Being a product of the public school system, I am of no help to my poor children who are navigating the tricky waters of private school here in New Orleans. Not only do they have to figure out uniforms, a ton of new rules, a new schedule, new teachers , new friends and of course new subjects, they are going to be subjected to religion classes too. Catholic, no less! Don't get me wrong, I"m not knocking Catholics. I'm admitting in a round about way that my kids have a sketchy religious education. A brief stint as methodists, followed by a long period of inactivity, and then an introduction to unitarian universalism has most likely just confused them. And now, we're throwing them into the Lions Den (just kidding; couldn't resist that reference).
But, going to a Catholic school won't be so bad. As the school administrator who so kindly took us in said, "You'll come to appreciate us Catholics more and more". I don't doubt it. I already do, in fact. Just providing a solid education for my kids for the next year is reason enough for me to be thankful. Being successful in finding the right school for kids is a seriously tough business. Were it not for the guidance and kindness of some neighbors, friends and administrators, our kids might have suffered the horror of homeschooling with an over-medicated mommy.
The entire school system in Louisiana (or New Olreans at least) is messy and complicated. For example, deciphering which private schools offer the best and most generous scholarships is difficult. Sometimes it feels like trying to get initiated into a secret club. I'll never forget going to an after work party years ago and listening to 20 somethings answer "What school did ya go to?" It was truly bizarre. No one gave a rats ass if you were at Yale or Tulane or DeVry. They all wanted to know which high school you graduated from. Yes indeed, high school. "Did I miss something?" I wondered.
Each school system and each school for that matter, says a lot about who you and your family are. If you traveled the Holy Name/De La Salle/Sacred Heart route, you were most likely Catholic, middle class and had some serious roots in Louisiana. There are lots of grads with names ending in "eaux" at these schools. Wore the green Newman shirt? Your daddy was a lawyer or business owner or a football star and could afford the very best. Had the good grace, luck, or horseshoes needed to make it into Lusher? Your parents were the ultimate hipsters, an enlightened bunch of artists/musicians/hippies who appreciate a fine, liberal public education.
Like so many other things, Katrina apparently changed the education system forever in this city. The school system was practically gutted (as the weekly alternative paper in town says) and charter schools sprang up everywhere in response. Ineffective teachers were put out to pasture and Teach for America moved in. The education system is getting better in terms of quality, but certainly not in terms of quantity. The best public and charter schools have ridiculous waiting lists and the absolute luxury of picking and choosing (minus the required district spots) the top students. So, where does that leave the rest? Wandering the desert in search of answers and a sign like oh, I don't know, a burning bush perhaps?
We didn't have the luxury of a burning bush, only a burning desire to find a good school. We spent months asking questions, filling out forms and phone calls, and we still came up empty handed. Despite its association with evil and wrong-doing, on Friday the 13th, we scored an appointment with Holy Name of Jesus on our first try (now there's a good sign!) and were quickly accepted into their loving arms. I hope we stay put.
Have we figured out the car pool or the uniform changes yet? Nope. But, we're learning. Have we short-changed the kids on school supplies already? Indeed. A trip back to Office Max however, will change all that. Like I said, this is new territory for all of us and we're doing the best we can. Thankfully, we're in a place where forgiveness is routine. Amen to that.
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