Education in Louisiana, "Land of a Thousand Oil Leaks"

My letter to the editor of "The Advocate", Baton Rouge's local paper, finally appeared. I was responding to a letter from Brian Haymon who is the chairman of the LSU Honors College Advisory Board. This is his letter:

The Advocate’s editorial, “Funding LSU for winners,” on Monday, April 19, hit the nail on the head with its recognition of LSU students who have recently won national honors. We, the people of Louisiana, need to support our top students, whether as taxpayers or as private sector donors.

LSU’s best and brightest are almost all students in the Honors College. The Honors College is housed in the French House, an historic structure on Highland Road across from the student union. Rather than stand as a proud testament to Louisiana’s commitment to higher education, the French House is a leaky, smelly and functionally unworkable structure when it comes to educating today’s best and brightest. By contrast, LSU’s rival universities in Georgia, Arkansas, Alabama, Mississippi. Florida and Texas (to name a few) have all built modern facilities to lure top students.

Ten years ago when LSU set out to field a championship-caliber football team, tens of millions were spent for facilities to help recruit top football talent. We all know the result. It seems to me our commitment to our best students — the future leaders of Louisiana — ought to be no less.

Three years ago, plans were developed to renovate the French House, an essential university facility that serves many functions beyond the Honors College. The estimated cost is $6.5 million. Except for a small amount allocated last year for roof repairs, which have yet to occur, no funding has been found: An upgraded Honors College facility seems like a reasonable investment to help keep our best students home. I hope the Legislature will agree.

This was my response:

I’d like to respond to Brian Haymon’s letter of May 4 about keeping talented students at LSU.

Clearly Louisiana does not value education.

I’ve taught in Baton Rouge public schools for the past 20 years. Except for brief stays out of state, I have lived my life in Louisiana, and I graduated from LSU. For the past 20 years I have been associated with LSU in some capacity, so I think I can speak with some limited authority on the subject.

Having been lucky enough to teach in magnet schools in Baton Rouge, I’ve taught some of the best and brightest students. I have never seen LSU actively recruit our top graduating seniors. All I’ve heard from these same students is that LSU never bothered to call back, ignored letters or couldn’t find the time to meet with them.

Now, of course, none of our students, coming from magnet programs, learn to throw a football, so it is understandable that they may be of limited value to LSU, which places a premium on athletics.

Haymon makes an excellent point when he says that when we want a top football team we pull out all of the stops to build state-of-the-art training facilities in order to attract highly paid talent. And then we pay coaches extravagantly.

Now, I can hear the naysayers and defenders as I write this: “But the athletic department is self-funded.” “The money comes from a separate fund.” “It helps the state.” And on and on.

The point is, and it’s not a really subtle one, that money is money, whether it be public or private, and that the same powers that be who ensure that we hire one of the highest-paid football coaches in the nation should also push for a premier academic institution.

Anyone who believes that LSU is really a top-notch institution apparently has not traveled much, does not read much or is otherwise very gullible.

Except for the few bright spots, my alma mater is a joke academically. Calling it a “flagship” university all day doesn’t make it a Harvard.

You would think we could come up with $6.5 million to repair the French House.

No disease was ever cured in Tiger Stadium, and no alternative fuel will ever be discovered in Alex Box Stadium, and no microprocessor was ever designed in the Maravich Center. These are places where, in spite of all the hype, we merely play games.

So if we want to be regarded as a state that enjoys nothing but having a good time and partying and eating, then I suggest we stay the course.