re: I don’t get it- How is Louisiana failing this bad?

Most things get turned into race but it really is more class.

For a multitude of reasons poor areas are not desirable to those with means. Crime, litter, lack of civic pride, bad schools, etc.

As SFP said, the demographics are not in Louisiana’s favor. Way too many poor people and the problems are so deeply entrenched even if 20 Fortune 500 companies moved to Nola tomorrow the only thing it would do is raise real estate prices even more as more of the city gentrified. The metro area would still have half a million unemployable people causing problems for everyone.

There’s probably a solution out here but not one that won’t take at least two generations to solve because sadly imo, anyone over the age of 10 who grew up in that environment is probably a lost cause

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Well said. I plant a seed in my kids every chance i get that when it’s time to go to college or move out, leave the state.

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Funny you wrote this. I've just bookmarked this entire thread to have my 17 year old son read it. He's a senior this year, Top 10 in his class, 4.0+ with a 32 on his ACT...but based on what he wants as his major he's likely going to stay in state for college with a full ride. But, I have told both he and his younger brother (who is likely to exceed him) that the fact they grew up here should be NO REASON to consider staying put after college. Given their abilities and potential, I'd be pissed if they chose to stay.

It's like many other things...people are hard pressed to look back at their lives and their decisions and accept that they made bad calls. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances that force bad calls. Hell...I was caring for a handicapped sister for the past 17 years and her needs made it damn near impossible for us to even consider leaving, and being nearer to her was one of the main reasons I'd never left before then. But it meant we raised our sons here. We built in a place we liked, have been extremely lucky with schools and individuals teachers and have invested a ton of time personally to ensure both sons get the most out of their time. But it ought not be THAT hard and there are obviously tons of other places where life is just easier.

As you can see in the thread, you either get apologists telling you it isn't THAT bad despite nearly every national metric showing it is, or people just accepting how shitty it is and telling you to get bent. There isn't even a desire for positive change...so why hold out any hope for it?

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Can LA really be that much worse than Alabama? I mean I live in the supposed happening spot here and it still sucks arse compared to TN. Our state is pretty well a shithole too.

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The answer is unequivocally, "no." Alabama is on much worse footing. The only difference you see here is, a lot of the people here from Louisiana are willing to have the conversation about what's bad, and whether or not they have the patience or resources to fix it. That does not happen in the yellow hammer state. The people in that mass of land between Georgia and Mississippi's heads are so far in the sand, it's laughable. The general consensus among folks in Birmingham have this almost bizarre ideal that their town is this, "city upon a hill," where others can look at and strive to be like. I just don't get it. They'll talk about Birmingham public schools like Vestavia, Hoover, and Spain Park as if they're this gold-standard of education, when in reality, they're in the lower-middle half of all test scores in the country. Don't think because you're ahead of the pack in Alabama, that it means something. Alabama fell to dead last in education this year. FIFTY. Saying you're a good school in Alabama is like being the skinniest person at fat camp.

What drives me even more up the wall about Alabama is their blatant disdain for outsiders. It's so bad, that their two biggest startups in the past decade, Zoe's Kitchen and Shipt, have since moved their HQ's to Dallas and Silicon Valley. The state refused to give them any real tax incentive that would offset the real challenge these company's have in wooing young talent to move to Alabama. You can't make this stuff up.

On top of that, the state loves to bitch and moan about the amount of out-of-state students (roughly close to 70% of total student pop) that attend the University of Alabama. I'm sorry slack-jaws, but the school is a business, and that business wants to do well. If you decide to continue to cut the higher-education budget, and refuse to institute an in-state lottery system to provide for resident students... well, you're going to go outside of the state to get both the talent and the money.

Seriously... Think about that for a second... Mississippi was able to pass the lottery before you! And they passed you in education! The new phrase is "Thank God for Alabama!" You let that happen!

What blows my mind even more is the fact that, above all else, including the good lord himself, Alabama football is the most revered and powerful thing in the state. It's a no-contest. It's also the most successful entity the state has to offer, and they have no problem boasting about it.

So why on God's green earth don't you model some of your thinking and practice to what has made the football program so successful?!

Alabama is coached by a man born in West Virginia, schooled in Ohio, and cut his teeth in Michigan, Louisiana, and Florida. He won a national championship with a quarterback from Hawaii, throwing a ball to receiver from Louisiana, with a running back from California leading the second-half charge. Virtually every person on that coaching and support staff's first residential stint in the state of Alabama is in Tuscaloosa, coaching on that team. When he first got to campus, the first thing he did is tell all of the goat-humping boosters in Mobile and Birmingham to STFU, write checks, and stay away from the program. He has used different defensive and offensive schemes over the course of his previous 12 years, all of which originated from coaches and staff beyond the walls of the state, and many from outside of the south.

You would think that for a group of people who count the freckles on 5 star recruit profile pics, that they'd learn a thing or two about the sound operational mechanics of their holy football organization, or at the very least, understand that new ideas and diverse working environments almost always lead to better results.

Louisiana has it's faults, but a least you guys have a genuinely unique culture and seem to recognize what plagues the state. Whether or not you leave, or stay to fight the good fight is up to you. But at least you picked your head up. Much more than you can say about Alabama.

Count me as one of the many proud University of Alabama graduates who enjoyed their time in Tuscaloosa, but are plenty happy to only cross state lines 2-3 times in the fall.

I have urged both my sons that are chemical engineers to get thee gone to Texas ASAP. IMMEDIATE $10-20K/year/kid raise not having to use private schools. IMMEDIATE lowering of risk being a crime victim. IMMEDIATELY enjoy better roads, better public services, broader entertainment options, better medical care. And fewer shysters...

I moved back to Louisiana from The Woodlands because I love my home state, but it’s a compete shithole now, and with an electorate that hands us “leaders” like JBE, SWB, Latoya and Mitch, it’s not destined to get any better. Crooked judges, multimillionaire trial lawyers and money being skimmed at every turn, it’s shocking we aren’t 50th in every category.

You’re an idiot. Need to hold the elected officials accountable. Sometimes leaving is the best way to do that. A lot of LA’s top talent leave the state.

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Louisiana’s problems are all due to Democrats and trial lawyers

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Louisiana has had democrats and Republicans running the state at different times. They all suck. We need a new state constitution. We need to look at a successful state and just copy what they are doing. It's obvious we can't come up with the ideas on our own.

I've never understood that comparison. Louisiana isn't much different than most other places in the South in that regard. If you want decent public schools you move to the burbs.

Sure, they could always be better but you don't have to spend 10k on private school if you don't want to. I graduated from Central High which is a perfectly fine public school 5-10 miles outside of the city limits.