Mayor LaToya Cantrell Reaffirms Commitment to Education and Collaboration with OPSB, Stresses Financial Responsibility for City and School System
NEW ORLEANS — For the record, Mayor LaToya Cantrell has been a champion for education across the board in the City of New Orleans and will continue to stand up for the students at every level.
Regarding recent concerns about school funding, some are attempting to politicize this issue and frame it as a conflict between the Mayor and our school children. This could not be further from the truth.
The Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) is an independent agency of the State of Louisiana, responsible for setting policy, approving budgets, and managing financial resources for the benefit of public-school students in this parish.
Last year, OPSB announced a $36 million deficit for reasons that remain unclear. There has been a lack of transparency, accountability, and clear answers—aside from the removal of the Superintendent without open discussion, under the constraints of a non-disclosure agreement. Certain school board and council members are now using this situation as a political tool to pressure the administration.
The Council Budget Chair unilaterally made an agreement on behalf of the City without the proper charter authority to do so, all while ignoring my calls and efforts to meet and address the school board’s financial issues collaboratively.
To properly address this matter, we met last Friday with the interim Superintendent, school board members, the City Attorney, and the Finance Director. Together, we agreed to explore ways the City could assist without jeopardizing its own financial health.
However, before we could continue down that path, certain council members and external entities—who have not been part of constructive discussions—chose to escalate this into a political fight.
This is both unacceptable and unproductive. No one, especially me, wants to see our children and educators suffer. But at the same time, we cannot ignore the financial mismanagement that led to this $36 million shortfall. For the administration to step in irresponsibly would be a violation of our fiduciary duty to the residents of this city. Unlike the school board, the City is obligated to ensure that taxpayer funds are used responsibly for critical services such as school playgrounds, public safety, sanitation, and community programs.
While I refuse to put these essential services at risk, I remain ready and willing to meet with all stakeholders to find a responsible solution.
# # #
|
