The devastation from Hurricane Katrina to the city of New Orleans in August of 2005 stirred educators and researchers from across the country to consider the implications for the region鈥檚 schools. Education Week published a number of Commentaries that reflected a range of national and local concerns that continue to resonate 10 years later. Excerpts from these essays illustrate the authors鈥� perspectives.
鈥淲e have been pretending since 1965 that the little bit of federal aid provided for disadvantaged children can overcome the historic legacies of racial discrimination and poverty. We can鈥檛 pretend any more鈥�the hurricanes washed that pretense away.鈥�
鈥擱achel B. Tompkins, Nov. 16, 2005, 鈥�Disaster Equity: Keeping Rural 69传媒 and Communities in the Picture as Rebuilding Begins鈥�
鈥淭he government cannot appear to be compassionate, and yet adhere to a rigid policy of standardizing education. Compassion is personal. Standardization is not.鈥�
鈥擡laine M. Garan, Nov. 9, 2005, 鈥�Will Katrina Topple the No Child Left Behind Law?鈥�
鈥淚ntensive academic learning will need to take a back seat to recovery for some students for some time.鈥�
鈥擶illiam Pfohl & Howard Adelman, Oct. 5, 2005, 鈥�Weathering the Storm: After the Gulf Coast Hurricanes, Children鈥檚 Mental Health Must Be a Top Priority鈥�
鈥淎merican school planners will be as close as they have ever come to a 鈥榞reen field鈥� opportunity: A large public education system will need to be built from scratch.鈥�
鈥擯aul T. Hill, Sept. 20, 2005, 鈥�Re-Creating Public Education in New Orleans
"[W]hat separates this state from others that face similar challenges is its guts and its understanding that small changes just aren鈥檛 enough.鈥�
鈥擪ati Haycock, Sept. 14, 2005, 鈥�Don鈥檛 Count Them Out: Louisiana鈥檚 69传媒 Will Come Back鈥擜gain鈥�
