Should Charters Go Back to the District? The Things We Should Be Considering

As I prepared to participate on a parent panel for family engagement hosted by the National League of Cities, I came across an article, “Why should New Orleans charter schools return to the Orleans Parish School District?” Given that two of my children attend charter schools that are now under the Orleans Parish School District (Edna Karr and Andrew H. Wilson) and one of my sons attends KIPP Renaissance, a school contemplating… Read More

Black Male Educators of New Orleans: An Interview with Kendall McManus-Thomas

  With a bachelor’s degree in chemistry education and a master’s in educational Leadership, 26-year-old Kendall McManus-Thomas is a promising young educator. He teaches high school chemistry at his alma mater, Warren Easton Charter School, as a way to open doors for students and to inspire them to pursue careers in medicine and technology. For Kendall, the spark started in 2005 when as a junior in high school, he was displaced by… Read More

Local Heroes: Lloyd Dennis and the Silverback Society

“I will live my life as though generations depend on me, and I will teach mine to do the same.” -The Silverback Pledge Two gentlemen of New Orleans often ran into one another at community meetings and soon developed a strong mutual respect. Pastor Arthur Wardsworth and Lloyd Dennis were concerned about the effect the lack of positive male role models had on young men in their communities and agreed they were… Read More

Looking ahead with optimism, yet asking questions

  For the year ahead, I am optimistic and excited about educational gains moving forward in my city and state. A movement for getting more parents engaged is slowly picking up steam in my community and a gradual move is better than none at all. Citizens are starting to join in on the conversations surrounding issues that affect our kids’ future. Educators, mentors, support staff and administrators are finding their niche in… Read More

Local Heroes: Nicole Bouie and the Community Commitment Education Center

Amid all the talk about student testing, education policy and what not, it’s easy to forget that at the center of the conversation are actual children. But there’s plenty of hard work going on at the ground level by individuals and organizations dedicated to the needs of our children. They include social workers, engineers, mentors, and teachers just to name a few. Some are professionals, some are volunteers, and most have mobilized… Read More

Black Male Educators of New Orleans: An Interview With Charlie Vaughn, Jr.

Exhibit the likeness. Provoke imagination. Instill into minds. Establish perception. The seeds of change are planted with intention. They are nurtured, watered, and cultivated with love. Then the results are set free to flourish and plant seeds of their own. In a city with unemployment for black males at over 50 percent, according to a recent study released by the Urban League of New Orleans, black youth need positive role models in… Read More

We The People

    We The People, We Got Work To Do With the people, for the people, by the people. I crack up when I hear it; I say with the handful, for the handful, by the handful, cause that’s what really happens                                -Fannie Lou Hamer This past weekend, voters in the great state of Louisiana went to the polls to choose from several candidates vying for city, parish and statewide political seats in various… Read More

Heroes in Education: The Belief in Possibilities

  Recently I was asked to present an award at the 2015 OPEN Public Education Awards. The gala showcases innovators and exemplars in public education telling the untold stories of successful schools in New Orleans. I was thrilled to be invited and grateful for the opportunity, yet I had no idea of the impact the event would have on my perception of education. With so many people offering up their opinions on… Read More

Education and Poverty: The Conversation that Doesn’t Exist

“When you live in a poor neighborhood, you are living in an area where you have poor schools. When you have poor schools, you have poor teachers. When you have poor teachers, you get a poor education. When you get a poor education, you can only work in a poor-paying job. And that poor-paying job enables you to live again in a poor neighborhood. So, it’s a very vicious cycle.”—Malcolm X The… Read More

As Parents We Ask, Who Cares for Children Anymore?

I eat, sleep and breath education nowadays. I am always contemplating what can be done to make things better for our kids in New Orleans. How can the groups that I am involved in affect parental involvement, awareness and participation? From leadership classes to town hall meetings, these thoughts of how to spark holistic growth in our schools run through my mind. One morning it wasn’t any different but as I sat… Read More