One Gentilly school could be locking up permanently, forcing students to find new schools in the middle of the school year.Parents of students at Delores Taylor Arthur School for Young Men, including China Smith and Chaka Khan Jarreau Griffin, said they are hearing rumors of a potential school closure and want answers now.”We’re blindsided. We don’t know exactly what’s going on. All we know is is that now they’re saying the school is going to close, and these boys are devastated,” said Smith.Smith’s son, Warren, is a senior who is set to graduate this spring, but it may not be from the school he’s grown to love.”It’s a possibility that after the Christmas break, the doors will be locked,” said Smith.Leader of the school, Byron Arthur, spoke with WDSU but did not confirm if the school was closing. In a statement he said, “there are several short-term financial headwinds that have created significant challenges including a decrease in enrollment combined with the sunset of federal education resources and the overall loss of MFP funds district-wide. In addition, our school experienced an increase in the percentage of special education students that would require additional financial resources and specialized teaching.We continue to examine several paths to maintain our charter operating agreement while at the same time recognizing that the stability of our young men is the priority.””We would have been more than willing to fundraise and do whatever it was to help the school, but we weren’t aware,” said Griffin.Griffin said the Arthur school has helped their sons thrive and closing it in the middle of the year would be a tremendous loss.”These kids have a family at that environment, and I don’t see them being able to have that at another school setting,” said Griffin.Both women say there’s little transparency about the school’s financial state and now that they and other parents have to worry about new schools, uniforms and transportation, they are pleading with school leaders to work a miracle. “Stop! Take a look at this and reassess the situation,” said Smith.In a statement to WDSU, NOLA Public Schools said, “a special board meeting will be held next week on December 10 to discuss renewal recommendations and potential action regarding the Delores Taylor Arthur School for Young Men. During the meeting, detailed information about the school will be provided.”
One Gentilly school could be locking up permanently, forcing students to find new schools in the middle of the school year.
Parents of students at Delores Taylor Arthur School for Young Men, including China Smith and Chaka Khan Jarreau Griffin, said they are hearing rumors of a potential school closure and want answers now.
“We’re blindsided. We don’t know exactly what’s going on. All we know is is that now they’re saying the school is going to close, and these boys are devastated,” said Smith.
Smith’s son, Warren, is a senior who is set to graduate this spring, but it may not be from the school he’s grown to love.
“It’s a possibility that after the Christmas break, the doors will be locked,” said Smith.
Leader of the school, Byron Arthur, spoke with WDSU but did not confirm if the school was closing. In a statement he said, “there are several short-term financial headwinds that have created significant challenges including a decrease in enrollment combined with the sunset of federal education resources and the overall loss of MFP funds district-wide. In addition, our school experienced an increase in the percentage of special education students that would require additional financial resources and specialized teaching.
We continue to examine several paths to maintain our charter operating agreement while at the same time recognizing that the stability of our young men is the priority.”
“We would have been more than willing to fundraise and do whatever it was to help the school, but we weren’t aware,” said Griffin.
Griffin said the Arthur school has helped their sons thrive and closing it in the middle of the year would be a tremendous loss.
“These kids have a family at that environment, and I don’t see them being able to have that at another school setting,” said Griffin.
Both women say there’s little transparency about the school’s financial state and now that they and other parents have to worry about new schools, uniforms and transportation, they are pleading with school leaders to work a miracle.
“Stop! Take a look at this and reassess the situation,” said Smith.
In a statement to WDSU, NOLA Public Schools said, “a special board meeting will be held next week on December 10 to discuss renewal recommendations and potential action regarding the Delores Taylor Arthur School for Young Men. During the meeting, detailed information about the school will be provided.”
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