Pushout: The Criminalization of Black Girls in Schools

by Monique W. Morris

In 2005, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita raged through the Gulf Coast, exposing one of the nation’s blind spots regarding inequality. Prior to these devastating hurricanes, New Orleans was home to 124 public schools that were part of three distinct school systems. Of these schools, 117 operated under the governance of the Orleans Parish School Board, 5 were under the governance of the Louisiana Recovery School District (a special statewide district created to take over “failing,” schools), and 2 were independent charter schools.67 The hurricanes not only devastated the personal property of many New Orleans residents but also severely damaged schools—at least forty-five schools suffered sewage and flood damage.68 Affected by displacement and ongoing efforts to rebuild after the hurricane, New Orleans reorganized its entire education scheme. As of August 2014, there were eighty-three schools, seventy-six of which were charter schools, most of which were under a new school system: the Recovery School District.