Education

A Day-by-Day Drama

July 14, 2004 1 min read
  • Save to favorites
  • Print

Anthony S. Amato

  • Tuesday, June 1
    The Louisiana House of Representatives passes HB 1659, a bill to shift power from the New Orleans school board to the superintendent. Some Orleans Parish board members accuse district Superintendent Anthony S. Amato of supporting it.
  • Thursday, June 3
    A special school board meeting is scheduled for the next evening to deal with the superintendent. Some fear he could be fired.
  • Friday, June 4
    At the request of two supporters of Mr. Amato on the board, a federal court issues a restraining order barring his firing. Board recesses special meeting.
  • Tuesday, June 8
    A federal judge rejects attempt by critics of the superintendent on the school board to dissolve the court’s restraining order.
  • Wednesday, June 9
    The state Senate passes HB 1659 unanimously.

Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco

  • Thursday, June 10
    Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco signs HB 1659 into law, making it harder to terminate the New Orleans superintendent’s contract.

Critics and supporters of the superintendent on the school board call a legal truce.

A version of this article appeared in the July 14, 2004 edition of Education Week as A Day-by-Day Drama

Events

Teaching Profession K-12 Essentials Forum Supporting the New K-12 Workforce: What Teachers Need to Stay at School
 Join this free virtual event to discover what teachers say they need to feel supported to stay in classrooms for the long haul.
College & Workforce Readiness K-12 Essentials Forum Career and Technical Education Takes Its Next Big Step
Join this free virtual event to hear creative approaches to modernize CTE programs and navigate the shift away from a near-exclusive focus on "college preparedness."

EdWeek Top School Jobs

Teacher Jobs
Search over ten thousand teaching jobs nationwide — elementary, middle, high school and more.
View Jobs
Principal Jobs
Find hundreds of jobs for principals, assistant principals, and other school leadership roles.
View Jobs
Administrator Jobs
Over a thousand district-level jobs: superintendents, directors, more.
View Jobs
Support Staff Jobs
Search thousands of jobs, from paraprofessionals to counselors and more.
View Jobs

Read Next

Education Opinion The Education Wisdom Our Readers Keep Revisiting: Top 10
These opinion blog posts and essays have made a lasting impression on readers.
1 min read
Trendy halftone collage cutout elements. Laptop, rising arrow chart, gears, handshake, watch, magnifier. Idea, teamwork, brainstorming and success concept Modern retro vector illustration
Cristina Gaidau/iStock
Education Opinion The Opinions EdWeek Readers Care About: The Year’s 10 Most-Read
The opinion content readers visited most in 2025.
2 min read
Collage of the illustrations form the top 4 most read opinion essays of 2025.
Education Week + Getty Images
Education Quiz Did You Follow This Week’s Education News? Take This Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read
Education Quiz How Did the SNAP Lapse Affect Schools? Take This Weekly Quiz
Test your knowledge on the latest news and trends in education.
1 min read