Jackson Jambalaya

There are NO middle class white people who will send their children to public schools moving to Ridgeland. They are only moving out. And these are the people who support a community, and make it thrive. The Schools will continue to go down hill, and they will bring the City with it. The idiots who have bought houses in West Ridgeland will be in for a rude awakening in the coming years. The residents of East Ridgeland will vote in their typical low life politicians, who will ruin all that Ridgeland is (a piss ant of a City that can only attribute it's success to Madison).

flighting out because a few minorities have moved in created the void in areas of jackson. leave your kids in the public school and fight for standards. fight for top notch education. fight against crime. leaving solves nothing--and in fact if that part of ridgeland 'goes' so to speak, what's to stop the spread into madison (the city). nothing-nothing-nothing

whats the big deal with the emails, much worse has been said from leaders in jacktown and nobody says anything, nobody.

@12:15

I prefer not to send my children to school with hood rats. Feel free to expose your own to that thuggery if you wish.

When will white Mississippians learn, segregation and white flight will never solve the economic development problems in Mississippi. The State is almost 40% black, you cannot ignore history and demography and continue to not invest in the human capital development of 40% of your population and think that economic development will magically appear. America is most prosperous when its people are healthy, safe and educated. Provide safe, health living environments for black peoples and good schooling and, just like with white folks, they will thrive. There is no reason why the school system would deteriorate simply because there are apartments in Ridgeland. If that is the case, it tells me the schools themselves were no good in the first place, simply relying on the middle class-ness of the students for those good school ratings.

The shifting demographics are not because of apartments on County Line rd., but because white citizens decided to leave because of a perception that black folks will come and bring trouble. Black people aren't the problem, too many poor people concentrated in a community are the problem. Concentrated poverty results from middle class and well-to-do people leaving a community, not because poor people move in. Ridgeland is not 65% black, yet the schools are, that tells me that white flight is occurring, not some massive take over of poor black people. Stop white flight and you can save the city's property values, school quality, and economic development. Stop white flight by educating white people that yes, there are black people, and they can and do live in Ridgeland, and pretty much every community in Mississippi.

The city is getting sued and rightfully so. These e-mails and the rezoning efforts are simply institutionalized racism right before our eyes.

It goes both ways. Listen to WMPR. That crowd wants to take the money from whites but tell them to shut the hell up and don't vote. They want it both ways as well.

Madison is next. Every neighborhood along I-55 starting at Belhaven thought they would be an all-white utopia despite thousands of black folks living a mile away. This model does not work.

School district lines should go north and south rather than east and west. All schools are in the Madison County School District and it would only take a School Board action.

12:50

Is requiring lenders to make home loans in a specific geographical area to a particular race "institutional racism"?

Liberty was one of the founding principles. The more you remove liberty the more you lose the individual responsibility required by it.

Over the past 50 years the U.S. has used inequality to generate equality. This has created a class of citizens that acculturated the notion of entitlement. People have a right to be bigots, racists, zealots, etc. Creating sections of protected classes only exacerbates the situation (as history continue to teach us). Remove the equal outcome reassignment of equal opportunity and all the boats will rise with the tide.

This model does not work.

Show us a model that works.

12:15- It's a fact. High home prices and pricing of rental homes keeps low income families out. If you can afford the prices, then anyone can move there. Think about that the next time you call in sick, or get fired for being late. Think about it when your rent or utility payments are late. Think about it when you choose not to pay a medical bill. Think about it before you have more children as a single parent and need more public assistance putting food on the table. Those are the things that keep you from living in nice areas with good schools.

@Kingfish,

Are you comparing actual public policy collusion to limit the number of poor an minority people in a city with what a few callers say on talk radio? Show me where a city with black leadership is actively, through zoning and other policies, trying to limit poor and minority residents from staying in their cities.

The sad part about this is that it won't work. Has the Ridgeland Mayor even considered why so many constituents are upset by the shifting demographics at the schools? Has he even considered that perhaps the poor families in Ridgeland are trying to give their children a better opportunity for social mobility? That perhaps if these children benefit from good schooling in Ridgeland, they can grow to be contributing Ridgeland residents as adults? Why is this mayor actively trying to stifle the growth of Ridgeland? For shame, for shame. Such blatant racism should be roundly condemned , not applauded.

Callers? Have you listened?

Its a few community leaders and politicians as well.

Or did you miss Stamps saying Farish Street should be only developed with black dollars. Get lost Cathead.

I agree with 1:23 as to allowing those kids to have access to safe neighborhoods and a better education. We can go back and forth on this issue as many times as you want but those emails speak for themselves. It is racism. They can say "I am just worried about my property values," but it is more like "my sweet little Hoddington IV shouldn't have to go to school with nasty black people."

It is also racist when Kenny Stokes does the reverse. Some people here probably remember when a white man got killed in his ward, several years ago, and he stated "if you are white and live in my ward you might get killed."

