Growing up in New Orleans schools, I saw firsthand what happens when the "revolving door" of teachers never stops spinning. It isn't just a statistic; it’s the heartache of seeing a quarter of our teachers leave every single year. When a teacher walks out, they take years of relationships and local knowledge with them, leaving behind an empty desk that reminds our students they aren't worth staying for. Our children deserve better, and the people raising the next generation deserve a system that actually supports them.

Through my research and interviews with local educators for my project, Empty Desk, I keep hitting the same hard truth: we are asking New Orleans teachers to be instructors, social workers, and grief counselors all at once. They are carrying the "Trauma Debt" of this city on their own shoulders without the proper tools to manage it. This burden is pushing even our most dedicated veterans to their breaking point. We cannot keep expecting them to pour from an empty cup.