Where the Schools Went

Thoughtful in its exploration of post-Katrina education reform in New Orleans, and- in extrapolating questions around such reform to a broader scope- offers a provocative look at shaking up an educational system. Part of what I appreciate is that in the final chapter, the host offers the caveat that an extraordinary circumstances led to the events described. I'll be recommending to teacher friends!

YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO THIS—no matter where you stand on education policy. This story isn’t really about schools; it’s a lens on American life—what holds us together, and how easily it can fall apart. The podcast reminds us that American schools are far more than classrooms. They are anchors of community, stability, opportunity, and trust—among the last shared civic spaces we have. When they disappear, something much larger begins to unravel. The series shows how power in this country often operates quietly—through data, timelines, and distant decision-makers—while families are left to absorb the consequences, with little recourse once the machinery is in motion. Until I became a parent, education wasn’t a priority in my civic engagement. This podcast showed me how mistaken I was. It makes clear how education policy doesn’t just shape schools—it reshapes neighborhoods, family trajectories, and a child’s sense of belonging and possibility. Where the Schools Went is a story that reminds Americans to pay attention to the decisions that shape their daily lives—who actually makes them, and who lives with the consequences. It’s democracy at the ground level.

I am a longtime teacher from Nola and generally roll my eyes at outside takes on the city after Katrina, but this one is the exception. They interview people from across the system with very different perspectives — and came out with a balanced but powerful story. I learned a lot recommended this to everyone in my life.

While there were interesting and moving moments in this podcast, by the third episode, I had to stop listening. I could no longer overlook the strong bias in favor of charter schools and against truly public education. The third episode felt especially egregious for its anti-union sentiment. The host tells us that teachers went unpaid in the early days of NOLA school reopening at non-union charter schools. He implies this is a good thing: Unions would have prevented such “sacrifice” (read: exploitation). It’s a shame because the host seems thoughtful and smart, and he is nuanced when explaining the challenges facing New Orleans Schools before and after Katrina. The podcast’s position on solutions, however, is one sided: Charter is always better. In the first 2.5 episodes, no one is interviewed who represents equally strong alternatives, let full-fledged opposition. New Orleans schools, teachers, and students deserve to have their story told. Unfortunately, I do not believe this is the person nor the platform to tell it.

Really tough on any entity that isn’t interested in the for profit model of education. The real experience of charter schools is a tragedy in American education. Really hoped for better.