Changes

==Both houses of the state legislature==

==Both houses of the state legislature==

While he was still a principal in Vermilion Parish, Picard unseated a state House member in District 47 in the first ever nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] held in Louisiana on November 1, 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=​http://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdf|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2024 (Vermilion Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=February 7, 2020}}</ref>

While he was still a principal in Vermilion Parish, Picard unseated a state House member in District 47 in the first ever nonpartisan blanket [[primary]] held in Louisiana on November 1, 1975.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://house.louisiana.gov/H_PDFdocs/HouseMembership_History_CURRENT.pdff|title=Membership in the Louisiana House of Representatives, 1812-2024 (Vermilion Parish)|publisher=Louisiana House of Representatives|accessdate=February 7, 2020}}</ref>

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After three years in the state House, he won a [[special election]] to complete the term of state Senator Ned Doucet, Jr., in District 25, which encompasses all or parts of Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, and Vermilion parishes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/1880membership.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana Senate, 1880-2024 (Vermilion Parish)|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=February 7, 2020}}</ref> As Picard went to the Senate, he was succeeded in the house by Samuel Houston "Sam" Theriot of Abbeville, son of Louisiana Comptroller [[Roy Theriot]].

After three years in the state House, he won a [[special election]] to complete the term of state Senator Ned Doucet, Jr., in District 25, which encompasses all or parts of Acadia, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jefferson Davis, and Vermilion parishes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://senate.la.gov/Documents/Membership/1880membership.pdf|title=Membership of the Louisiana Senate, 1880-2024 (Vermilion Parish)|publisher=Louisiana State Senate|accessdate=February 7, 2020}}</ref> As Picard went to the Senate, he was succeeded in the house by Samuel Houston "Sam" Theriot of Abbeville, son of Louisiana Comptroller [[Roy Theriot]].

Governor Foster said that his friend Picard "made a lot of headway [toward improving education]. He did a good job, and I never heard anyone say he didn't."​

Governor Foster said that his friend Picard "made a lot of headway [toward improving education]. He did a good job, and I never heard anyone say he didn't."​

Picard was succeeded in the state Senate by Democrat [[Gerald J. Theunissen]] of  Jennings, who defeated the Republican state party chairmanMike Francis of Crowley in Acadia Parish. Theunissen himself later switched to Republican affiliation.​ He was succeeded as education superintendent by Paul G. Pastorek (born 1954), who was retained by the board in 2008, with the support of Republican Governor [[Bobby Jindal]], but left the post in 2011.

Picard was succeeded in the state Senate by Democrat [[Gerald J. Theunissen]] of  Jennings, who defeated the Republican state party chairman [[Mike Francis]] of Crowley in Acadia Parish. Theunissen himself later switched to Republican affiliation.​ He was succeeded as education superintendent by [[Paul Pastorek]], who was retained by the board in 2008, with the support of Republican Governor [[Bobby Jindal]], but left the post in 2011.

==Death and legacy==

==Death and legacy==

Former state Representative Jimmy Dale Long, Sr. (1931-2016), of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], a member of the [[Earl Long|Long]] political dynasty who was the chairman of the University of Louisiana System board of supervisors, headed the House Education Committee when Picard was chairman of the corresponding Senate committee. He said that the two developed a working and friendly relationship. "Cecil and I authored a raft of education reform," Long said in his eulogy to Picard. Long said that  Picard was comfortable with himself, and it showed. . . . He told me, 'People believe honesty, and they're not easily misled,' which is how he led his life. . . . Cecil could get things done. His political legacy is [that] he made sure Louisiana's children have the opportunity for a better education."​

Former state Representative Jimmy Dale Long, Sr. (1931-2016), of [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], a member of the [[Earl Long|Long]] political dynasty who was the chairman of the University of Louisiana System board of supervisors, headed the House Education Committee when Picard was chairman of the corresponding Senate committee. He said that the two developed a working and friendly relationship. "Cecil and I authored a raft of education reform," Long said in his eulogy to Picard. Long said that  Picard was comfortable with himself, and it showed. . . . He told me, 'People believe honesty, and they're not easily misled,' which is how he led his life. . . . Cecil could get things done. His political legacy is [that] he made sure Louisiana's children have the opportunity for a better education."​

The family requested that Picard be remembered through memorial contributions to the Cecil Picard Endowment Fund to benefit the eponymous Cecil J. Picard Center for Child Development and Lifelong Learning at his ''alma mater,'' the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.​ There is also the Cecil J. Picard Educator Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/education/2018/07/27/wossman-principal-state-principal-year/854136002/|title=Wossman's  (Eric) Davis Is State Principal of the Year|publisher=''The Monroe News-Star''|date=July 27, 2018|accessdate=February 7, 2020}}</ref>

The family requested that Picard be remembered through memorial contributions to the Cecil Picard Endowment Fund to benefit the eponymous Cecil J. Picard Center for Child Development and Lifelong Learning at his ''alma mater,'' the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.​ There is also the Cecil J. Picard Educator Awards.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsstar.com/story/news/education/2018/07/27/wossman-principal-state-principal-year/854136002/|title=Wossman's  (Eric) Davis Is State Principal of the Year|publisher=''[[Monroe News Star]]''|date=July 27, 2018|accessdate=February 7, 2020}}</ref>

In 2006, a year before his death, Picard was inducted into the [[Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]] in Winnfield.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lapoliticalmuseum.com/inductees.php|title=[[Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]]|publisher=lapoliticalmuseum.com|accessdate=February 7, 2020}}</ref>​

In 2006, a year before his death, Picard was inducted into the [[Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]] in Winnfield.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://lapoliticalmuseum.com/inductees.php|title=[[Louisiana Political Museum and Hall of Fame]]|publisher=lapoliticalmuseum.com|accessdate=February 7, 2020}}</ref>​

[[Category:Educators]]

[[Category:Educators]]

[[Category:Politicians]]

[[Category:Politicians]]

[[Category:State Senators]]

[[Category:State Senators]]

[[Category:Democrats]]

[[Category:Democrats]]