How Hurricane Katrina created a generation of educators: Here's why their stories still matter today

Twenty years after Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans and its public school system, the impact of the storm continues to shape the lives of those who were students and teachers during that period. Many who experienced displacement and loss have since returned to the classroom—not as pupils, but as educators driven by their own experiences.

The storm led to the destruction of the traditional public school system in New Orleans, resulting in the city becoming the first and only all-charter school district in the US. As reported by the Associated Press, several individuals who lived through the disaster have since pursued careers in education, inspired by the support they received during the crisis.

Support from teachers sparked a career change
Chris Dier, now a history teacher at Benjamin Franklin High School in New Orleans, was a high school senior in Chalmette when the storm hit. He evacuated to Texas, eventually finishing school at Henderson High School. Dier recalled waking up to the news that "the levees broke," a moment he described as life-changing, as reported by the Associated Press.

While staying in a shelter, his family was offered a trailer by a local couple. Dier credited several Texas teachers for inspiring his path into education. "They made me feel welcome. They made me feel like I belong," he told the Associated Press. Teachers like Coach Propes, English teacher Mrs. Rains, and Spanish teacher Ms. Pellon went out of their way to provide supplies and support.

Though he had not planned to follow in his mother's footsteps as a teacher, the kindness he encountered after the storm led him to reconsider. He later drew parallels between the disruption caused by Katrina and the COovid-19 pandemic, even writing an open letter to high school seniors in 2020.

A student missing New Orleans' care and connection
Jahquille Ross, who has worked as a teacher and principal and now serves at the nonprofit New Schools for New Orleans, was an eighth grader at Edna Karr Magnet School when Katrina struck. He relocated multiple times, attending four schools in one year.

Ross lived in Plano, Texas, for six months and reported feeling disconnected. "I just didn't get the love and attention that I was accustomed to in New Orleans," he told the Associated Press. Upon returning, he found familiarity and support within his old community. Inspired by the educators who guided him, he chose to teach in elementary education, aiming to give students a role model in a Black male educator.

Flooding erased a career's keepsakes
Michelle Garnett, a retired kindergarten and pre-K teacher of 33 years, lost her classroom and sentimental teaching materials when Parkview Elementary was destroyed. As reported by the Associated Press, she evacuated to Baton Rouge, where 23 family members stayed in her daughter's home. Despite the hardship, she felt fortunate that all were safe.

Garnett had originally entered education as an aide to her daughter with a rare form of muscular dystrophy. Following her daughter's passing, she trained as a certified teacher and remained in the profession until retirement in 2022.

These accounts, as reported by the Associated Press, highlight how personal experiences during Hurricane Katrina laid the foundation for a generation of educators dedicated to serving the children of New Orleans.


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