“Started From the Bottom, Now We’re Here?” The Perspectives of Black Educators Within Post-Katrina New Orleans Charter Schools

• In Event: Anti-Blackness in K-12 Education: In Pursuit of Equity

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of neoliberal charter schools on Black educators in post-Katrina New Orleans. This paper investigates how New Orleans charter schools, initially heralded as solutions to educational disruptions caused by Hurricane Katrina, have functioned within a context of systemic racial inequity. Utilizing critical race theory (CRT), the study explores the lived experiences of Black educators, revealing how neoliberal reforms perpetuate anti-Blackness through constrained professional agency, biased promotion practices, and punitive pedagogical environments. Through 52 semi-structured interviews, the findings expose how charter schools serve as instruments of racialized power, reinforcing whiteness and marginalizing Black educators. This study provides insight into the broader implications of neoliberal education policies.

Author

• Kevin Lawrence Henry, University of Wisconsin - Madison