John McDonogh became the center of national news when on April 14, 2003, tenth-grade student Jonathan "Caveman" Williams was shot and killed in the school's crowded gymnasium during a physical education class.

[3] As of February 2013, John McDonogh was featured on a six-episode reality series entitled Blackboard Wars on Oprah Winfrey Network.

[5] Steve Barr, the head of Future is Now, stated that there was simply not enough demand for the school, in that not enough students wanted to attend.

[7] Danielle Dreilinger of The Times Picayune wrote that "John Mac has become a flashpoint for tensions over the continuing role of the Recovery system.

In February 2015, Louisiana Civil District Judge Piper Griffin issued a restraining order that prevented RSD from announcing the preferred charter school operator.

[10] KIPP New Orleans had wanted the John Mac campus for its Believe Elementary School but it was turned down in favor of Bricolage.