Jackson Jambalaya

Wasn't a fan of Penick, but my kid had Ms Owens back when she was a teacher. Fine lady. Regardless, the school env't can only be improved by making it part of the tort arena ... not.

all that diversity is working well today at St. Andrews

The Martins are good at eating food and suing people.

Hope the school stomps all over this lawsuit and those who filed it.

I second the praise for Leanna Owens, although my child had her as a teacher ten years ago.

Precious was the fourth grade football coach a few years back, probably when his now sixth grader was in fourth grade. I questioned the wisdom of letting him represent SA in any form whatsoever at the time but apparently there was nothing that could be done about it without, um, getting sued.

But why aren't their kids in a public school? I know the politicians so block school choice and vouchers (Ed Blackmon, Kenny WAYane, et al) have their kids in private schools instead of Canton, but shouldn't people sacrifice their kids and build the schools from within?

I have always pictured someone named Precious as fat and GAY.....ANYWHO, does this special "Precious" child of Precious attend St. A? If so the child wont be there long nor will any other private school accept them.

George and Leanna are some of the finest people I have ever known in my entire life. My child doesn't even go there anymore and when we had a death in our family Leanna personally came to my home to console us. I am addressing anything of this suit, but as far as the people involved in suit with St. Andrews, they are some of the finest people I know and I am glad to call them my friends.

Bullying is not addressed properly at any private school in the Metro Jackson area that I can tell. My friends and I compare the reactions of the principals at every private school in town, and it's all the same. Ignore, ignore, ignore. Then if the parents push it, deny that there was ever really a problem. Finally, if the parents really insist that something be done, blame the parents and say they are crazy.
Children deserve to be able to attend school without putting up with bullying. Adults need to take it seriously, no matter which school it is.
The difference between public and private schools in Mississippi is that private schools do not have to follow state law when it comes to bullying. Think about that for a moment. They get to make their own rules up and halfway or not at all enforce them, depending on who the bully's parents are.

She is nice person, but was a terrible administrator and lower school principal. Everyone knew it. It's why they moved her out of that job. The teachers I've spoken with are relieved.

This past Friday night I was in the Jackson area scanning the radio when I heard a radio host saying " a bunch of white crackers"! I believe the host was Precious? How can he get away with this?

How does Precious have a St. Andrew's email address? (see email from headmaster) Was he employed by St. A at some point in time?

9:00 am is right. That is especially true when the parents of the bully are big contributors to the school or on the board.
And, frankly, bullying off school grounds ought to matter at a private school.
Private schools have more leverage. There are contracts and a code of behavior in the contract with the school.
They could even actually help troubled children by requiring therapy as a condition of returning.
And, make no mistake, bullies are very troubled kids.

"My friends and I compare the reactions of the principals at every private school in town, and it's all the same."

Oh, gimme a break. I can see you nattaring nannies now, sitting at a Fondren umbrella table or perhaps having a coctail at Wings, chattering about the cost of tennis skirts and the clerks at Kroger who don't recognize you for your position in the community.

You don't compare shit. You gossip given your limited, single-entry, self glorified knowledge base of what goes on in your personal little world.

"Well! Two boys laughed at my son's pink sleeveless sweater and made him cry".

"Ha, I can top that! (Yes, another Bloody Mary please)My daughter asked for salads in the lunch room and one of the older girls said she ought to eat some meat and she cried and they wouldn't even let her call home!"

Given how others are commenting on Precious, I'm not surprised his child was bullied.

Little pitchers have big ears and the poor judgment to think their parents might be pleased if the Martins got " run off".

The focus should be on bullying.

I don't care who the parents are.

Frankly, I've heard police officers complain that private schools would not even cooperate with criminal investigations when drugs or violence was involved. Even when informed of off campus violence of one student against another by the police, the school did nothing to protect the victim while at school.

@9:09
I heard the 'cracker comment' also. His stammering, lisping, stuttering radio persona makes me wonder how he wins court cases. To listen to his voice & choppy diction is actually comical.

