The Gospel According to Paul

Paul Pastorek—the man at the helm of Louisiana’s ailing public schools—is both admired and reviled, reports the Baton Rouge Business Report. He speaks his mind, and quite frequently, the message isn’t popular. He calls the state’s best districts “average.” He pushes for taking over schools—not just in New Orleans, but now Baton Rouge and Shreveport, too. He wants board members unpaid, educated and term-limited. He insists the notion that some low-income black kids just can’t learn is “crap.” Pastorek is both passionate, proven reformer, and impatient, pricey lawyer-turned-education-boss rolled into one dapper persona. But does he have what it takes to make good on his promise to deliver world-class education to Louisiana? To read the full profile, click here.