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Interview With Lourdes Moran, Orleans Parish School Board's Vice President

Posted on: Tuesday, 5 July 2005, 09:01 CDT

Despite serving on the embattled Orleans Parish School Board, which oversees a cash-strapped, poverty-stricken school district with declining student enrollment and facing budget cuts that could slash 800 district jobs, OPSB Vice President Lourdes Moran perseveres because of the students.

Moran was elected in January. Since then, Superintendent Anthony Amato quit and the OPSB was forced to hire New York firm Alvarez and Marsal to manage its out-of-control finances.

But public criticism aimed at Moran and the six other School Board members during rowdy meetings doesn't deter Moran from doing her job, she said. Moran said she's in it to help students succeed.

The Board has received a lot of criticism over its decisions in the last few months. How do you deal with the criticism?

There will always be criticism but I'd rather focus on the goal of attaining quality education for all of our students and the people in our community who are working toward that goal with myself and the rest of the Board.

What is the biggest misconception the public has about the Orleans Parish School Board?

The responsibilities Board members have in education as a governing body. Our responsibilities are to make policy, to ensure that those policies are implemented and followed, and to find new revenue sources.

What do you think will be the impact of Alvarez and Marsal coming in to the school district?

The impact should be in streamlining the district's operations. They have the task of building capacity in the Finance Department and to implement controls by centralizing operations. The focus is to get more money to the classroom and spend less in overhead.

What will it take to bring the school district up to par with other inner-city districts?

There are many districts facing similar educational and financial problems across the country. For us to be competitive, we need to address some fundamental issues including, but not limited to: strong leadership at our central office and in our schools; certified, motivated and innovated educators; a return to educational programs that stress the basics that we all learned in school; financial resources that get to where they are needed most; a real plan for capital improvements throughout the district; better understanding between the district, our students and our community; union, employment and service contracts that produce a win-win for everyone involved while addressing the tough decisions that have to be made; and a less litigious atmosphere.

What challenges do you as a School Board member face in the upcoming months?

Our primary challenge is to keep our district afloat. We can do this by making the necessary decision to operate within a balanced budget.

Do you feel with the district's budget deficit, closing middle schools and cutting jobs to save money is critical? If not, what else could be done?

It's absolutely critical. For the past five years, this district has operated without a structured academic plan in alignment with a fiscal budget. Our student population is a continuous decline yet we are overstaffed by approximately 800 people. The district invests in educational programs year after year, never allowing for them to stay in place long enough to develop benchmarks. How can success develop or be measured with constant change? We need stability, we need a comprehensive plan and we need to stay within our budget.

Do you feel the school district is at a historical turning point for the better? Please describe why.

Yes, it is. We need to change the way of doing business. We've lost a generation of individuals to poverty, ignorance and the inability to think beyond tomorrow. In short, we are losing the middle class in our society, which is the backbone of the United States and the democracy we enjoy.

After knowing what you know now about serving as a School Board member, would you run again? Why or why not?

I ran to help correct the systemic problems in our school system. My focus is on the issues before me today. I'm not a politician and I don't have a personal agenda. I just want our community to thrive and develop. But we can't do it without education.

(Copyright 2005 Dolan Media Newswires)

Source: New Orleans CityBusiness

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