ASSOCIATED PRESS
By STACEY PLAISANCE
(excerpt)
NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- Standing on the front steps of one of New Orleans' most troubled schools, entertainer Bill Cosby said the education and well-being of this city's children are not getting the attention and support they deserve from the state.
Cosby lent his celebrity status to a group pushing for improvements in city schools. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the state has taken over most of the city's schools from the problem-plagued local school board, and many of those schools are suffering from teacher shortages and overcrowded classrooms, among other problems.
"It's a great disrespect for children," said Cosby, standing in a chilly rain in a sweat shirt and ball cap at John McDonogh High School.
Louisiana Politics