So both sides are utter racists. Lets be fair though.....whites began this long before blacks did. Has anyone ever thought what if white people decided not to flee Jackson? If they got over their racists feelings and said "it is ok if Hoddington goes to school with Marcus. That might be good for the both of them." If everyone worked together where would we be? Crazy idea I know.

Btw, I am white and there are many of us that feel this way.

@1:13

So you think that poor people just chose to be late on rent, utilities bills, etc.? That they have the money, but just decide to do other things with it. I thought that if you were poor, that meant you didn't have the money necessary to live independently. Also, never mind that most poor people, especially poor black people in Mississippi, are born poor, due to generational poverty. Generational poverty that is directly related to the Jim Crow segregation that was actively and legally enforced throughout the state. Let's just ignore all of that to rail on about stereotypes that are gross generalizations at best, and just indicative of more irrational and fear/ignorance based racist beliefs about black people at worst.

@Kingfish,
Again, where is the evidence of Black municipal leaders actively trying to rid any city of poor people of color through zoning laws? How many of these leaders agreeing with racist constituents that more white people in their schools is problem? I don't see why what someone says on a talk show, with no proposed policies or zoning changes to accompany it, is parallel with or justifies what is going on in Ridgeland.

KF called someone a Cathead. Love it!!! Only works in the metro area though.

People wanting something for nothing and thinking they deserve it just because they are a certain color causes many problems. If you want something how about getting a job and working for it instead of demanding you be given it.
If people really want to be treated equal they should think about acting equal.

1:13. in 1940 no one would have ever thought that west jackson would end up like it has. even the country club up and moved!


house values are a delay to the spread of the diversity of cities. after all, it just takes one or two 'different' families to move into a neighborhood to cause some to sell homes for under market value. and remember--there are plenty of college-educated minorities in the state. why even JSU has a thriving campus in Madison. some of 'those people' may even decide to buy a house outside of the city of jackson with their six figure incomes.

And yes-WMPR is very racist. most of those callers sound like 50-70yr old curmudgeons who have no idea what is going on with black youth and so they 'blame whitey' instead of addressing the things you mention 1:13


what will mississippians do when the white population is no longer a majority in the usa? latest estimate: 2044. 30yrs. most of us will be dead or too old to care i suppose. the number of mixed race babies continues to rise, and for kids under 5, the majority are already non-white in our country.

we have to get beyond race and look at poverty. that's where the problems spawn.

@1:23 PM doesn't even know where to tune in KF.

No one has any obligation to remain in Jackson. Period.

12:50 OMG! You're evidently a Democrat, as only they seem to be able to suspend reality to the point necessary to get where you're located!

So the bottom line for you: are you saying black and white cultures are the same? Because, at the end of the day, that's where all of this begins. Poverty exacerbates things, but it's not the root of the problem.

A modest proposal: as you gentlemen have rightly observed, Ridgeland is as good as trashed, and can Madison, and even Gluckstadt (despite its cheerful name) be far behind? We all know the answer to that! Build it, and "they" will come...and ruin property values, ruin the schools, and even ruin equine statuary in our glorious faux-Italian shopping Mecca!

So, the proposal: might as well just STAY IN JACKSON! Or, if you fled, RETURN! (By "Jackson," of course, I mean Belhaven, Woodland Hills, Hawthorne Hills, Eastover. Anything Fondren! Maybe parts of Heatherwood and Sherwood Forest. Country Club should be okay, if the road-fix holds.) Forget the public schools---you know you wouldn't be using those wherever you lived! There are some honkin' good deals on beautiful houses in all these formerly exclusive areas, languishing on the market because of the lingering (but fast-fading) myth that Madison County is "safer". Wellll...so much for THAT dream, as we're seeing. Even the faux-Italian equine statuary isn't safe!

Let "them" HAVE East Ridgeland. Build MORE, not fewer, jerry-built HUD complexes to house 'em.

Then everyone is happy, in this best of all possible worlds.

Was it the last Jackson Mayor who said "no gentrification" for Jackson?

2:10. OMG! you sound like the grand dragon of the central ms KKK. cultures are inherently superior due to race?

we don't mind seeing young black males play football. the Bulldogs are on right now. as long as there aren't blacks in the stands AND the players who graduate move to back in with momma instead of using their college degree it's ok for them to play football for us?

### Metro Ad Valorem Millage Rates (2013-2014) ###

Jackson = 178.80 mils

Edwards = 150.33 mils

Clinton = 147.76 mils
Canton = 144.84 mils

Bolton = 139.63 mils
Byram = 137.43 mils
Terry = 131.18 mils

---> AVERAGE = 131.0625 mils <---

Raymond = 128.95 mils
Pearl = 128.18 mils
Flora = 126.18 mils
Madison = 121.48 mils

Brandon = 118.66 mils
Ridgeland = 112.70 mils
Florence = 112.56 mils

Flowood = 109.66 mils
Richland = 108.66 mils

*INCLUDES City, County & School District

Madison County is safer, Rankin County is safer.

