It’s hard to say the right thing about New Orleans’ schools, but they will die (again) if we don’t

New Orleans’ public schools are in the process of becoming something new. The “unification” of its post-Katrina system of charter schools with its pre-Katrina governance structure administered by the Orleans Parish School Board promises to produce something never seen before: a reformed school district with democratic oversight, but with full site-based autonomy. The chief question for unification is whether it can reconcile the cultural and economic disputes that have dogged reform for… Read More

To be honest I am thrilled at Trumps success

On November 8, 2016 the American people spoke when they elected Donald J. Trump as their 45th President. There were various reasons why Americans elected a self-serving, foul-mouthed, woman-disrespecting narcissist to the highest office in the United States of America. If we are honest, some racist voters were tired of seeing an uppity N-word in the White House; after all, it had been eight years. Many party loyalists were so ready to… Read More

Love for “The Children of Central City”

Through a documentary film known as The Children of Central City, city offiicials are paying more attention to the trauma and pain that plagues the neighborhood. Officials are giving voice to the need for more immediate substantive attention to these children and their lives. “You may not live in such a community, but I can promise you that what happens there has a ripple effect on your community.” Read more here

Back to the Future: NOLA Public Schools Return to Orleans Parish School Board

As school staff prepare for the start of the 2018-2019 school year and parents shop for the endless list of uniforms and school supplies, most residents may not have realized that state legislation passed May 2016 went into effect July 1, 2018, marking the Orleans Parish School Board’s comeback. It will now oversee the unification of the city’s public schools that had primarily been managed by the Recovery School District following hurricane… Read More

Apparently Literacy is Not a ‘Fundamental Right’, But it Should Be

“In 2018, you shouldn’t have to file lawsuits so that kids get access to teachers and books,” says Mark Rosenbaum the lead attorney in a lawsuit filed by Public Counsel, a Los Angeles based law firm, on behalf of Detroit students against state officials including Gov. Rick Snyder. The lawsuit sought to hold them accountable for systemic failures that deprived Detroit children of their right to literacy. Lawyers for the state of… Read More

How my last school choice became my first

By Garionna Price My name is Garionna Price and I am a senior at George Washington Carver. I will be attending Illinois Wesleyan University with a full paid scholarship through the Posse Foundation Leadership Scholarship. Prior to high school, I attended Fannie C Williams Charter School from 3rd to 8th grade. Throughout my middle school years, I was a straight A-B student. I was pretty good at math and loved reading. When I… Read More

With Reunification, New Orleans Becomes the First District in the Country to Oversee a Citywide System of Public Charter Schools. Will It Work?

  This article was first published on the74million.org By Beth Hawkins On July 1, the current chapter of New Orleans’s unprecedented and closely tracked school improvement effort ended, and another — arguably one with bigger potential lessons for other urban school districts — began. For the first time since Hurricane Katrina, a local, elected school board now controls all but a handful of the city’s 86 public schools. And, since the majority… Read More

Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death Do I Really Still Have To Choose?

Liberty or Death? Was that ever really an option? And if it was, then it’s time for us to stop choosing. If ever given the opportunity, we will always choose life, liberty, and independence. Freedom is a state that most living beings want to dwell in. For humans, freedom is the right to make the basic decisions in life with your will and customized to your personal preference. I truly believe freedom… Read More

Restorative Process

By Kyelah Vincent My name is Kyelah Vincent and I am a sophomore at Abramson Sci Academy. My school is very different and very involved with the community. I feel that Sci is different because we focus on being a team. If we can work as a team we can trust each other. One of the main topics we focus on here at Sci is the fact that we are a family and… Read More