WFPS Journals- Kaitlyn LeVance

The New Orleans Parish School District learning environment became so bad it was referred to as "schoolhouse rot" was at its peak in 1990. These conditions were from leaky roofs, termite infestations, water damage, and electrical issues. 122 of 124 schools in the district violated some kind of fire code. There were over 400 portable classrooms used to educate students. The conditions of these were harsh as they were old and many were rotting in the school yards. There was big controversy between parents and the  New Orleans Parish School District as schools started to slowly rename many of the schools in the district. Schools were being named to better represent majority of its students population, which was mostly black residents, by naming them after former slaves. This  stirred a lot of controversy within the community. Magnet schools became a controversy due to its enrollment policies being based on student attendance and academic performance.  These schools cons...

  "The district placed substitute teachers into classrooms before completing their fingerprinting and police checks. Finally, several parents filed a lawsuit after reports surfaced that some substitute teachers had felony arrest records and a substitute hit a student"(Page 120).          This quote in particular stuck out to me while I was reading the beginning of chapter 3. I am currently enrolled in the Stockton Education program and have my certification to substitute in schools. Getting my certification was a long and tedious process that involved me having to get fingerprinted, my background checked, and having at least 30 college credits. This process took place over the course of months before I got my certification to work as a substitute in a school. So reading that substitutes were hired with essentially no criminal history check and accreditation was shocking and heart breaking to read. Because the district hired such unqualified substitute ...

The second half of chapter two depicts how desegregation of schools lead to the "white flight" of white residents in New Orleans. Although there wasn't much progress of desegregation, and if there was it occurred slowly, it still lead to mass hysteria and anger amongst white residence. They took this opportunity to remove their children from public schools and even leave the area entirely.  White people tried every effort to not allow their children to attend school with black children. Below are examples of this phenomenon occurring that were talked about in the second half of chapter two.  In 1960 a poll for segregated schools was given to white residents and there was tremendous support to keep schools segregated. 60% of the poll wanted Louisiana to make a private school system as an alternative of desegregating public schools, but voters did not want this to increase their taxes. By 1962 nearly half the white students attended still segregated Catholic schools. By 197...

  "Because Abon and Lucille Bridges rarely discussed the events with their daughter and the melee outside WFPS was impossible to ignore, Henry soon realized she needed to teach Bridges more than simple numbers and letters. Henry, a white teacher from the North, faced the daunting and somewhat implausible task of explaining to Bridges, a black student from the South, the complex concepts of desegregation and racism in a way a Black 6 year-old child might understand." This quote stuck out to me in particular as I found it to be so impactful and really set the tone for what Ruby was going through during this time. In order for Ruby to get to school everyday,  she had to face the angry and violent protestors located outside of WFPS day after day. Although Ruby faced this challenge and went to school every day, once she arrived to school she was faced with another challenge. Isolation. Ruby was isolated from her white classmates throughout the entire day, it wasn't until sever...

  This drawing shows the unwelcoming crowds and racist sayings that Ruby had to face as she walked into WFPS on November 14, 1960. Although Ruby was carefully selected by the  Old Parish School Board members  to be integrated into WFPS, it was clear that she was not wanted by many and very few people supported this decision. The debate on how to desegregate schools was at an all time high during this time. The Old Parish School Board members mailed home a ballot to parents asking if they wanted to keep schools open with a limited desegregation plan or to shut down school entirely rather than begin to desegregate. Over 80% of white parents said that they would rather shut down schools than begin to desegregate them. This was shocking to read as parents would rather take away their child's education than to start desegregating schools. On the other hand 94% of black parents said to keep schools open and begin the desegregation plan, but the school board ...