9:52 Until you have walked in someone's shoes, you have no idea. We had a serious problem with bullying of our daughter, which caused us to open our eyes and wonder what was being done about bullying at other schools. The answer we have come to, after speaking privately with other parents (mothers and fathers), members of boards, etc is that not much at all is done. It is easier not to do anything. There are many reasons private schools are great at what they do. Protecting kids from bullying isn't necessarily one of them.

Why don't you damn sissies tell your sissie little children to toughen up. Kids pick on each other. It's happened for thousands of years. Teach your child to stand up for himself/herself. Someone calls you gay? Punch the bastard as hard as you can square in the nose. How is running and crying to get someone else to take care of it going to make it any better.

What kind of lawyer files a complaint against a fourth grade child? The Martins have moved their children to JA. This smacks of a shakedown/jackpot justice Hinds County style.

To listen to his voice & choppy diction is actually comical.

He should enlist Enoch Sanders to come on and be his mouthpiece...rug hat and all.

What judge is assigned to this case? I can't get it to pull up on the electronic docket for some reason.

10:29 Sometimes bullying is more serious that just "picking on" another kid, and your attitude and suggestions don't help in those cases.

ah yes..... St. Andrews School and their diverse, hip, "hey, I have lot's of black friends" crew....I think they thought if they all put obama / biden stickers next to their St. Andrews sticker on their Volvo's bumper they would not be attacked by the likes of precious and his legal thugs...YO! how is it working out for you's now?

January 15, 2014 at 9:52 AM
good comment. and yes, it does have the shakedown scent, doesn't it.

This string has become quite interesting and comical. Even terrorist claim the bombs they throw. "Words without reference are just words." Stand for what you believe is right and claim your words.

interesting that this case is not in Hinds county computer system.
251-13-931civ

I found it in MEC this morning. Its there.

why would tuition cost be a relevant factor.... unless it really isn't a factor and you need someone to say--well, if I paid that much money, my child should have a personal attendant. I.E., please don't look at the facts, I just need some folks to react to the old "its about the children" scream.

I am surprised that another private school took the kids, usually news travels fast and most schools don't want someone else's problems.

Tommie Green is the judge.

One fact in the case shows that BOTH sets of parents are at fault--neither of their 4th grade boys should have Instagram accounts at all. Instagram has strict Terms of Use and Community Guidelines that make their age requirement clear: no one under the age of 13.

I am surprised that another private school took the kids, usually news travels fast and most schools don't want someone else's problems.

JA is the University of Miami of private high schools in Mississippi. You figure it out from there.

Oh Lawd!!!!!!!!!

Crystal Wise Martin is the daughter of Hinds Co. Chancery Court Judge Patricia Wise. For what it's worth.

Would this suit have been filed if the incidents occurred at the Madison Co. campus? I doubt it. Will St. Andrew's now have to move the Lower School out of Hinds Co.?

This may seem like an unrelated question to this lawsuit but remind us Kingfish which party in Precious' shakedown of Motorola retained Brunini?

St. Andrews should have moved the Lower School to the Upper School years ago.

10:29 am, you must be WAY over 65 AND deaf and blind!
The world has changed.
If you give that advice to your grandchildren, expect to see them in court!
And bullying isn't what it used to be. It's not name calling and getting into pushing matches or trying to get the school to choose up sides anymore.
It doesn't stop when you get home. Your parents can't just work it out with other parents. Teachers can't deal with bullies as they once did either.
Bullies didn't kill their victims back in your day and weren't in a position to push them to suicide with the relentlessness.

12:48 PM should be required to attend therapy as a condition of posting here.

"neither of their 4th grade boys should have Instagram accounts at all. Instagram has strict Terms of Use and Community Guidelines that make their age requirement clear: no one under the age of 13."

The only fourth grades around here that have 13 year olds in them are in JPS.

1:10 Obviously that isn't true, since the 2 boys at St. Andrews had them.

BEST thread so far this year!

Sad commentary that we use the legal system for vengeance.
i dont doubt that St Andrews was diligent in how they handled the situation. Interesting that St Andrews kicked out the entire family. If I had to guess, St Andrews legal representation was in on the kicking out.
I just hope that the other side of the story justifies St Andrews
strategy. if Precious is using the legal system to 'bully' St Andrews, I hope he gets what he deserves.

