Aubri Juhasz / WWNO
It’s been a busy week for the Orleans Parish School Board. During its last two meetings of the year, members rejected tax exemptions for the Folger’s Coffee Company, approved new accountability measures for charter school finances, received an update on music and art education, and amended district-wide discipline policies to account for virtual learning.
If you’re having a similarly busy week you probably didn’t hop on Zoom to watch the board meetings in real time. Fortunately, we’re here to catch you up.
Board members unanimously reject tax breaks for Folgers
The board rejected six tax exemption requests from Folgers on Thursday night, securing roughly $2.9 million in local property taxes for schools. The taxes will be paid over a 10-year period.
Students rehearse outdoors at The Roots of Music. The education nonprofit has kept its marching band going throughout the pandemic and resumed in-person rehearsal over the summer.
In the weeks after this year s Mardi Gras celebrations, New Orleans experienced one of the most explosive COVID-19 outbreaks in the country. Since then, music has largely been missing from a city that depends on it.
Parades have been canceled for the upcoming Mardi Gras season and indoor performances are prohibited. Outdoor performances, no matter how small, require a permit. The restrictions, meant to limit the spread of the coronavirus, have devastated professional musicians and affected other aspects of the city s vibrant music scene, including education.