In September 2005, President Bush visited the community of North Gulport, Mississippi, on his post-Katrina tour of the Gulf Coast.  He stopped at the 28th Street Elementary School, which had been devastated by the hurricane and spoke to reporters and residents.  He pledged the federal government’s support to Katrina victims, and, in particular, the residents of North Gulport.  “This school will open,” he promised, citing the end of October as the expected date the school would be reopened.

October came and passed, and the school remained closed.  Later, the residents of North Gulport were told their school would never reopen.  According to government officials, the building was so damaged it could not be repaired.  Their school would be moved to an area away from the community, and their children would be bussed to the new location.  However, to the surprise of the residents, the elementary school building was soon converted into a police station and the building is now being used for police officers in the neighborhood.

In the week we spent conducting a survey of North Gulport about an inland port the Mississippi Port Authority wants to build in their neighborhood, residents referred repeatedly this broken promise.  The port has many substantial drawbacks – increased flooding, noise, and pollution – and is being funded by $600 million dollars promised for hurricane recovery.  However, the port does come with potential benefits, including new jobs and tax revenue that could be used for schools.

Yet, when we asked the residents how they felt about new jobs and school funding, they were extremely skeptical.  “The government has promised us money for schools and jobs before,” they said, “but they’ve never come through.  Look at our school.  The President promised he would reopen it but now it’s a police station.”  The residents of North Gulport had little faith in their government and did not believe their interests would ever be considered. In the week we spent walking through their neighborhood, talking with people living in FEMA trailers and moldy apartments, and witnessing the poverty that plagues this community, I could only think that the people we met were right not to have faith in their government to keep its promises.Š

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