EDUCATION: Katrina offers second chances

Despite the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, many of New Orleans' schools (which were some of the country's worst) have been offered a fresh start. According to the New York Times, officials chose to turn over 40 of the 80 salvaged schools to state-charted and state-financed groups to provide oversight above and beyond that of common school leaders. It is proving to be a successful conversion process that is backed by the Bush administration and $24 million.

In the first few months after Katrina, James Huger, a real-estate investor, and his organization the Choice Foundation, applied for a charter for Lafayette Academy, a grade school in New Orleans. Choice then hired Mosaica Education, a for-profit chartering enterprise that promised “a tuition-free classical education worthy of the finest private schools,” to help them with management. But Mosaica failed to help and the school remained dirty and lacked technology and transportation for students and Choice did not renew their contract with them this spring.

Instead, Choice hired a new principal who actively recruited teachers, janitors and bus drivers and even sought out proper textbooks and gym equipment. And even though it took a little while, the school has now returned to normal. Considering the problems Katrina caused in the months and years after she hit New Orleans, its nice to see a little hope and to know that not everything that happened was bad.

-Lisa