Hi my name is Vashti I am currently a Masters student at Georgia State
University in the Instructional Technology program. I am a new
subscriber and very interested in the Katrina discussions and wanted to
offer an opinion as it pertains to the question that was posted by
Angela Smith. Her question was: 

 

"Since the literacy services and funding support post Katrina are scarce
and deficient, how does that compare to the services pre Katrina,
particularly, given the severely high percentage of blacks (that were)
on poverty level in New Orleans?"

 

Can someone give me an answer for this question? I have been reading
post and have not found the answer yet.

 

My comment is that I don't necessarily think it is solely a black issue,
but more so a poverty issue and poverty does not see color it just sees
victims. Whereas I do agree that most of the victims may have been black
there are other races that have been adversely affected because they
were below the poverty line. It seems to me from the specials I have
seen that the educational system in New Orleans was not that great in
your poverty stricken communities, so the lack of help they are
receiving post Katrina in my opinion doesn't seem different. That
doesn't mean you can not and should not demand better education post
Katrina but maybe thought needs to be given to other forms of informal
learning as well. My mom always says "if you teach a man to fish he will
eat for life".  I believe that if you give people the framework for
learning they will draw their own picture. What exactly that framework
looks like is anyone's guess. It will all depend on the wants and needs
of the people of New Orleans.

 

 

 

Vashti Canty

vashti.e.canty at delta.com

M.S Instructional Technology

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