", pp. 42-44.</ref>

In 1974, Superintendent Thompson developed a policy to prevent teachers from abusing sick leave. He had found that some educators had taken time off to engage in private farming and business interests. Thompson also faced civil suits filed by some African-American educators who claimed unfair policies in his office. Tensas was a defendant in a suit by school boards in six parishes which sought to forbid the use of public funds to finance bus transportation and books and educational materials for private schools. Despite his specialization in handling disciplinary issues, Superintendent Thompson in 1976 struggled with vandalism of school board properties and sought parental assistance to halt disruptions. The matter grew sufficiently glaring that Thompson asked Sheriff Theo "Bill" Poe (1912-1988) to issue a reward for information leading to the arrest of suspects. Thompson was forced to drop the popular vocal music program at Davidson High School because of teacher-pupil funding guidelines. He grappled too with reductions in the Title I program of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965. In 1974, he ended the holding of baccalaureate ceremonies with a religious theme, which had long preceded high school commencements. In 1976, he managed to obtain completion of the renovation of Newellton High School, a $700,000 project.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", pp. 42-44.</ref>

===Assistant state superintendent===

===Assistant state superintendent===

Thompson's state title was "deputy assistant superintendent for special education." His immediate supervisor was Henry Leroy Smith, Jr., a North Carolina native, who from 1976 to 1982 was the assistant superintendent over special education. In 1981, a federal grand jury indicted Thompson and Smith on tent counts in an alleged kickback scheme. One count was merged with another, and the men faced nine counts. They were charged with having sought to extort assets from the [[Missouri]]-based International Management System. They were found to have placed a portion of a contract price from the State of Louisiana into a "kitty" in which the money was divided among themselves and a third person, Edward George Ackal, a [[Lafayette]] [[business]]man whose Educational Products Corporation sold goods and services to the state. The grand jury alleged that Thompson, Smith, and Ackal collectively split $360,000 of an $889,000 contract to International Management System, which financed the testing of thirty thousand pre-school pupils to determine how many qualified for expanded special education under the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. The law required school districts to provide an educational experience comparable to what a non-disabled child would receive. The act also requires school districts to provide one free meal per day for children with physical or mental disabilities.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", pp. 50-51.</ref>

Thompson's state title was "deputy assistant superintendent for special education." His immediate supervisor was Henry Leroy Smith, Jr., a North Carolina native, who from 1976 to 1982 was the assistant superintendent over special education. In 1981, a federal grand jury indicted Thompson and Smith on ten counts in an alleged kickback scheme. One count was merged with another, and the men faced nine counts. They were charged with having sought to extort assets from the [[Missouri]]-based International Management System. They were found to have placed a portion of a contract price from the State of Louisiana into a "kitty" in which the money was divided among themselves and a third person, Edward George Ackal, a [[Lafayette]] [[business]]man whose Educational Products Corporation sold goods and services to the state. The grand jury alleged that Thompson, Smith, and Ackal collectively split $360,000 of an $889,000 contract to International Management System, which financed the testing of thirty thousand pre-school pupils to determine how many qualified for expanded special education under the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. The law required school districts to provide an educational experience comparable to what a non-disabled child would receive. The act also requires school districts to provide one free meal per day for children with physical or mental disabilities.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish", pp. 50-51.</ref>

Thompson, Smith, and Ackal were found guilty in federal district court in Baton Rouge for having defrauded taxpayers. All three lost their appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in [[New Orleans]] and were imprisoned. Information is sketchy on Thompson's activities for the seven years from his release from prison until his death in Baton Rouge in the fall of 1993 at the age of sixty-one. Two funeral services were held for the veteran educator: at St. John's [[United Methodist]] Church in Baton Rouge and then the Newellton Union Church, an amalgam of Methodists, [[Presbyterian]]s, and [[Episcopalian]]s. He is interred alongside his wife and other family members at Legion Memorial Cemetery in Newellton. The Thompsons had three sons.  Charles Anthony "Tony" Thompson and Bruce Alan Thompson, Sr., are twins born in 1956 and practicing physicians, who reside, respectively, in Nacogdoches, Texas, and Searcy, [[Arkansas]]. The younger son, Michael David "Mike" Thompson, is a bank officer at Cross Keys Bank in St. Joseph.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish" pp. 51-52.</ref>

Thompson, Smith, and Ackal were found guilty in federal district court in Baton Rouge for having defrauded taxpayers. All three lost their appeals before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit in [[New Orleans]] and were imprisoned. Information is sketchy on Thompson's activities for the seven years from his release from prison until his death in Baton Rouge in the fall of 1993 at the age of sixty-one. Two funeral services were held for the veteran educator: at St. John's [[United Methodist]] Church in Baton Rouge and then the Newellton Union Church, an amalgam of Methodists, [[Presbyterian]]s, and [[Episcopalian]]s. He is interred alongside his wife and other family members at Legion Memorial Cemetery in Newellton. The Thompsons had three sons.  Charles Anthony "Tony" Thompson and Bruce Alan Thompson, Sr., are twins born in 1956 and practicing physicians, who reside, respectively, in Nacogdoches, Texas, and Searcy, [[Arkansas]]. The younger son, Michael David "Mike" Thompson, is a bank officer at Cross Keys Bank in St. Joseph.<ref>Hathorn, "Education in Tensas Parish" pp. 51-52.</ref>