In January 2004, Orleans Parish School Board President Ellenese Brooks-Simms, dressed in her typical high style, pulled her burgundy late-model Cadillac up to McDonogh No. 35 High School. She knew nothing of the palace coup awaiting at that night's meeting.And Brooks-Simms' board colleagues had no clue she had taken a $50,000 bribe that same day, the second in a series of three kickbacks totaling $140,000.
Even so, her erstwhile allies Jimmy Fahrenholtz and Una Anderson turned on her that night, demanding she stop meddling in system patronage and undermining Superintendent Tony Amato. Shouting and cursing ensued backstage. Minutes later, just before voting to dethrone Brooks-Simms as president, Anderson summed up the intrigue in a whispered aside: "Welcome to the Roman Arena."
In hindsight, that day signaled the beginning of the end for the Orleans Parish School Board. During the next year, the board would melt down so spectacularly that, by the time Hurricane Katrina hit, the wholesale state takeover of the city schools would become a fait accomplit.
Brooks-Simms' comeuppance was completed in this week's bribery trial, in which she testified against her benefactor Mose Jefferson, brother of recently convicted former U.S. Rep. Bill Jefferson, and of the indicted Betty Jefferson, the former School Board member and current 4th District assessor.
A jury on Friday convicted Mose Jefferson on four of seven counts, including two counts of bribery and two for obstruction of justice. He likely faces between five and eight years in prison.
Mose and Betty Jefferson will go on trial again soon in a separate corruption case alleging they looted nonprofits meant to aid the poor.