Last year, in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the school district fired thousands of teachers and school-related personnel and, at the same time, invited charter school groups to take over New Orleans schools. Concurrently, the Louisiana Legislature changed the law to allow the state to take over most New Orleans public schools. There are now several distinct authorities running schools in the city—the state-operated recovery school district; a number of independent charter school organizations; and New Orleans Public Schools, which has retained control of six schools. At the beginning of this school year, 58 schools had been reopened.

The United Teachers of New Orleans is actively signing up educators in all three systems. “Many of these teachers and other school employees are former UTNO members who are very happy that we are still working on their behalf,” UTNO communications director Joe DeRose says.

In recent months, UTNO lobbied the state Legislature to appropriate $6 million to help reduce the insurance premiums for all retirees, including those forced to retire as a result of the dismantling of the school district. The union also is asking for clear, consistent guidelines and qualifications for teachers hired in all three school systems.

UTNO is also pushing to make sure teachers and the community have a voice in the rebuilding of New Orleans. “It’s time to bring the teachers and their union back into the dialogue,” UTNO president Brenda Mitchell says. “Our members have the experience and desire to work with district officials to bring a sense of order back to our schools.”

At presstime, the AFT was putting in place plans to recognize the first anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. These plans include an advertisement in a major New Orleans newspaper.