Charles Lussier

With titles ranging from “Esli’s Big Attitude,” to “Runaway Robot," the storylines of these teen-written children's books range from finding a lost dog, to a boy who gets bullied when he enrolls in a new school, to an adventure tale involving pirates and treasure.

A new report by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation zeros in the school days of young men, aged 18 to 29, who were convicted of murder between 2007 and 2022. They accounted for 70% of the 160 murder convictions during that 15-year span.

In a new suit, the new management of Impact Charter School in Baker claims founder Chakesha Scott has “knowingly and intentionally” refused access to current payroll records, preventing employees from getting paid.

Friday's dramatic move likely means the forced exit of founder Chakesha Scott, who has run the 400-plus student school since it opened its doors more than a decade ago in this small city located just north of Baton Rouge.

Jamie Robinson, a local education advocate, is one of several residents who raised concerns about Impact Charter School in Baker, helping lead to a damning investigative audit of the school released recently.

The closing of two Baker schools is the latest in a series of school closures and revamps instigated by state leaders to compel city and parish school boards around Louisiana to eliminate schools earning F academic letter grades.

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office uncovered evidence that founder Chakesha Scott made extensive use of the charter school funds for her personal benefit to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Police arrested the 11th grade Tara High student who is 16 and not identified.

Louisiana regulations allows schools to treat virtual days the same as in-person school days as long as they adopt a “continuous learning plan” detailing how they deliver remote instruction when in-person classes are interrupted.

East Baton Rouge Parish Supt. LaMont Cole outraged after video surfaces of a pre-k student fight that leads two teacher being placed on leave: “It’s beyond disappointing. It’s downright disgusting.”