Kingfish acts as if discovery of these several emails will sink a ship and spell doom for all white city employees. It's nothing but an honest exchange of information and opinions. Why are not white people entitled to do that? Why is it that exchanges of this nature are only the province of people like Stokes, Chokwe, Kamikaze and other racist blacks? Should the emails have contained the word 'DEM' in order to get the attention of Jerry Mitchell, Kingfish's new friend?

Why does Kingfish expose routine, honest email discussions and follow it with 'OUCH'? Big deal. Get the hell over it Kingfish.

All you wannabee social scientists think you have a handle on solving cultural issues and demographic-creep which follows ruination. Your opinions and lofty suggestions are a dime a dozen. The only answer has been, is and will always be, 'you do what you gotta do!'

moved to Mississippi from New Orleans in 2000, the children at home attended Madison and the then new Ridgeland High. Adequate but overrated. The viable demographic shift was not in our best interests, it was the age of people seeing their home as a income stream. The Apartments being overloaded with Hispanics only made it worse. Moved to Rankin County in 2008. No regrets.
Somewhat surprised the change in school demographics has been so rapid. What else can the Mayor do? Lobby to be incorporated into Jackson?

In summary: "Stokes did it so it must be okay." Really? Racism is wrong no matter who said it. Those emails? Racist. Don't like blacks? Leave the South. Provo, UT is just your flavor.

what will mississippians do when the white population is no longer a majority in the usa? latest estimate: 2044. 30yrs. most of us will be dead or too old to care i suppose. the number of mixed race babies continues to rise, and for kids under 5, the majority are already non-white in our country

Not a worry. When the govt stops paying minorities to have more kids and stops raising them the numbers will change. Think about who will pay taxes and give freebies to minorities if the minorities suddenly loose their minority status.

I would looooove to stay in Belhaven! My husband and I have entertained the idea of every possibility to make that happen, but we have a little one starting kindergarten in the fall and there is not a decent public school to send her to in the district. I truly hate to leave, but it will unfortunately be a reality for our family this year. It makes me so sad, we've lived here since 2002.

3:54. I'm white and grew up on welfare due to trashy parents. government freebies aren't nearly as good as you think they are.

Kids born into poverty need good public schools to at least have a chance to not perpetuate their station in life. teachers were the only positive role models I had.

4:07

Have you not seen Casey Elementary's scores?

Pretty sure they are doing petty well.

But I understand your overall larger point. Jackson will not rise until a prominent middle class can send their children to thriving public schools.

What? You don't want to drop $12,000 on Kindergarten for the little one at St. Andrew's? Best school in all the land. Or so we are sold, er, told.

Kids born into poverty need good parents to at least have a chance to not perpetuate their station in life. If teachers are the only positive role models they have, 95% are doomed.

By the year 2050 people of color will be the majority in all of America. Continued misogyny will eventually erode the white race in its entirety. All of your great great grandchildren will be black and or Hispanic. Your fight is frutile. If you embrace the future, maybe you'll be remembered in time. If you all continue to perpetuate racism and bigotry you kids kids will suffer.

It's so exhausting thinking about how to even try to help all you different kinds of peasants with your comical and entertaining short-sighted values.

I'm fine to keep things the way they are. Just hilariously frustrating to watch sometimes. There's money to be made in the destruction of Babylon. There's money in rebuilding it. I don't care either way. Move North, move South, move East, move West, I'll be there.

Until all of you get together to figure this out and want something different, we will continue doing what we know, and you will continue to get what you deserve.

Private school costs a lot. Worth every penny regardless of what county you're in.

I think that definitely depends on the school, friend. Big difference between St. Andrews and say, Tri-County/Copiah Academy.

And yes, we've toured Casey. The scores are great, we were not impressed with the principal, facility, or the diversity there.

^Unless you live in Madison. Then why you would send your kids to MRA vs Madison Central is beyond me.

Bingo Says,

Geno is the one that wanted these apartments fot the "taxes"! Dig into the CL archives. This is his puppy.

MRA = smaller class sizes. There are a lot of smart kids going there. Some with parents making too much money. They have a drug policy that seems to stem the use in the student body.

But there are some kids that shouldn't be there. They are troubled mentally and distract the other students. I sent my kid there for her education versus the above average Madison county schools (as Mississippi has the worst schools in the country, where do above average schools really rank). Though I spent somewhere between $75-$85k on tuition over 13 years, I've no regrets.

My kid got a free ride at Holmes and is at USM and got scholarships there too.

/living in Madison since 1989

There appears to be a handful (or one repeater) of chortlers on here who fancies the Islamic-type threats. 'We will overtake you and wipe you out and you won't be able to resist or stop us'.