By the way, you can read the name of the 'other boy' that had been balcked out.
might want to use a darker pen.

During discovery, Precious should ask for a list of students who've left St. Andrew's lower during the school year in the last three years. I know of at least one prominent NE Jackson family who pulled their fourth grader because he was bullied. It was a problem the family and their child experienced for a couple of years and they finally reached the breaking point.

S.A. has missed the boat on moving the Lower School, there isn't enough room on the North Campus. The Lower School wasn't moved because the Episcopal Church, who does not help much financially with the school, wants the school to have a "presence" in Jackson to help fill the minority quota they have. Seems like true diversity at S.A. is a joke. Diversity where the best candidate is chosen, not a quota of blacks. Allegedly,of course.

To Kingfish: question from the last line of your original post--did the Martin's voluntarily withdraw their children from St. A or did the administration ask them to leave? This would make a difference regarding their tuition contract with the school.

3:24pm is correct--the lower school will not move. there is no room at the upper campus anymore unless you fill in the lake.

GET READY JACKSON ACDEMY !!!!!!!!!
You are next - Martin kids are enrolled there -
YOU ARE NEXT !!!!!!!!

Will Poet Laureatina Greens require a conciliation agreement? Sorta like an EEOC agreement with an employer? St A will have to submit to Green, with a copy to Precious, a copy of all background checks, demographics of all personnel hired and applications rejected, disciplinary data including suspensions and paddling by race of student and teacher, demographic representation of all races attending school, how many 'Big Grill' Cryslers are in the pickup lane each afternoon at the lower grades?

Will ex-JPD Police Lieutenant Robert Graham draft a non-discrimination and safety policy for both campuses at the direction of Judge Greens?

If that fat asshole PM hates us so much (you know us crackers), WTF does he keep coming to "our schools" (ie: predominately WHITE), and live in "our neighborhoods" (ie: Bridgewater)???

Have any of you heard this racist on the radio?

As an SA alum, I wanted to clear something up I have read in these comments. The majority of our diversity comes from Indians, not blacks. Get it right.

I also find it hilarious that the Martins moved their kids to JA. Because when I think tolerance of blacks, I think JA.

He is a lawyer. Its what they do. Regardless of race or political affliation.

"The school must be firm in what it is prepared to do to keep actions such as this from poisoning the school’s culture and ethos . . . it is the parent who took this step, and so I would be compelled to end your families’ association with St. Andrew’s."

So, George, does this same rule apply to a booster mom who tells a conference room of teachers and staff to "F*** yourself"? Does application of the rule depend on what your last name is?

What kind if parent would file a lawsuit to make money off of the alleged bullying of his fourth grader? The child will be deposed and will have to testify in any trial. I would never put my child through that, even if she was bullied. I would simply take my daughter out of that school if the administration didn't endeavor to protect her properly.

I have no idea if there is any truth to the Complaint's allegations, but my experince with SA is that it is a top notch place, an oasis in an otherwise provincial area of Mississippi.

"The majority of our diversity comes from Indians, not blacks"

I had to google this the other day - the politically correct acronym for blacks is "NAMs": "Non-Asian Minorities".

BTW, it has been rumored that SA's poor athletic showing since the increased enrollment forced them into a district with larger schools was because they attract a lot of academically gifted NAMs who are not adept at football or basketball. Opposing schools who don't attract such a population do better at these sports, while SA gets "All Sports" awards because they continue to dominate the "country club sports" (aka "small ball" - golf, tennis, etc). A new football coach can't do much about the students he gets.

BTW, I suspect a boy named Precious had a lot of first-hand encounters with bullies :-) Rumor has it he (or his kid) also told the class the alleged bully was in the KKK (sound familiar, KF?)

But, but, but, he played high school ball with Michael Vick . . . . We're champs now!!!!!!!!!

Thanks Dwayne.

Hey @7:42 you can't drop this:

So, George, does this same rule apply to a booster mom who tells a conference room of teachers and staff to "F*** yourself"? Does application of the rule depend on what your last name is?

and not tell us the story...

