Ann's Message to Congress

"Dear Congresswoman Woolsey,

I am writing to urge you to support the $30 million allocation for Gulf Coast
education in H.R. 1591.

I am a student at Yale University and am currently on spring break. I spent all of last week in New Orleans, mainly gutting houses and a firehouse union hall.

During my time there, I attended a Neighborhood Planning Network meeting in which a panel of speakers discussed New Orleans' education situation. The people there all spoke with hope as they illuminated the problems education is facing in the city. There are not enough teachers, space nor supplies for every child to attend school. A psychiatrist also spoke about the emotional and mental help children need now. Often, the effect of the hurricane on children's emotional stability is overlooked. Thus, schools not only need more teachers, but also more counselors who can provide comforting mental help.

I became emotionally attached to the city, even though I was only there for one week. The people were warm and the colorful houses revealed their bright spirit. The jazz music and Creole food were all uniquely pleasant. The lively downtown area, however, was juxtaposed to the neighborhoods around the city that still were completely abandoned with sagging houses still carrying water marks 8 feet above the ground. In the neighborhood I worked in, many people were beginning to return and after interacting with them, I saw how much hope and determination they had to keep New Orleans alive. New Orleans is their home.

I firmly believe that schools are vital to New Orleans' recovery. Hurricanes Katrina and Rita displaced 12,000 teachers from the Gulf Coast, including 4,500 teachers from New Orleans alone. Today, Gulf Coast school districts, especially the state-run Recovery School District, are facing acute teacher shortages as more and more families return to the area.

Already, 28,000 students have returned to New Orleans, and 56 schools have opened. Next year, the city expects to enroll 40,000 students, and to have 80 schools open. These schools need to be staffed with high quality educators.

H.R. 1591 will help the New Orleans area attract and retain high-quality educators by providing performance bonuses for those who come to or stay in the area, student loan relief, and relocation and housing assistance to help them find affordable housing.

Good schools will encourage families to return to the city, and a well-educated workforce will help spur economic revitalization. Most importantly, good schools will provide the thousands of young people who still suffer from the aftermath of the hurricanes with a chance for a brighter future. To make this possible, the Gulf Coast needs high quality teachers.

Please support the allocations for Gulf Coast K-12 teacher recruitment in H.R. 1591. Thank you!"

--Ann Shue

Tell Congress to help people like Ann: http://capwiz.com/mobilize/issues/alert/?alertID=9543276