((follow up to this Discord thread ))

In a recent internal email exchange at CU University, faculty members have once again raised serious concerns about students — particularly groups of young women — organizing trips to Laveau, an area with a well-documented reputation for violence, sexual abuse, and links to modern slavery.

The discussion was sparked by Daiyu Tang of the Journalism Department, who expressed surprise that only her department seemed alarmed by the plans, citing the recent traumatic experience of the university’s cheerleading team and her own unsettling encounters in the region. And involved: Athletics Director Nara Nueva, Rev. Sunday Soule, Amanda Sia Kamal, Personal Safety Instructor.

Key Takeaways of this discussion:
– Faculty largely agree that Laveau continues to be a high-risk area.
– Legal reality: The university cannot ban personal trips by adult students.
– Recommended approach: Strong safety advisories, enhanced education, and preparation for potential incidents rather than prohibition.

The exchange reflects a familiar dilemma for college administrators: balancing the desire to protect students with respect for their autonomy as adults.

But are these fears justified, and if so, to what extent? Or is it instead a case of hysteria and exaggerations, also fueled by certain negative cultural biases against the inhabitants of Laveau?

We tried to address the issue directly with Laveau Parish Sheriff, Beau Landry. The sheriff never explicitly refused the interview. Instead, he employed a distinctly Laveau approach: cordial, relaxed, and entirely noncommittal.

Throughout the exchange, Sheriff Beau Landry maintained a friendly demeanor, greeting questions with laughter, polite conversation, and the occasional joke. When presented with topics concerning local commerce, university influence, and economic ties within the parish, he avoided engaging with the substance of the questions, preferring to redirect the discussion toward formal channels.

“Send all that over to the office and it’ll get a look,” he remarked with a wink, adding a tongue-in-cheek reference to the department’s access to “computers and internet and everything, even email.”

Notably, the sheriff neither confirmed nor denied any of the assumptions presented to him. References to business networks, influential local families, and the growing presence of wealthy students were met not with rebuttal, but with amused detachment. His reactions suggested either a deliberate unwillingness to discuss parish affairs publicly or a practiced understanding that some conversations are better left off the record.

In conclusion, we believe the steady influx of affluent students into Laveau should be viewed as an economic asset rather than a liability. Efforts to restrict or discourage that flow based on unproven rumors of kidnappings, rapes and disappearances risk causing tangible harm to local businesses and residents. Such reactions appear driven more by fear and prejudice toward the community than by verified facts.

Ultimately, people tend to focus on the horror stories while overlooking the reality of daily life. Most days in Laveau are not defined by sensational headlines, but by ordinary people going to work, running businesses,  sharing meals with their families and friends, and doing their best to survive. Like any community, Laveau is far more than the rumors told about it.