By Jessica Williams, The Lens staff writer | To make expulsion hearings more equitable for Recovery School District students, the state-run agency will coordinate hearings at its 66 New Orleans schools through a central office. The RSD Expulsion Hearing Office, once responsible for conducting hearings only at schools the district runs directly, will now oversee […]
Tag: The Times-Picayune
Posted inOpinion
What's with City Hall's ongoing campaign to kill District Councils?
The New Orleans City Council will soon vote on the future of citizen participation in our city. It’s an ideal mandated by both a post-Katrina amendment to the City Charter and the city’s long-overdue master plan. But despite overwhelming popular support, it appears to be in grave peril.
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Primary politics: Does Jindal secretly want Obama to win?
Seamus, the now world-famous family pet Mitt Romney strapped to the roof of his car for a 12-hour drive to Canada. (credit: www.dogsagainstromney.com) mons 1. Basketball analyst Digger Phelps appeared on CNBC’s Squawk Box show to talk about the men’s NCAA basketball tournament known as March Madness. At the end of the segment (video here) […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
Happy Birthday, Saints-Picayune – and sundry other random thoughts
This grab bag of topics goes out to those who like their internet reading quick and brief.
Posted inOpinion
Curfew: Stripping kids’ access to the cultural heart of New Orleans
A musical family, kids included, plays Royal Street on a summer evening. (kimncris/flickr creative commons) When I lived in Europe, I used to josh my British friends with a plan for Britain’s economic future (which looked dim at the time). I suggested that they tear down every structure built after the Seventeenth Century and restore […]
Posted inEnvironment, Opinion
500-year protection for under $2 billion? Why wait 20 years to start?
Reapirs to New Orleans’ current “100-year” flood defense have already cost more than $10 billion, and yet the coastal master plan projects “500-year” protection for a mere $1.8 billion more? (Dana M. Clark, Flickr Creative Commons) Thursday, The Times-Picayune ran a front-page story on the state’s newly-released 50-year strategy to confront south Louisiana’s coastal loss […]
Posted inOpinion
Educator's vision: continuum to college, meaningful work
Now with Loyola’s Institute for Quality and Equity in Education, Andre Perry is pushing a reform agenda through research and multi-media messaging. Photo by Jessica Williams. One in a series of conversations with New Orleans educators Andre Perry describes himself as an education “thought leader”. His work has run the gamut from advocacy for immigrant […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Juvenile jail — a.k.a. 'Youth Study Center' — draws fire in studies by advocacy groups
Records obtained by The Lens continue to raise questions about safety and conditions at the Youth Study Center in Gentilly. Image courtesy Kevin Henry, Fox8 News. By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer | Recent disciplinary actions at the city’s juvenile prison, along with a pair of damning new reports, raise fresh questions about the […]
Posted inGovernment & Politics, Opinion
Dardenne, Nungesser race for lt. governor gets down and dirty
Jay Dardenne: incumbent. Photo by Shreveport-Bossier Convention and Tourist Bureau. Billy Nungesser: challenger. Photo by Gage Skidmore. Three weeks ago I thought I’d be the only one to plumb the lurid depths of the lieutenant governor’s race between Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser and incumbent Jay Dardenne. But, happily, pundits of all stripes have jumped […]
Posted inCriminal Justice, Government & Politics
Deputy jailed on rape, kidnapping charges
Correction: An earlier version of this story mistakenly reported that the deputy had a court appearance on Monday. In fact, the District Attorney’s Office has until Nov. 9 to accept or refuse charges; a court appearance is not scheduled. By Matt Davis, The Lens staff writer| An Orleans Parish sheriff’s deputy was arrested Friday on […]