NBC's School Pride just aired the episode the filmed here in Baton Rouge over the summer. They gave Lanier Charter School an extensive face lift, inside and out. One question they kept asking over and over again was, "How did it get this bad?" You can watch the episode here:
Trying to explain what happened to public schools in Baton Rouge is a tricky thing - and a decades long story. My original draft of this blog was too long, too hard to follow and meaningless to people who aren't from here.
What it boils down to is this: they're fucked. Most school plants are in terrible condition and too many teachers aren't competent. And people with money in Baton Rouge don't send their kids to public schools, so they aren't invested in making them better.
Some time ago, I blogged about an early morning trip to North Baton Rouge and how I felt the need to really make a difference but didn't know how because the problems are so big. It's the same deal. Where do you start?
You should post your original draft, i'd like to read it.
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