Parents are angry about public schools in NOLA! Can you blame them . . .

 

By: Dana Henry

As a parent of two public schools students in NOLA, I am one of the fortunate ones. My children tested into a high-performing pre-K program because I could afford to pay the fees. The school isn’t in OneApp yet, it’s walking distance from my home, and the likelihood of them attending a high-performing public high school is extremely high. Citywide, those coveted quality seats are few in number and high in demand. So let’s compare my situation to others and see why tension, anger, and frustration exists with so many other parents in NOLA.

OneApp –If a seat at your preferred school isn’t available, OneApp assigns you to your next choice, if it’s available. If not, you could end up with a seat at your fifth choice.

Transportation – If the only quality school that fits your child’s needs is two blocks away but filled before your child is given a seat, the next available seat could be in Algiers. And, if you live in the East, transportation becomes more of a burden and less of a privilege very quickly.

High demand and low supply produce tension for many parents because they know that access to a quality school from Pre-K to 12th grade could be the difference between prison or a career. So when they’re told that the quality school that fits their child’s need isn’t available, they get angry!! But, can you blame them?

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