St.Andrews is a good school But they tend to extremely lean on liberal beliefs and this is clearly visible in their views as the children advance to higher grade levels. They teach and preach and talk it But clearly do not walk it! This is evident when it comes down to real issues and the beliefs need to be applied.
Talking about these issues make trust fund babies feel good but don't apply to them, just to the "Other People."
It is a double standard.
My son attended K3-5 grade at St Andrews and the lower school was superior to the others in the area at the time. The liberal attitude and the "do as I say, not as I do " attitude was a big factor in our leaving to attend Jackson Prep. Leanna Owen was chosen to be principal when Jean Jones retired because she was a butt kisser to some board members and it made the board Feel Good to promote a token black into that position so they could demonstrate equality at an influential predominately white school. Unfortunately, it was not a good choice and Leanna was not a good leader at all! So much for that Feeling Good for promoting a black woman idea!!!
Bottom line, good lower school but a haven of drugs, queers and bleeding liberals in high school! Plus they suck at sports!!!glad we left and have never regretted switching to Jackson Prep, winning state titles and academic awards is what we do best!! Go Patriots, 2012 and 2013 Football State Champs!!! Ja,Mra, St A, who??? It's hard to be humble when you go to Prep! Had to give Prep a plug!!!

@9:36 The new football coach will be great for the program. He might not win a state championship but he is definitely a step up from the last coach.

We'll have to agree to disagree on that for now, but those parents expect results and we'll see if he can deliver. After all, he knows Michael Vick!!!!!!!!!

This post made it 50+ comments before football (and other sports) was introduced as a measure of a school's value. Impressive run, folks.

10:11, I'm guessing St A hasn't missed you one bit. Glad you found your own tribe.

10:11 I'm seriously considering switching from SA to Prep, in fact, I'm going to an orientation meeting this morning. One of my main concerns about the switch is having to run into bigoted racists such as yourself. Queers? Please, this is 2014. You don't think there are queers who attend Prep or that there are fathers of students (some still married) who are gay? Wake up caveman. Drugs? They're everywhere. I'm a proud conservative but have no tolerance for bigots like you.

Any bigots @ St. Andrew's 8:22?

I saw Prep sports at it's finest during last years overall basketball championship game. Prep got spanked by a small La school and when the MAIS All star team members were announced the Central Private La school player that was most responsible for the win was booed by the Prep students. Now that's class...low class.

@8:54 am - I do not normally post but since I also attended the Championship Basketball game in question, I feel I must respond. The player in question who was booed was an African American young man with extraordinary talent who played an incredible game. Near the end of the game the player in question taunted the Prep student body after every made shot similar to how Marshall Henderson at Ole Miss did after he scored against Auburn last year. The booing from the student body was inappropraiate, but had everything to do with the taunting and not the color of the young man's skin. ( Remember the star player for Prep was African American! ) I agree the boos were not appropriate, but you cannot convince me it was racist!!

Precious and Crystal Martin are sueing LeAnna Owens too? Those Jack & Jill meetings are gonna be awkward! Ha!

http://www.jackandjilljacksonms.org/

The Plaintiff's scorched earth tactic appears to be working perfectly. He wants revenge, not just money. Doubt he ever gets a penny out of this bogus situation. Every negative, pointless(football?), irrelevant comment has Precious giddy with triumph.
I feel sorry for his kids. I doubt they have been invited to one JA home since they transferred. I would hesitate to establish friendships with the Martins, for fear of conflict and money grabs. The kids were well liked and included at St. A. The Martins were treated with respect. The parents should teach the kids there will always be a bully out there. Learn to deal with it. It is known in the functional world as "conflict resolution."

Glutton's will be glutton's! Count on it every time. Anger and non stop hunger do not mix well.

Why did you introduce race into your recap of the game 9:37 AM?

Did you see the part where they mention how much they spent on Meal Pay Plus (the school meal plan)? That must be a HUGE amount of moolah. That may be why he is soooo pissed. That may be more than tuition.

I agree with 11:09, why did you bring up race @9:37?

January 15, 2014 at 7:42 PM nailed it. The rules do not apply equally at St. Andrew's depending on what your last name is and how much money you give to the school. I imagine it's the same at all private schools but I can only speak personally as to what goes on at St. Andrew's.

