Friday, April 08, 2005

School Takeover Talk...

WDSU, TheNewOrleansChannel.com reports:

The city, the state or both could take over Orleans' public schools, and one school board member said he believes it should happen soon.

"I think, at the very least, the state needs to come in and take over the financial side of the house," Fahrenholz said.

It was recently disclosed that the school system is broke, with a little more than $100,000 in the bank.

Mayor Ray Nagin suggested that the city could be involved.

"We're looking at that as an option," he said. "We want to help with the finance side in taking over a cluster of schools and working to give these kids a better option."

School Board President Torin Sanders met with Nagin at City Hall to try to dissuade him.

"The people elected us and not anybody else," he said. "We must be able to have a say in the financial matters of the district and the academic matters of the district. So we welcome support from all entities, but we want to make sure we're driving that plan."

State education Superintendent Cecil Picard said he wants to assume control of the schools' finances to make sure everyone gets paid.

Orleans schools Superintendent Anthony Amato tried to reassure teachers Wednesday.

"I want our teachers to be calm," Amato said. "I want our kids to be calm. I want our parents to be calm. Everyone's going to be paid, paid on time and paid right through the end of the year. Period."

Sanders has called an emergency board meeting Monday night to work on the money crisis, including authorizing a short-term loan, if needed.

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