As Black educators and advocates, we carry the mantle of our ancestors before us who created universal, state-supported public education based on their ideals of freedom and full citizenship for Black children, families and communities.  The history of Black education in the South teaches us that Black people have consistently forged a first-class education experience from second-class resources. Today, as we stand in the legacy of this Black civic leadership we say that the time for educational reparations is now and hope your voices will ring alongside ours. 

On March 26th, 1841 New Orleans public schools were officially recognized by city and state government institutions. 180 years later, a deeper historical look reveals that ex-enslaved Black people were written out of this narrative despite their remarkable efforts to build the first “public” schools, strides that benefitted the entire South. This petition acknowledges that quality education in New Orleans past, present or future is impossible without supporting Black self-determination, or Black governance. Black governance is more than Black leadership – it is Black ownership. It is the ability of Black people to shape what Black children learn – through curricula, budgets, leadership, culture, legislation. It is autonomy without control. 

Toni Morrison says, “‘Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.” The will of a people to define who they are, by themselves, for themselves has been and continues to be hard fought. So we insist on celebrating the audacity of Black Is Brilliant to thrive in spite of. We also believe in truth. Black educators have become the poster child for reforms that Black communities did not create. We see our likeness used to legitimize messages and provide token diversity, but do not feel the financial support of our institutions or regulatory support of our Black education practices and pedagogy. No one feels the sting of this more than Black-governed and Black-led schools who often outpace their counterparts academically, socially, and emotionally with half of the financial support.  We believe that systemic racism in our school system is why 46% of the 900 teachers that leave their schools every year in New Orleans are Black. Their voices and experiences can no longer be silenced. 

In 2020, Black Education for New Orleans released our Black Is Brilliant Report: Field Notes on Black Education in New Orleans  to share the unique victories and challenges of Black educators in our landscape. The report’s findings are echoed by educators of our hue nationwide. Extensive research has proven the benefits of quality Black educators on the educational attainment of Black children. As a result, there is a constant push to recruit Black educators only to under-invest in their gifts and wellbeing. We asked 300+ Black educators and advocates in New Orleans what it looks like to support the most brilliant, quality, and deserving among us to do their best work on behalf of Black children. Read below and add your name to show up 800+ strong in full support of these principles for quality Black educator development and support in New Orleans.