Wrong, Lactavious. Carry yo bald ass clubbin' and try not to get a DUI down to four-pernts.

4:19 PM; And in addition to Casey, there are Davis and McWillie, which consistently have among the highest test scores in the state. Davis is usually number 1 and McWillie is consistently in the top 5 highest performing elementary schools in the state based on test scores. Casey in consistently top 10. And, yes, for those wondering, these inner-city schools really are beating out their suburban counterparts.

THANK YOU, MR KINGFISH....It should be REQUIRED that everyone listen to WMPR 90.1 (when they have their "talk" shows, esp. WED. After 6
***
It is hard to believer what crap is broadcast & no one seems to know about it by YOU

If I lived in Madison, I wouldn't send my kids to either one of those, 4:51.

5:51
I'm sure you are completely satisfied with Jackson Public Schools.

Besides listening to WMPR (90.1) in the evenings, would recommend listening to 1300 AM on Sunday morning. The racism that is expressed on the various programs would make any reasonable thinking person (either race) ill. And the talk is not by the 'callers' as someone above said - its by the hosts which are elected officials and black community leaders. And BTW, the talk on these programs, when I assume they think the listening audience doesn't include white voters, is certainly not what some of these elected officials have to say when they attend your homeowner meetings in NE Jxn or in Clinton (or, for that matter, in Rankin or Madison County).

If the black population is moving to Ridgeland in order to have accessability to better education opportunities for their children, I say good for them. Just as the black population in Jackson is moving to Clinton (public schools there now majority black.) Just because the system is majority black does not mean it represents the same demographics as schools in Jackson where the parents don't give a damn about their kids education.

But there is also another solution that I don't see these same parents considering - push THEIR elected officials (see "black caucus" in the MS Legislature) to accept the idea of Charter Schools rather than stick with the education establishment. There are two successful Charters operating in inner city Jackson today that is providing a good educational opportunity for kids whose parents cannot afford to get out of the ghetto. If the state could create more, and allow the kids to cross district lines, then moving out of the ghetto for kid's educational sake wouldn't be quite as necessary.

In the meantime, I would bet that these emails that KF is so proud of won't amount to anything. Public officials talking about problems in the community isn't enough for HUD to win this fight. If so, HUD would have owned Jackson proper decades ago.

Jackson is a craphole.

After Hurricane Katrina, portions of Jackson County were inundated with cheap apartments. Behavior issues and other problems in the public schoolsescalated, and ten years later are still escalated for those of you who would blame that soley on the trauma of the storm, and thus the overall atmosphere of those schools is much rougher than it used to be. In that same time period, more dollar stores and cheap retailers opened, few new "nice" homes were built, and crime escalated. It all started with a saturation of apartments that fostered a community with no sense of communit. P.S. Most of the residents--and criminals--are white. As someone not from Jackson, it amazes me how many readers of this blog seem to be preoccupied with race and superiority of one city over another. P.P.S. As someone who lived in the City of Jackson for years, it is my opinion that not wanting to live in one area or another or not wanting to send your children to one school or another has little, if anything, to do with race and everything to do with not wanting to be robbed at gunpoint or worse.

5:33...., your kid got a free ride to Holmes and is now at USM in return for spending $80k at MRA. That pretty much sums up the argument for the pro-citizen's counsel folks on this page. I bet they got a Richard Barrett commendation also. And I bet they drive a $50,000 suped up four wheel drive pickup and have a field date with the Eaglettes. And then.....grad school after they can't get a job with their 2.0 in general business. Go Pats!

@5:51 = TROLL

No, 8:30, it was just an honest response to 4:51's remark. And I'm not alone in that opinion as evidenced by the number of people living in Madison who also choose neither of those schools. Similar to the number of people living in Ridgeland who also choose not to go the public school route (or the MRA route). However, I will add to my previous response that if I did have to choose between MRA and Madison Central or any other public school, I would choose MRA.

@829

The point wasn't how much money was/wasn't spent. As a good libertarian, I was happy knowing I wasn't a leach on the government school system. Also, the vacancy was filled by some other kid packed into overcrowded classes.

That my kid earned a free ride is a testament to MRA and her abilities. And when it is done, we will have broken even.

As it stands, she was glad that she graduated from MRA, with honors.

/for if I had kept the money, I would have wasted it on some frivolous charity that causes it's director to get his arse shot dead (looking at you, Stewpot).

/majoring in speech pathology...teaching kids with speech impediments or hearing losses how to communicate.

5:51 here, not a troll. You can go look up the data on MDE's site like I did or check out this site, which breaks it down for the lazy. The second link currently has 2014 data, but that could be updated soon.

