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Sunday, March 10, 2013

Louisiana Educator: NOLA.com, Blackboard Wars Reveal Charter Shortcomings

Louisiana Educator: NOLA.com, Blackboard Wars Reveal Charter Shortcomings:


NOLA.com, Blackboard Wars Reveal Charter Shortcomings

Recent reports in NOLA.com have described California charter school developer Steve Barr's problems with expanding his charter concept to New Orleans. Bar has a contract with Oprah's OWN network to produce a documentary series on his efforts to turnaround John McDonogh high school in New Orleans

Bar's comments in the NOLA story contradict each other. In one instance he talks about how "beautiful and brilliant" he finds the students of John DcDonogh High School. In another instance he criticizes the New Orleans community and students exclaiming "this is what seven generations of crap looks like!"

The OWN network documentary focuses on some of the new TFA teachers struggling to succeed in their teaching assignments at John McDonogh. Steve Barr is quoted explaining that such teachers are having problems because of inexperience. He points out that it takes at least 4 or 5 years for a teacher to