The execution of Jessie Hoffman Jr. this week, by nitrogen gas in Louisiana forces us to confront a haunting question: does the death penalty serve as a meaningful deterrent to crime, or is it merely a relic of retribution masquerading…
Category: Roosevelt Wright
Our Recommendations for the March 29 Ouachita Parish Ballot
On March 29, voters in Ouachita Parish will face a critical decision as they cast their ballots on four constitutional amendments and several property tax renewals. These measures will shape the future of our parish and state, affecting everything from…
Districts should protect teachers from student led “career terrorism”
Some students engage in a form of “career terrorism.” When it happens, teachers face irreversible reputational and professional damage. This is not about protecting bad teachers or dismissing genuine cases of misconduct. Schools must maintain high standards for professional conduct,…
New state education plan raises the bar for schools, we must plan now
Louisiana schools, especially high schools, should be aware that Louisiana’s new educational accountability system, aptly named Grow.Achieve.Thrive. (GAT), will replace the current LEAP 2025 Accountability Program in the 2025-26 school year. For many schools, this will be a game changer…
Minorities pay the hidden costs of scaling back the Department of Education
Minorities across the country are sitting on pins and needles pondering the effects of plans to scale back the Department of Education and send many funds back to states for localized distribution. Sending DOE money back to states sounds good,…
Can youth violence be approached from a healthcare perspective?
For too long, our community’s response to youth violence has followed a predictable pattern: increased police presence, stricter enforcement, and harsher penalties. While law enforcement plays an important role in public safety, mounting evidence suggests that treating youth violence as…
We should learn from our living legends this Black History month
As Black History Month continues, today’s Black leaders would do well to study the strategies, problems, and actions of past leaders to develop a meaningful strategy for the future. Many of those who led the “movement” for social justice in…