2014 MS Elementary School Rankings by Average Standard MCT Score across grades
1. Davis Magnet - JPS
2. McWillie Elementary - JPS
3. North Woolmarket - Harrison County
4. Marietta - Prentiss County
5. Madison Station - Madison County
6. Casey Elementary - JPS
7. Hayes Cooper Center - Cleveland
8. Caledonia Elementary - Lowndes County
9. Madison Avenue Upper - Madison County
10. Ackerman Elementary - Choctaw County

It might really blow your mind that the highest performing middle school in the state was Northwest Middle (JPS). Northwest Middle (Rankin) was number 4 and Clinton Junior High was number 5.

Those JPS schools you brag about are montessori or Magnet schools. They SHOULD do well as they are cherry picking from 30,000 or so students or using a special program in an area with better demographics in terms of income and family stability.

Proud? Just another news story. No more, no less.

Honors track at MRA and then (free ride at) Holmes... Yikes! The other private schools are laughing at you. And honestly I am too.

Wow. Bragging about a free ride at Holmes, after dropping almost a hundred large on private education. A ham sandwich could get a free ride at Holme.

KF, I'm not understanding your point about the good schools in JPS being magnet or Montessori. The real point is that there are top performing schools in JPS, easily available to motivated parents and especially to white families. But most whites would rather move to Madison for "good schools" that are no better, or pay for inferior private schools. The only conclusion I can draw is that they don't want to go to school with Blacks, no matter how good the school is.

MRA just teaches you how to be a redneck. JA, Prep, St Andrew's are legit but too pricy for average Mississippian. Maybe St Joe's in that group too.

It appears to me that ignorance is bliss when it comes to the economic development of Mississippi as a whole. They're more wealthy minorities in " Mississippi " than " White Flight" is aware. Ridgeland nor Madison holds the economic value it once did anymore because of the self perpetuating hate that simmers. Trouble is everywhere whether it be in the black community or in the self induced drug community and suicidal community of " White" Mississippi. Start by educating yourselves on the root cause analysis of the problem and stop whining. Also, if you're that concerned about the mixing of the races, economic thriving and safety of the family then stay your ass out of Downtown Jackson working and taking the money back to Madison, Ridgeland and Rankin County. Work where you live.....

P.S. I believe the Mayor of Jackson should introduce toll bridges/ booths to tax the citizens coming into Jackson from Madison, Ridgeland and Rankin County. Oh, I too will hide behind this anonymous post.

5:05 is unaware of just how dead downtown is. Businesses are leaving by the the droves, and have been for quite some time. It's mainly State offices now. Good luck raising enough money from govt employees to fix the culture problem Jackson has.

Most agree the worse part of system of 'unpaid labor', 'the slave bondage' in old Dixie was the separation of families. We now have a much worse family condition. Remember the old south was the only place with Jim Crow and voter suppression, in other areas race separation was bad but different. Now in large part due to WAR on Poverty, Great Society, numerous and unending government actions the Black family is gone. Single mother households have always been poor, historically re widows, now they are by design. This must be solved for education to have a chance. Without education many go into crime. I witness to many mixed race families that are doing okay so I reject this as 'simple racism'. I moved from Ridgeland to Rankin, my next door neighbor is black, have had many great Minority neighbors, and normally I am the one holding down the value with a ugly lawn. This is now a generational issue if we, they, them ever get our crap together.

No matter where you are or what color you are, when the people that play the government assistance game are reproducing more than those working to pay for the government assistance game the end result is not going to be good.

Thanks 5:05 - I work in Ridgeland (where my company relocated from Jackson) and live in Madison. I rarely come to Hinds County. When I do travel through your bustling metro, I am reminded of why I don't live there once I hit a city maintained street.
Good luck on the toll road idea. Maybe you should move to London proper where other people with your deep wisdom had the same idea.

I know it will come as a shock to many of you, but with good city planning and zoning laws that are enforced, you can have diversity without risk.

It was done in the 50s even in areas of the country with good leadership.

You simply create buffer zones where high cost single family residential areas are buffered by other single family homes of decreasing square footage and then ring with duplexes and higher end apartment then decrease in value and protect all from commercial development by green zones. Do this all over the community so there isn't just one school district with the poorest folks. Be hard on slum lords. Make owners of rental property keep their dwelling up and condemn properties that aren't kept up.

Of course, even these communities that thrived are at risk now thanks to greed and public corruption, but still, they are better off and still have viable public schools.

PS I'd rather have a successful,educated family of color next door than white trash!

I grew up going to various local private schools. My kids attended a local private school.

I'm not attempting to insult the lovely libertarian and her daughter, but MRA has never been known as a school to send for "education." MRA is likely in the most economically viable area of the state and has been for 30 years but continues to be a mediocre school.

Their sports programs openly recruit and pay for public school players to attend school there in their junior and/or senior years. I bring that up because, IMO, that's indicative of the overall philosophy at the school

Those JPS schools you brag about are montessori or Magnet schools. They SHOULD do well as they are cherry picking from 30,000 or so students or using a special program in an area with better demographics in terms of income and family stability.

