Teachers of New Orleans Recall the Impact of Hurricane Katrina

• Many teachers' experiences after Hurricane Katrina influenced their careers.
• The loss of traditional schools and friends complicated learning.
• Support for teachers became crucial for recovery after the catastrophe.

Twenty years ago, the hurricane Katrina fundamentally changed education in New Orleans forever. The school system was almost entirely destroyed and transformed, becoming the first and only all-charter school district in the country.

In the years following the hurricane, the Associated Press asked three educators to share their memories of how they experienced this significant transition, whether as students or teachers. For some connections, such as those they developed with teachers who supported them during the crisis, became vital for their careers in education.

Here are their testimonies, shortened for publication.

History Teacher Remembers Evacuation to Texas

Chris Deer, a history teacher at Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans, was at the beginning of his senior year in school when the hurricane hit. He evacuated to a hotel, then to a shelter for Katrina victims in Texas.

"I remember my grandmother standing in the doorway of the hotel. She said that everywhere was flooded, that the dams had broken. I will never forget how I received that knock at the door, which gave me the realization that everything had changed," he recalls.

Chris mentions the teachers who supported him during his most difficult times, such as a football coach who helped with equipment, and a teacher who provided essential materials. This experience inspired him to become a teacher.

The Change in Schools Led to a Sense of Loss

Yakovlly Ross, who was a high school principal during the hurricane, recalls the difficulties he faced when he was forced to close several schools in one year.

"It was devastating. It was hard to make friends, because you didn't know how long you would be at the new school," he says, emphasizing that he lacked the support typically found in New Orleans.

Teacher Recalls Loss in the Classroom

Michele Garnett, who worked as a teacher in New Orleans for 33 years, recalls how she returned to her destroyed classroom after the hurricane. She lost many personal items that were important to her.

"It was a horrifying situation. I couldn't save anything from the classroom. Everything was lost," she says.

All three educators describe how their experiences during the hurricane influenced their decisions to become teachers, to support future generations of students.

Tags: USA/Weather