Education
School Reflections
means that every school has students from all different parts of the city.
Reflections from high schools in New Orleans, Louisiana New Orleans has a very unique school system within the United States both because of the effects of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 on the school system and the unique culture of the city. After Hurricane Katrina, the school system has become increasingly privatized with inde - pendent charter management organizations managing schools instead of a traditional public school system. Like many urban school systems, many youth live in communities where gun violence is prevalent, and they are more often concerned with avoiding being caught up in violence and breaking the cycle of poverty than being able to focus on school itself. Because of the na - ture of the charter school system in New Orleans, youth do not necessarily attend their neighborhood school and can be bused to an area on the other side of the city to attend school, which has major implications on their community socialization and sense of home. This
In addition, the New Orleans school system places more emphasis on music and arts, as well as sports, compared to others around the country. Music, particularly mar - ching and brass band, are a very important part of the culture and youth can find genuine pathways to become professional musicians – in many ways reminiscent of a musical pathway in Europe. Many of the youth in New Orleans end up working right after high school and the majority of students who attend college in New Orle - ans will attend a Historically Black College or University (HBCU). While being in the band or other performing unit is perceived as “nerdy” or “uncool” in other parts of the United States, in New Orleans, people think of the band members as the “cooler” young people. Many young people in New Orleans schools also try to pursue sports scholarships for American football and basketball. The academic standards vary by state and Louisiana, like many states in the south of the United States, tends to
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