“To be clear, there is no evidence that racial and ethnic minorities have an inherently greater predilection of being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 virus or dying from it when compared to white persons. A more accurate predictor of infection is poverty, and a higher likelihood of working at jobs that can’t be done remotely.”
Posted inCoronavirus
School buildings may have to stay closed in phase two, district evaluating
District and city officials said they will announce a plan next week.
Posted inCriminal Justice
Consent decree plaintiffs, Justice Department OK handing control of jail back to Gusman
Lawyers say the jail has made progress but dispute that it is in full compliance with the consent decree.
Posted inCoronavirus
State board of education to set COVID-19 minimum safety standards for schools Tuesday
Local school systems will have to adopt the minimum standards BESE approves Tuesday. It’s unclear exactly how that will work in New Orleans schools.
Posted inBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens episode 89: The pulse of the city?
Louisiana rejoins the list of states with rising case loads of coronavirus. But some politicians are crying foul over pandemic precautions. That’s troubling for medical professionals; so are the growing number of tourists coming to New Orleans. Also, the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Foundation has rebranded itself for changing times. But its mission remains a serious one.
Posted inCriminal Justice
New Orleans City Council President Jason Williams pleads not guilty to tax fraud charges
Williams is charged with 11 federal counts, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government.
Posted inCoronavirus
French teachers bound for Lycée Français unlikely to make start of school year due to Trump visa ban, state agencies say
The French government and local schools hope to get teachers here by January, after the president’s visa ban is set to expire.
Posted inCoronavirus
‘Is it really safe to reopen schools?’ Educators, parents, students discuss concerns about reopening in virtual town hall
A NOLA Public Schools survey found that only 49% of teachers felt safe to return as of the beginning of June. And COVID-19 infection rates have not improved since.
Posted inGovernment & Politics
City Council considers ordinance to ban facial recognition and create a public review and approval process for surveillance technology
Council members were supportive of broad aspects of the ordinance, but some remain unconvinced on certain restrictions.
Posted inCoronavirus
With funding uncertainties exacerbated by coronavirus, public defenders hopeful for permanent statewide solutions
Legislators appear open to changing ‘user-pay’ funding system for criminal justice.