Yup, and in the case of McWillie, when those students are ready to enter the 7th grade their progressive parents yank them out of JPS rather than send them to Chastain. The privates are littered with McWillie grads.

@8:42 - And a lot of those McWillie grads come in to the privates outperforming their peers. And the parents have saved about $60K to get them to that point.

Th attraction of Ridgeland,Madison,etc. is the competent functioning of municipal services. The police, courts, and da function well. This along with reasonably decent schools make the burbs attractive. This very likely will change. There was a lot more poverty prior to 1960 without the crime, single-parent homes,etc. Charles Murray's book "Coming Apart" examines these factors nicely.

Th attraction of Ridgeland,Madison,etc. is the competent functioning of municipal services. The police, courts, and da function well. This along with reasonably decent schools make the burbs attractive. This very likely will change. There was a lot more poverty prior to 1960 without the crime, single-parent homes,etc. Charles Murray's book "Coming Apart" examines these factors nicely.

$60K? K-6 @ St. Andrew's costs $101,000.

If you believe that Davis and McWillie are indicative of JPS performance then you also must believe that Jackson has the area's lowest crime rates.

Where do you think Gene sends his grandkids... MRA.

7:35 , good points but too far gone in Jackson and rest of metro area in not far behind. Yes, good planning would have helped but the Federal government put that to an end with busing and other blockbusting. The things that we see in Jackson are not found in any city planning text books.

I didn't say they Davis and McWillie were indicative of JPS performance as a whole. I posted the rankings of Davis and McWillie in response to an earlier posters statement that there are no good schools in JPS. I was simply pointing out that there are exceptional programs in JPS that outperform the suburban schools.

... and there is not a decent public school to send her to in the district

Well, well, well you stand corrected 4:07 Belhaven Mom. There are two, maybe three, decent public schools inside of JPS. The rest are crap.

To 8:32 am
Can you tell me a private school that does not follow your assessment?

While across the border this evening, WAPT aired Stokes' rant urging "black leadership" to encourage throwing bottles and rocks at any outside suburban Law Enforcement vehicle that has the nerve to continue a pursuit into the city limits of "The City with Soul".

We are less than 24 hours from 2016 and we are still talking about race. Surprise, surprise!That's good ol' Mississippi for ya! I walk to halls of one of Ridgeland's schools on a daily basis. I'm still trying to see the deteoration people are talking about. There are no excessive fights, or kids being disrespectful. I see kids going to class and doing what they are supposed to do. I just don't understand. Is the school itself and the quality education is what's deteriorating or are their too many Blacks and Hispanics their for your liking? The problem I have with all of this is the same jacka$$e$ that are complaining have not set foot in a Ridgeland school in several years. No one came and took "your" school. Why cant you just embrace the diversity thats in the Ridgeland community? You have at least 20 different languages spoken in the Ridgeland zone, with multiple personal experiences. Do this for me. Well not for me but for you and your families. For 2016, make it a point to put your fears to rest and visit a Ridgeland school. Make it a point to talk with a principal or a teacher. Get 1st hand information and not grapevine info. It's sad that we are still having these kind of conversations in 2016. If all of the kids in Ridgeland would go to school in Ridgeland, we would have the absolute best zone in Mississippi. Think about it! Most of you that send your kids to private schools do so because of class and race. But ask yourself this question, how real is that world? They're not going to college with all rich white kids but everyone will be there. Why not expose them now? There is not a private school in the metro area that can offer a better education than Madison County Schools. Have a wonderful 2016.

Shame on us all....Fix your attitudes in 2016 or we will ALL be miserable!

Once again, PittPanther reveals his status as a mental midget by typing out the claim that Madison schools are no better than JPS schools.

It's not so much baffling that he has his opinion as it is that he continues to actually claim those goofy opinions by attaching his moniker to them.

If all our elected official would send their kids to the schools where they live but have barely ever set foot in, the demographics they are so worried about would be different. All I can say is thank God my kids go to public school and don't have an irrational fear of anyone because they are not white and have had academic, arts, leadership and sports opportunities that kids at other schools don't seem to have. Really I am astounded and embarrassed to share my community with such bigots.

Kudos to Kingfish for posting this. It shows his integrity.

I'm calling out DI Smith. He's always posting stuff about Rudy and Karl on his Facebook page, and rightfully so. Keeping the voters informed and engaged as he calls it. Not one word on his page about this though. Post it DI Smith. Inform the voters. Do it if you have an ounce of integrity left. Otherwise you are just like the rest of them.

As a product of JPS, I had this notion that I'd send my children to the same schools I'd attended. This is not possible. After researching and studying (harder than I did for the LSAT), I can't do it. Davis, Casey, and McWillie are excellent schools with advanced curriculums but what happens after elementary?

8:56

You need to go back to school and pay attention this time.

