Behind The Lens episode 121: ‘But that’s not a quota’
A traffic enforcement grant program may violate state law. Plea deals for people convicted by non-unanimous juries. And NOLA Public Schools stops tracking attendance data.
A prudent proposal to save Louisiana’s petrochemical industry
I am a supreme thinker.
New Orleans school attendance rate improving, but one-third of students have missed 10 days of school or more
As attendance plummeted during the pandemic, the school district began collecting attendance data from charter schools. With recent improvements, it has suspended the initiative.
Defendants whose non-unanimous convictions were tossed take plea deals on lesser charges
More than a dozen people appeared in court on Wednesday after making deals with the Orleans Parish DA’s office. Many are now set to go free immediately.
COVID-19 cases dip slightly in schools; older students now eligible for vaccine
One school cancelled in-person classes after a vaccination drive to allow staff to recover from temporary side effects.
State traffic enforcement grant includes arrest ‘targets,’ possibly violating state law against quotas
The state denies that the language creates quotas, saying that funding is not dependent on meeting the targets.
Amid background check investigation, Singleton Charter appoints interim CEO
The CEO and CFO resigned last week after a critical report from NOLA Public Schools on how the school conducted employee background checks. NOPD and Louisiana State Police are investigating the issue.
Louisiana pays $52K to woman who says former New Orleans judge groped her
Byron C. Williams retains judicial retirement benefits despite being suspended for 18 months.
Behind The Lens episode 120: Full and effective compliance
The Convention Center moves forward on its massive "entertainment district." NOPD nearing full compliance with the consent decree. And COVID vaccinations among white New Orleans residents outpace vaccinations among Black residents.
SUNO changes procedures after multiple students report that scholarships were not honored
Months after a report by The Lens on the problems, there is no word yet on an audit the university says is underway. And the Southern University chairman says the board will not be taking up the issue.