Surprised that Precious didn't mention that LS children are fingerprinted by the school on behalf of a third party vendor. That has to be worth some trumped up privacy and civil rights violations.

"I saw Prep sports at it's finest during last years overall basketball championship game. Prep got spanked by a small La school and when the MAIS All star team members were announced the Central Private La school player that was most responsible for the win was booed by the Prep students. Now that's class...low class."

Can someone tell 10:11 that the SA basketball varsity beat the Central Private team by about 20 points in the Hartfield tournament two weeks ago? :-)

and trolls take note - 9:37 did not "introduce" racism into the discussion. 9:37 was responding to 8:54, who brought up the conflict; those who were there understood the racial subtext. Thanks 9:37 for clarifying the situation.

12:26 = 9:37

11:09=11:28
Red herring comments about race are a clear attempt to distract from the fact that people that were there knew that the player that was booed had taunted the students. He brought it on himself. I guess it's safe to assume that 11:09/11:28 is the parent of said punk (or should I say poor bullied sweetheart)

"12:26 = 9:37 "

Good guess, but wrong.

Thanks for playing - next contestant please!

Someone must feel guilty about booing.

Was the Martin child injured during the "stomping"? Is there a medical report? Otherwise this sounds like revenge for something unrelated to the kids. Just my 2 cents

8:45, you should know better. Bigots and racists are everywhere. 10:11 just seems very proud to be one.

... that people that were there knew that the player that was booed had taunted the students. He brought it on himself.

Sooooooo what does that have to do with the player's race?

" It's hard to be humble when you go to Prep!

You, sir/madam, are not a representative nor represent those students who attend or the parents who pay for those students to attend Jackson Prep.

Why would it be hard to be humble? Is it because you hardly have experienced success in any other part of your life that you have no idea what it means to be a true champion in life?

If you find it hard to be humble, find another school for your children to attend.

I think the headmaster moved a little too fast in threatening to remove the Martin children from the school if the criminal affidavit was not withdrawn. There may be a case here on that e-mail alone as it is very damning. I don't believe Jim Bobo (Pearl prosecutor who happens to be white) would have signed on as co-counsel if this were just any old lawsuit. Regardless of what you feel about PM Kingfish, this has nothing to do with race. Race isn't even mentioned in the suit. Some of your commenters seem to always inject race in every board discussion.

The race-card players are everywhere. Let me clarify for you dunces. The suggestion was that the player was probably booed due to his race, African American. The clarification cleared up the fact that although he is black, he was booed for his taunting of the spectators.

Days ago this conversation trailed off from a discussion of a city lawyer suing a private school and became all about a bunch of pill-popping, BMW riding, tennis skirt wearing, debt ridden yuppies bitching out each other about who has the nicest flower beds and who most frequently shops at Renaissance.

Some of the checks written at Mistletoe actually bounced.

Precious and Crystal Martin conspiring with LeAnna Owens I bet. They file for money damages, SA will settle out of court, insurance company pays up--all three profit. Leanna just has to agree that things were not right. SA parents are liberal as hell but they sure as hell don;t really live amongst the policys they advocate. None of the elite do. They want/wish life were a certain way but the less able wind up living with their pipe dreams.

7:27
That actually makes sense. Kind of weird that Crystal Martin would sue her friend and Jack & Jill Buddy. Plus didn't St Andrew's recently demote Leanna Owens?

The suggestion was that the player was probably booed due to his race, African American.

Where? Not by 8:54 AM. Put up.

The reason race is brought up is because the basketball player and 'precious' are feeding the stereotype.

"Race isn't even mentioned in the suit."

Uh, PM's radio comments about "white crackers" (scroll way up) opened up that avenue of discussion. Anyone willing to try to deny he's a racist is more than welcome to waste the bandwidth.

He's also desperate to try to hide how much he scams from the taxpayers; a scan that failed thanks to KF's months of persistence (search on Motorola on this site).

