Carroll 's Future Of Debate

Another school year has ended in Monroe, LA, and young people, known as high schoolers, are now ready to embark on another exciting chapter of their lives. Some are ready to start that chapter at the collegiate level, go into the military or begin working on a specialized skilled job from a technical school. They have many possibilities as to how that next chapter will unfold, but one thing they will not forget is where they graduated from as they take the next big step in life. The three public high schools in Monroe - Carroll, Wossman, and Neville - have produced outstanding graduates doing their fabled existence, as the future looks bright for the learning institutions to continue producing brilliant minds who would make their contributions to society. Now the landscape has dramatically changed over the last decade, as one of Monroe's premier high schools, for lack of a better word, has, for some, fallen by the wayside when it comes to utilizing resources. In its Mission Statement, the Monroe City Schools District states the district "is committed to the excellence in teaching and learning. We hold high expectations for all students., parents, and staff. We share, with our community, the responsibility for providing a safe, caring environment designed to help students become productive citizens. We pledge all available resources to help prepare students to live and work in a rapidly changing technological society."'

Unfortunately, there appears to be an equity problem in the Monroe City Schools, especially with the schools located in south Monroe. There should be no distinctions(other than name only) between the schools, but there are and always have been. There is no distinction between tax dollars, as all of it is supposed to go for the same purpose: making sure that schools have the resources needed for each school to function properly, but why does it seem that one set of schools does better have numerous resources. In contrast, others don't or only appear to have it on paper? The three high schools are different in names but also different in resources allocated to them to be at the top. Neville High School, many would say, has everything, and some might say that Wossman has some but not all, and Carroll, poor Carroll, always seems to struggle just to remain in existence. At a recent school board meeting, a proposal to make space available for a study area just like Neville was voted down because the removal of the chillers was too expensive. That was troubling for the Black/Brown community because the school board is Black majority 5-2 and Carroll is predominantly Black. Once again, the voting went 4-3 in the other direction, as some are beginning to wonder who is actually running the school board. Those who are concerned about Carroll wonder if any "deals" were made and were there any strings pulled. People talk and wonder what is going on behind the curtain when the board reflects the majority population of Monroe. By showing a growing concern, the community is letting the board know that it is not asleep at the wheel and wants to see a more balanced approach when utilizing those resources, as mentioned in the District's Mission Statement.

Photo Carroll Student Courtyard