New Orleans will lose one of few African American Catholic schools at the end of the school year.
St. Joan of Arc Catholic School in the East Carrollton neighborhood will be shuttered due to declining enrollment.
Families who send their kids to the school say the announcement from the diocese was unceremonious and delivered on short notice.
Parents now have to scramble to find a new school for their kids to attend.
Parent Misty Frye told WWL-TV: “This is not the first time this has happened to us. My kids attended St. Rita last year, and the school announced it was closing in January, and once again, here we are.”
Just last January the diocese announced they would close St.
Mary Magdalen in Metairie, St. Rita in New Orleans and St. Rosalie in Harvey.
The Parish of St. Joan of Arc responded in a statement: “The downward enrollment trends seem irreversible based on the demographics of the area, and the financial burden the school would create to the parish would have an adverse impact on our community as a whole.”
Parents are calling for a chance to sit down with school and parish leaders to see if they can save St. Joan of Arc.