There have always been bullies in schools just like there have always been two year old throwing tantrums.
However, we used to understand that parents and teachers have a responsibility to teach young people what behaviors are not acceptable and letting them know their are the consequences that increase in severity as one ages. Now parents and teachers dismiss the bad behaviors as "normal" so they don't have to do the difficult job of teaching.
Unless you believe everyone should solve problems by assault or whining to get their way, I suggest you stop excusing bad behavior in young people!

People are assuming this child's accusations are true, or not exaggerated.

And daddy is friends with a felon athlete who was involved in ruthless dogfights, killing some of them himself? That sounds about right. Obviously PM as gotten too big for his britches...

7:52 Please don't comment if you're ignorant of the facts. PM never played football with Michael Vick. That was a reference to the new football coach at SA, who is a standup guy that I am proud to have coach my son. Read the Northside Sun interview with him in the new issue to see how his character differs from Vick.

PM is almost as low on the character totem pole as Vick, IMHO.

FWIW, I know for a fact that Precious' son weighs as least 100 pounds more than the alleged bully. How the other kid could have "stomped" him is a bit of a mystery.

@7:52 Not exactly. He lost a ton of weight in recent years.

Rainbow Push Coalition alleges a company has racist tendencies, they pay Jessie so they won't be racist anymore. Jessie likes companies that are not racist.

You have to love anonymity. It's like the "good ole days" when we were cowards who wore sheets with holes in them over our heads, lynched people and burned crosses. God bless us ignorant type who are insecure and afraid of progress. God bless the South!

This is what Democrats do! There is nothing more to say! They come in, take over, and destroy! The main difference is this team, the Martins, utilize the court system. This is why attorneys wish for no boundaries, culminate something up, sue, and then settle! People, it is all about the money; unfortunately, not the kids....

Someone, Leanna, should have brought both boys together and both should have been suspended for the physical altercation. When a bullying problem arises for a student,it is the responsibility of the administration to sort it out and tend to the welfare of all the students. Frequently there are 2 sides to the story and perception becomes truth for each individual involved. My own experience with Leanna was unsatisfactory as I was not informed of the determination. If she handled the Martins in a similar fashion, I fully understand their frustration.

@ 1/17 1:35pm.

You understand their frustration in dealing with Leanna; but is it worthy of filing a lawsuit? I hope the other child's parent sue the Martins for causing undo stress to their child.

11:52 a.m. needs to go on Fox "News," so he/she can demonize Democrats no matter what the subject is. This Democrat strongly disagrees with the Martin family's filing this lawsuit , an issue that has nothing to do with political parties.

Litigation takes a huge emotional toll on individuals involved in it, whether plaintiff or defendant. I see that regularly in my law practice. And my feeding my family depends upon people filing lawsuits for me to defend.

11:07 is so blinded by his own self-interest that his comments are meaningless. The rest of us pay for his "feeding his family", payments that wouldn't be needed if frivolous lawsuits weren't filed in the first place by greedheads.

KF - why did you spike my note from last night about the sudden resignation at SA?

Do you want me to forward a copy of the email from SA that was sent to fourth-grade parents?

And my feeding my family depends upon people filing lawsuits for me to defend.

No matter how frivolous or misguided.

That would help. Thanks.

It is well known many families with lower school children have left the St. Andrew's community over the last few years due to the administration's neglect in handling bullying. I'm sure Precious has put together a substantial list of children that have transferred schools and has already begun reaching out to their parents. Letters and emails will come to light, a pattern will emerge and the St. Andrew's board will cut a big check to have this dropped. Interesting to note in the 100+ comments nothing negative has come out about a single teacher. Looks like the administration and board should take a step back and see the problem begins at the top.

Leanna has been demoted to a role within St A that has nothing to do with being an administrator or principal. It's pretty clear she ineffective and not liked by parents or teachers. I can think of several families who would still be there if they had gotten rid of her sooner.

Where the hell is Stephanie Scott when you really need her to be pushing a million dollar don't have artificial turfing of the football field?

