Tuesday's public hearing postponed to allow for more input and research.
(New Orleans – March 29, 20201) – Since NOLA Public Schools requested public feedback on its plan to rename dozens of school buildings to remove racist legacies and honor those who championed progress and equality, we have received hundreds of suggestions, historical anecdotes and persuasive arguments from the people of New Orleans.
As a result, NOLA-PS will be extending the public feedback period from April 19 to April 30 to allow for more input; a thorough examination of the many historical figures offered as replacements; and a continued review of the names currently on the list to ensure that proper historical context has been rigorously applied.
This process creates a learning opportunity for NOLA-PS and the New Orleans community overall to view these historical figures both by the standards of their own eras and through a modern lens sharpened by social progress.
"We have been encouraged by the level of public interest and the outpouring of well-reasoned debates around the names of our schools," said NOLA-PS Director of Community Engagement Justin McCorkle. "It's our duty to ensure that any changes we make are thoroughly vetted and align with the core values of NOLA-PS."
The extension of the public comment period will require the Orleans Parish School Board to postpone its public hearing on the recommended name changes from Tuesday, March 30, until April 27, 2021.
The student feedback session will go on as planned, Tuesday, March 30 from 3:15-4:15PM via this link:
Please note the student feedback sessions are only open to current students of NOLA-PS and are not open to the general public.
NOLA-PS has appointed all nine members of its Renaming Committee, which has been charged with providing the superintendent with the final recommendation of persons to be honored with school facilities being named after them. NOLA-PS will provide the public with more details once the new timeline for the renaming effort is finalized.
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About NOLA Public Schools: NOLA Public Schools is the public school district for Orleans Parish. It includes the district's administration and elected school board, known as the Orleans Parish School Board. NOLA Public Schools currently oversees 76 public schools and is led by Superintendent Dr. Henderson Lewis, Jr.
For more information, visit www.nolapublicschools.com. For updates, follow NOLA Public Schools on Facebook @NOLAPublicSchools, Instagram @nolaps and Twitter @NOLAPSchools.