John Mac’s fate put in the hands of ad hoc committee appointed by OPSB
22nd September 2014 · 0 Comments
By Kari Dequine Harden
Contributing Writer
The Orleans Parish School Board on Tuesday unanimously approved the creation of an ad hoc committee tasked with presenting a plan for the future of John McDonogh High School at the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education’s (BESE) October meeting.
Before the measure went to vote, however, it was changed substantially in terms of who will serve on that committee.
OPSB member Leslie Ellison questioned the other board members about how the list of additional community organizations was selected. The recommendation on the agenda included seven organizations that the new committee was instructed to “reach out to.” Most had not been involved in John Mac’s plight over the past decade in any significant way or in any way at all, and Ellison and audience members questioned why they had been chosen.
Several have pro-privatization ties, like the Business Council of New Orleans and Stand for Children. The other organizations include Downtown Neighborhood Improvement Assoc., Esplanade Ridge, Micah Group, Urban League of Greater New Orleans, and Orleans Public Education Network (OPEN).
“Coach” Frank Buckley criticized the board for attempting to bring in people and organizations, including the business council who “report to” staunchly pro-privatization RSD architect” Leslie Jacobs. Jacobs serves on the council’s executive committee.
“Stop playing games,” Buckley said.
Board member Ira Thomas asked former parent and alumnus Angelina Elder whether any of the seven organizations reached out to her as she met with anyone and everyone who would listen about the deplorable conditions of the John McDonogh building. Elder’s photographs and inspection documents showed termite damage, toxic mold, exposed asbestos, and a building in a general state of significant disrepair.
Elder responded “no” to every one.
The initial recommendation for the committee called for the participation of just one member of the John McDonogh Steering Committee – the driving force behind the effort to remove John Mac from RSD jurisdiction and open a new, successful John Mac under the OPSB.
Ellison requested a motion to instead include three members of the Steering Committee, three members of the OPSB, Orange Jones, and a representative of the RSD.
In terms of gaining input from additional groups, Ellison and audience members urged that the list be inclusive and not exclusive, pointing to numerous groups that have worked to improve John Mac and were not included on the original list.
BESE member Kira Orange Jones stood before the OPSB to offer clarification on the next steps for the new committee. Orange Jones voted against giving John Mac back to the OPSB at the August BESE meeting. She said that BESE is still awaiting a ruling on whether or not BESE has the authority move John Mac out of RSD jurisdiction.
Orange Jones said that BESE listened to the community concerns, and wanted to see a plan in October that would outline the best possible use of the facility for children.
Despite having failed to improve the school for nine years, BESE members have thus far indicated that only the RSD can make the decision to return the school to local control – thus being accountable for their failure only to themselves.
Skeptics of the process see the “community engagement” plan as a disingenuous delay tactic – and that ultimately the RSD will put whatever charter operator into the school they want. But the RSD – and BESE – will still be able to say that they attempted to engage the OPSB and the community in the process.
“I don’t want this to become a charade,” Thomas said.
BESE will meet on October 15 in Baton Rouge.
This article originally published in the September 22, 2014 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.