My child had a problem with another student bullying her at St. Andrew's. The administration stepped in and stopped it immediately. My children still attend the school. If and I say if there was anything really going on it would have been dealt with swiftly as in my case. This is suit is crap as I have dealt with all parties extensively. I pay my tuition but am not on any boards or a major donor. St. Andrew's is by far a superior school to any in this state or the south. Shame on these two for for blaming others for their own stupidity. I hope the lawyers teach them what it means to file an absolute frivolous lawsuit and Pat Wise learns she is not God.

There is nothing better for other private schools to see St.Andrew self implode by a few careless mistakes made by the St.A administration. Many will leave St.A due to this midterm upheaval. The stellar teachers , student body, and parents of St.A are paying a high price for the administration's stupidity of how the Precious matter was handled. The Martins have already gotten what they wanted - tarnished image for St.A. I expect the tuition rates to go up next year if they settle.

St. Andrews is in the top 20 prep schools in the nation. 8:36 p.m. is exactly right. Just because a misguided family files a lawsuit in order to make money for themselves off of their fourth grader is not going to tarnish St. Andrews's stellar image. Just look at the top notch colleges and universities their graduates go on to attend.

2/3rds of their grads go to UM or MSU.

The young man I met the other day at SA is struggling to decide among offers from Yale, MIT, and Vanderbilt. It doesn't surprise me that the bottom two thirds of the class don't get a lot of offers from Ivy League schools.

And you can get a fine education at Ole Miss.

I went to JA. When in college, all of the St. A people I met either were social rejects, or drug addicts.

"I went to JA. When in college, all of the St. A people I met either were social rejects, or drug addicts. "

I'm truly sorry you couldn't get into a better college.

The best grads went somewhere better than you could get into, I guess :-)

"The young man I met the other day at SA is struggling to decide among offers from Yale, MIT, and Vanderbilt."

Very unusual claim there.

You can only apply early decision to one school in December, so three offers should not happen. For regular admission the offers have not gone out yet. Vanderbilt interviews are still going on.

The only MIT applicant I know of got deferred. AFAIK no one got into the early decision schools in December. Several "honors colleges" at state schools have made offers to at least one student but as far the most elite schools I don't think any firm offers have been made yet.

Or maybe the ones who have received firm offers from the elite schools are too modest to let their classmates know, and the administration is too humble to brag about it - not! :-)

So, if I understand all the St. Andrews advocates correctly, there's approximately a one in three chance my child will go to an Ivy League school and put me in a fancy nursing home? But there's a two in three chance he'll get addicted to prescription pills and be unable to fit into a society of his peers? I might would rather take a chance with JPS.

7:11 p.m., all I know is that the young man said it in front of the Headmaster and other administration members during a recent application process that my two year old daughter was in. A Yale representative was on campus that day conducting interviews per the Headmaster.

You won't see a Yale represenative on any other campus in Mississippi. Every one of us know the great opportunities SA graduates have. The haters are relegated to talking trash about drug addiction, as if the disease of addiction is unique to some particular school or class of people. Nonsense.

I really don't understand why adults have such animosity towards schools in the metro area just because they chose a different school for their children. I feel fortunate that I have several good options from which to choose. The fact that St. Andrew's is an academically acclaimed school is a positive for our community; why the need to bash it with childish generalizations like the comments that have been made here?

Please lay off on comments about particular students, especially if you don't know what you are saying is totally accurate. I'm sure you wouldn't want your child's business all over the internet, so please respect that right for other families. It's a small town and it's not hard to figure out who some of these comments are about. That's really not cool to spread misinformation about someone's child.

You won't see a Yale represenative on any other campus in Mississippi.

Not true. False.

To January 19, 2014 at 8:38 PM: I'm an alpha-omega graduate of St. A and your comment about Yale is elitist, insulting, ignorant, & false. Please quit discussing things about which you do not know. There are several MS schools (public and private) which representatives from Ivy League schools visit every year. Also your quote "Every one of us know the great opportunities SA graduates have" is misleading. While some of us got our opportunities due to the great education we received at St. A, the vast majority of students at St. A are going to have better and greater opportunities than the masses simply because their parents have the money to PAY for them to have said opportunities. I went to school with people whose families owned villas in Europe, castles in England, condos in Vail…of course they have great opportunities--they would have had these same great opportunities whether they went to Ridgeland High or to St. A…It's a hard fact to swallow but St. A did not give them those opportunities in life, their parents' money did.