Kingfish: Please educate thyself. Montessori schools are not publically funded schools. They rarely exist any more but, when they did, they were privately funded social experiments requiring tuition.

Please work harder @11:44 AM, much harder, to catch up.

Monte,

McWillie is a public Montessori school in Jackson Public School system. It has been open for about 13 years. There are Montessori schools around the world and four additional Montessori programs in the metro area.

I think you all are forgetting about Bailey APAC Middle School of JPS! Here are a few links of this school's success:
*http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2015/nov/11/jps-middle-school-scores-shine/
*http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/03/25/champions-change/70450470/
*http://www.jackson.k12.ms.us/content.aspx?url=/page/press&nid=1942

I understand that Bailey APAC is a magnet school, but I want people to open up and notice the success of schools like this instead of pretending as if they don't exist.

What about Bailey APAC Middle? This is another school that perfoms on an outstanding level from JPS. Here are a few links:
*http://www.jackson.k12.ms.us/content.aspx?url=/page/press&nid=1942
*http://www.jacksonfreepress.com/news/2015/nov/11/jps-middle-school-scores-shine/
*http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2015/03/25/champions-change/70450470/

I know that Bailey is a magnet school as well, but I just want people to open up to things like this.

I have known a few white professional families who sent their kids to JPS and were very involved with promotion of public schools. Unfortunately, their kids paid for it - college rejections, inadequate AP classes and harassment by the "majority." It would be nice to be able to support public schools, but without a good faith effort by the majority of parents, it's not going to happen.

The issue here is not race, but culture. Black skin doesn't make someone a thug, but a culture of "it's okay to kill or steal and you're racist if you say anything because my ancestors were slaves and you owe me," does. The problem will never be solved until enough black folks decide that they have to take responsibility for their own lives and not rely on the government or some "Black Leader" to coddle them and excuse them from their present actions because of ancient history. Fortunately there are a few who get it. Some live in my neighborhood in Rankin County (along with hispanic, asian and middle eastern residents) and fit right in, which is all I expect. I understand white flight, and until enough blacks take responsibility and decide to remedy the get-even-with-them culture, it will not end.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but no matter how much money white people spend to send little William the 15th to private school, he will eventually end up at Ole Miss or Miss. State with black students like me. I went to JPS (Forest Hill) and earned academic scholarships to several major universities. I have been attending Ole Miss for two years. Little William is going to see, live around, probably even date or work for a black person one day. That's just life. You will not be able to shield him from people of color forever. Here at Ole Miss there are all kinds of races of people; we get along fine. White kids and black kids would get along fine if it wasn't for interfering white and black older people. It's 2016 for God's sake. Race is just not that serious.

There is an old saying that still holds true today: Prejudices, it is well known, are most difficult to eradicate from the heart whose soil has never been loosened or fertilized by education; they grow firm there, firm as weeds among stones.

It is said that a child's attitude toward school is established during those first tender years in school. My child began kindergarten at Ann Smith and, she has continued her education in Ridgeland, moving from Ann Smith to Highland and now finishing her last year at Olde Towne. She absolutely loves school and, she excels. I've no doubt that her passion and her drive were sown at Ann Smith. The faculty and staff there are nothing short of wonderful. It is such a warm, welcoming school. Her experiences at Highland and Olde Towne are also no less than wonderful. She is an honor student and is active in numerous extracurricular activities such as band, volleyball, TSA, Beta Club and so forth. She loves her peers and will be the first to tell you that there are no cliques in Ridgeland. The students are all accepting of one another.

I know our Mayor and, I know his character and heart. Gene McGee has worked very hard to bring so many wonderful things to our town. He is an active presence in our schools and genuinely cares about the kids. I am not so much concerned about the snippets of his responses or his one-liner responses above. Words can be taken out of context and, it appears that whomever provided his personal correspondences had such an agenda. What does strike me as alarming and even saddens me are the comments from the public to this article. I can not imagine how burdensome it must be to live in paranoia and fear of a race different than your own. Even worse, what does it say about the parent that raises their childhood to seek out cookie cutter friends?

We were all created by the same hand. There will be no white heaven or black heaven or Hispanic heaven. Red, yellow, black and white....all are precious in His sight.

You know being black and from Mississippi makes life very complex. I travel extensively around our country. Every remark that I hear about my state is said with a negative tone. I recently attended my son graduation from Marine Corp in South Carolina. He said dad these people still think we have outhouses and no running water. I have always defended my state when anyone said something negative about Mississippi. When I crossed that line that says "Welcome to Mississippi" I felt happy. But then you get home and you read a lot of this crap Jackson and calling the people who live here idiots, thugs,etc. If you read the comments and what is being said, its always along racial lines. So i ask myself has my state really grown when it comes to racial inequality. So I investigate, my state is on the bottom or near the bottom of all economical stats. Our state hasn't moved in not one category. Yet we vote the same people into office over and over again. SMART People!!!! I protect my city the same way i protect my state but its coming from the people of my state. So i guess i could understand why people view my state the way they do. We tear each other down. My kids talking about leaving this state, their home because of our reputation. 3 college graduates and they all attended JPS and went to college on full academic scholarships. My eyes have opened up and I see our state for what it is. Demographics change all the time and will continue to. Why try to defend a state that will not defend itself because it hasn't changed. It will take the younger generation to change this state. Mississippi is the heart of the Bible Belt but we always take the Devil's Path.

