WBRZ - Baton Rouge

ST. GABRIEL - Some residents and city leaders in St. Gabriel are looking to break away from the parish's school district to form their own municipal system.

St. Gabriel Mayor Lionel Johnson said Thursday the community wants to opt out of the parish's school system because of "years of frustration" of feeling like the school system's "stepchild."

East Iberville Elementary and High School and the Math, Science and Arts Academy-East campus are the only two schools located on Iberville's less-populated east bank.

A spokesman for the state Department of Education says that breakaway districts require a state constitutional amendment granting the city the same authority as parishes to receive state funding and tax revenue to fund local schools.