Who resigned at St A recently?

Never mind. Just checked the email.

Right on, 9:03 p.m. 9:40 p.m., the comments were made in a room full of people. SA WANTED it to be known; there was nothing private about it. And it's not misinformation.

10:21 p.m. and 12:29 a.m., I stand corrected if you would please divulge which public and private MS schools are visited "every year" by Ivy League schools. My curiosity is up.

And for the record, I don't own a villa or condo anywhere, let alone in Europe or Vail. My wife and I are simply people, not rich by any definition, who believe in giving our child the best education possible. My lower middle class, working parents scrimped and did it for me.

I am simply taking up for the school amidst all of the SA bashing going on in these comments, all started by KF's piece about the misguided Martin lawsuit against the school.

@ January 20, 2014 at 11:40 AM

The ones bashing the school are the ones who are promoting the frivolous lawsuit filed by this atty. Its what they do--try and whip up a fire (look over here!) so folks stop looking at what the real issue is.

KF posted this story because it was news. I sincerely doubt this particular atty has many friends on this website because of his past battles with KF (Motorola lawsuit KF exposed).

January 20, 2014 at 11:40 AM: Prep and MSMS are the first 2 which come to mind.

"Update: They all filed notices of deposition yesterday. Yup. Precious, Crystal, the school, Ms. Owens, and the good Doctor all have to give depositions."

KF, maybe this update deserves a new post. This is a huge story and folks are very interested. When were the notices filed?

Nothing on here bashing First Pres. I am in the process of looking for a school for my child. I don't think I would want her to go to any of the schools mentioned here.

just to clarify ... its not cocktails ... its starbucks ... its not volvos .. its SUV's ... its not wings ... its target... its not tennis skirts ... its lulu lemon and i do not have my school sticker on my car

to clarify ... its not cocktails ... its starbucks its not wings ... its target ... its not volvos ... its SUV's its not tennis skirts ... its lulu lemon ... and not many of us advertise with our school sticker

"Nothing on here bashing First Pres. I am in the process of looking for a school for my child. I don't think I would want her to go to any of the schools mentioned here. "

Obviously you're new here. This topic comes up several times per year, and the negatives associated with each school get mentioned regularly. I didn't think First Pres went through 12th grade, but if you're happy with that, good for you.

You can find something negative about every school in the area if you dig hard enough. If you're very protective you can try home schooling. Google "Bonner" on this site to see some comments about that.

I have known great kids who got into first-rate colleges from SA, Prep and JA. If a kid works hard enough they can do just about anything, even from the 50th-ranked state in the country.

Great post 11:16. True. Also crappy parent-crapoy kids no matter which school. What is the cocktails Starbucks .....post suppose to mean?

supposedly st andrews plastering on billboards ranked # 18th private school in nation has no real merit ... was a survey done according to private school web sites ... certainly did not visit school or interview parents for this ranking

Plaintiff attorneys in Hinds County associate Bobo so they can get Weill to recuse himself if they are randomly assigned to him. This leaves them a 66 2/3 chance of being guaranteed a win (or settlement) from the outset.

Why does Weill recuse himself in Bobo cases? That is good info to know.

Well I guess they are gonna have a lot of folks to sue....
Watch out JA.

I know from experience that Leanna died not deal with issues regarding he said she said among those kids well. Which ever kid is well liked or favored that's whose side she will take. I'm glad the Martins are going after their fake asses. And as for those who are wondering, Africans in America send there children to the best schools to get the best education just as European Americans do IF they can afford it. It was a comment made early on about politicians having their kids in private schools and I just wanted to address that. My kid went through bluing over there as well and he knocked the fuck out of that boy. That's what you have to do to get a bully off your ass. You kick ass and take names!

LeAnna Owens was a good teacher, but a terrible terrible terrible head of lower school. George Penick backs her in every situation. Both are utterly useless. You could be black, white, yellow or green, it wouldn't matter. They are both running St.Andrews into the ground. Everyone that currently goes there (like my family) know it. Moving her into another position just aggravates all of us.