You know being black and from Mississippi makes life very complex. I travel extensively around our country. Every remark that I hear about my state is said with a negative tone. I recently attended my son graduation from Marine Corp in South Carolina. He said dad these people still think we have outhouses and no running water. I have always defended my state when anyone said something negative about Mississippi. When I crossed that line that says "Welcome to Mississippi" I felt happy. But then you get home and you read a lot of this crap Jackson and calling the people who live here idiots, thugs,etc. If you read the comments and what is being said, its always along racial lines. So i ask myself has my state really grown when it comes to racial inequality. So I investigate, my state is on the bottom or near the bottom of all economical stats. Our state hasn't moved in not one category. Yet we vote the same people into office over and over again. SMART People!!!! I protect my city the same way i protect my state but its coming from the people of my state. So i guess i could understand why people view my state the way they do. We tear each other down. My kids talking about leaving this state, their home because of our reputation. 3 college graduates and they all attended JPS and went to college on full academic scholarships. My eyes have opened up and I see our state for what it is. Demographics change all the time and will continue to. Why try to defend a state that will not defend itself because it hasn't changed. It will take the younger generation to change this state. Mississippi is the heart of the Bible Belt but we always take the Devil's Path.

The Natchez Trace is a buffer? The Pearl River, now THAT'S a buffer. Cross the river if you like but remember, there only a few escape routes back to Jacktown.

And BTW, hasn't Hillary taught you elected people anything, GET A PRIVATE SERVER and put it in your basement, attic or garage!

Damn that must have been a righteous high @ 2:44 AM. Feel better?

2:44

Being any color and from Mississippi makes life very complex. It's just how you deal with it.

2:44: Understand. I think part of the problem is not enough people get away from this state and then return. Changes the perspective a little when you see how things are done elsewhere and how people interact as well.

However, the people in Jackson keep on electing the same judges and district attorneys who have failed in their jobs. There is little accountability and lets be honest: a black politician will lose his job more quickly if he is considered to be an Uncle Tom than if he is actually held accountable for his job performance. Stokes keeps getting re-elected. E.C. Foster loses to a punk because he was too nice to white people. Supervisor Darrell McQuirter has to fight hard against a nut because he dare be nice to white folks. It goes both ways.

Until people on both sides start demanding more transparency and an end to corruption, the state will continue to be last. The people are getting the government they demand. They just don't want to look in the mirror after seeing the results.

Kingfish, 2:44 here. I blame both sides. This is not just a Jackson issue. I think it's a statewide issue. I hate to see Mississippi even on the national news. We have had politicians on both side always say some demeaning crap in one way or another. Do I agree with what Mr. Stokes said, I don't. But when i comes from another side it's blown off as it was taking out of context. We need to hold all of leaders accountable whether it's locally or statewide. I don't vote in Mr. Stokes ward but when I read the comments its all of Jackson getting called names by the rest of the state but when its shown nationwide the comments turn to the state. Read the comments on the Foxsnews and CNN, It shows what the rest of our country thinks about our state. I label as "Guilty By Association". You are right about going getting outside of Mississippi and seeing things from another perspective. You could really learn a lot about how the rest of the country view our state.

People come to and through Ms. all of the time. It is very easy for them to pass judgement on the living conditions, the people, education, and elected officials. Those who do not pass through the state only have to read the standings of Ms. on anything. We have a solid hold on last place in anything good and a strong first on anything bad.
For everything there has to be a last place. We in Ms. proudly protect all other states from that position. We work very hard to maintain that spot.

Some people enjoy living in a ghetto. Some people do not want to live in a ghetto.
The first group will make any place they move to into a ghetto.
The second group will move from a ghetto to a nicer place.
We see that Jackson is a ghetto. It is home for those who enjoy living in a ghetto. Why shouldn't anyone who does not want to live in a ghetto move out of Jackson?

I can't believe this blatant racism that still exists in this state. Whites and blacks both live in Ridgeland apartments. We work and pay our taxes like everyone else. Ridgeland stop trying to be like Madison! There are a lot of voters who can vote in a whole Ridgeland city government. Every man, woman, and child are entitled to safe living conditions, and great schools. These are some disgusting and cruel posts. Ridgeland wants to be white only. EVERYONE STAY OUT!! DISCRIMINATION AT ITS BEST!!