Re: teachnola pros/cons
Posted by Mrs. D on 3/13/08

I think that you are being very noble. You obviously feel a responsibility to the
place that you consider home. I am sure you have prayed over this decision and
feel that it is the right one for you. Wanting to help folks in the city you call
home is a emotional reaction to an emotional situation. You are after all a
teacher. Teachers DO NOT use their heads when choosing a career, they use their
hearts. Judging by your emotional reaction to my post, you clearly feel great
affection for this city. I felt that same love and responsibility that you do;
however, I am not willing to put my family in a situation that I know is
dangerous. I grew up in and around NO too. I love the culture too. My family
immigrated to the great city of NO in the 1800's. We actually owned the oldest
house on the Mississippi Gulf Coast until Katrina. I am not ignorant of the fact
that the city needs dedicated people to help get it back on its feet. But you know
what? It's more than danger that keeps me away, and I know that if you have spent
any time in the hard hit MS/LA areas then you have seen the hopelessness,
depression and sickness that I have seen. I am saddened by the situation, but its
not our problem to fix. The problems are much bigger than us!

All of that said, I have to say again that I would not recommend this kind of move
for anyone who is not a hardened, veteran teacher; a teacher who clearly knows
what she is getting herself in to. This person should already know the ins and
outs of education, and should be able to handle the job without much
administrative support. Things are hard enough for a young person starting out in
this world without the extra stressors of post-Katrina NO. This does not make me
less of a teacher. The Lord has sent me two of my own children to protect, and
plenty of students to help as I move across the world with my military husband. I
know I make a difference!

Again, I am saddened by the situation, and I am in awe of a hero like you that
wants to step in and make a difference. Who knows maybe you'll go back and put a
dent in the mountainous problems that need to be addressed. But I will argue to
the death over my points above. This is not for young, inexperiences people, and
this is not a place to raise a family.

And you are absolutely right, the 80's were almost 30 years ago. Just as you can't
compare domestic murders to random violent crimes, I never would never compare a
NO of 30 years ago to the NO of today. It's apples and oranges. Please do your
research before you decide to move back. At the very least, check out the NO
police department website. There is a wealth of information there. For the first
quarter of 2007, violent crimes were up 107% from 2006 (107%!). By the fourth
quarter, violent crimes only rose 25%, but that is still too much! Of course you
have to calculate whether or not the population is increasing at the same rate,
which it nearly is, but it is still too much. If you do your research, and still
feel comfortable with the move, and are an experienced educator, then by all means
go help save NO. May God be with you as you venture forth on you mission. I will
add you to my morning prayers, and please come back to this post in December 2008
and let everyone know what you experience first hand on the job. Maybe you can
convince others to join you in NO? Mrs. D

On 3/11/08, New Orleans bound wrote:
> Well, I for one am VERY offended by Mrs. D's words. I lived in New Orleans
> from birth until Katrina. True the city is not the most pristine, but what
> city really is. Now I live outside of Memphis and there was just a 33 yr old
> man who killed 6 of his family members (incl 2 children) last week. Let's
> face it there's danger anywhere you go - going to a foreign country to do
> mission work is dangerous, joining the military is dangerous, but if you are
> truly a teacher at heart, you have two choices when it comes to New Orleans -
> live there and try to make it better or stay away and be happy, but please,
> please don't ruin it for others who are considering making a difference in New
> Orleans. Last month I've accepted a teaching position in New Orleans and am
> very excited to get back to the city I love, but if it does not work
> out...that's my own thing to deal with. I'll never bad mouth a city who has
> gone through so much and still needs much more.
>
>

Posts on this thread, including this one

• teachnola, 1/22/08, by Adriana Carlson.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 1/27/08, by thisrj.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 1/28/08, by Thank you THISRJ from Adriana.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 1/28/08, by Katy Anna.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 1/30/08, by thisrj.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 2/06/08, by Allen.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 2/09/08, by NOLAteach.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/05/08, by tyler.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/06/08, by Merrill.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/06/08, by Katy Anna.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/06/08, by Mrs. D.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/07/08, by Katy Anna.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/07/08, by New Orleans bound.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/07/08, by certifiedteacher.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/08/08, by A Good Question.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/08/08, by Mrs. D.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/11/08, by New Orleans bound.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/13/08, by Mrs. D.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/15/08, by A Good Question - Again.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 3/15/08, by New Orleans bound.
• Re: Mrs. D----As a New Orleanian &teacher, I'm GLAD you're gone!, 3/16/08, by MY city doesn't need you and your negativity!!.
• Re: Mrs. D----As a New Orleanian &teacher, I'm GLAD you're g, 3/16/08, by Mrs. D.
• Re: teachnola, 3/16/08, by Mrs. D.
• Re: teachnola, 3/16/08, by New Orleans bound.
• Re: Mrs. D----As a New Orleanian &teacher, I'm GLAD you're g, 3/18/08, by LOL@Mrs.D-----YOU are the NEGATIVE ONE!!.
• Re: Mrs. D----As a New Orleanian &teacher, I'm GLAD you're g, 3/18/08, by Christina.
• Re: Teaching in NO - conerns/advice, 4/07/08, by trinigal.
• Re: Teaching in NO - poor pay, no incentives, 4/19/08, by Barbara.
• Re: teachnola pros/cons, 5/01/08, by future teacher.
• Re: Now if you really want to get some good teaching experience, 5/03/08, by Helen/HS/La..
• Re: Now if you really want to get some good teaching experie, 5/05/08, by future teacher.