Masters Thesis

Swept Behind Black Children

On August 25, 2005, the city of New Orleans was hit with Hurricane Katrina, leading to billions of dollars of damage and the loss of over 2000 lives (datausa.io). Like COVID- 19, the government was aware of the potential damage but failed to provide adequate protection. According to James Elliot's (2006), people from a lower socio-economic class felt unsupported, because the government failed to provide acceptable resources and warning to those in the city of New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina had the most impact on Blacks (especially from a lower socioeconomic status) since most of the damage was done in New Orleans, a predominantly Black city (2000 Census). This travesty created negative outcomes on education, emotional trauma, and financial stability. Mirroring Hurricane Katrina is COVID-19. Within Los Angeles County, COVID-19 has caused job loss, stress, and increased financial hardships among lower socio-economic families (Los Angeles Times, 2020). Currently, LA students are required to engage in distant learning, which requires access to the internet and a computer (all of which are not free). Therefore, increasing the potential stress for families that are no longer receiving free meals for their children at school. Education support that is provided at school is not easily accessible; some parents may also find it difficult to locate a safe place for their children to be while they are at work (Los Angeles Times, 2020). Due to these stressors, underserved students can be at risk to be more educationally disadvantaged. Using the previous knowledge gained from the effects of Hurricane Katrina on education, there will be a qualitative comparison to the current state of COVID-19 on Black youth's education.

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