Jackson Jambalaya

Intentionally? Is that a private school word?

Rich kids.

No 3:33- but you would need to be conversationally fluent.

Hey, St Andrews Bedwetters, don't forget to filter the ice machines.

Well that's about right for this audience. Attack the children who attend the school. St Andrew's was ranked #16 of the top-rated 100 day schools in the USA. The curriculum is the toughest of any school in Mississippi. When a student graduates from St. Andrew's he or she is completely ready for college and these schools recruit them in order to keep their test score averages high. These are good people and include a lot of kids who are there on scholarship because their families can't afford the fees. To remain in St. Andrew's you have to continue to maintain the highest standards in academics and honor code. You also have to donate your time working with those less fortunate and those after-class hours are monitored. My daughter goes to St. Andrew's and the work she does in academics, community and church always amazes me. These are the best teachers in the State. And these "bedwetters" will eventually employ and guide your kid so treat them with respect.

No doubt @5:15 PM has to keep convincing themselves why they're dropping $200,000 on the joint.

Does all the drug use by St.A students violate the honor code? Or is that part of getting them completely ready for college?

I feel a lot better that St.A is moving intentionally rather than randomly on the matter.

Nowhere near that amount, troller-boy. Plus, I run businesses of my own making (not the government's) so I pay taxes for public schools so your kids can go to school...and you're welcome. I saved up when I was doing a military career so I could do things like that. Since I'm not wealthy mine went to high school only. We couldn't afford K-Middle School. So the large majority of these students get full rides at various colleges. They have two full-time college advisors who do everything possible to get scholarships at the right universities for professional degrees. Most parents will pay a fortune to send their kids to college but most St. Andrew's kids score so high they get free or mostly-free rides, thus saving the parents more money in the long run. Oh...and they get jobs so they don't have to live with their parents. As far as drugs? Really? Can you give examples please? So really...I don't care what your opinion is. Just understand that your kid will work for my kid unless he or she writes stuff like you do on this blog and then my kid will probably fire your kid.

What kind of person reads a story about lead in school drinking water and attacks the children? Absolutely disgusting.

7:15 - SA grad here. You are naive if you think there is no drug use there. Also, I hope your daughter's service learning hours instill in her the humility you seem to lack. Get over yourself.

5:15/7:15 - you are the epitome of the typical ole miss smug ass piece of $h!+. Mortgaged to the gills insufferable bastard.

His or her child scored a 14 on the ACT so he or she is very, very bitter.

You are naive if you think there is no drug use there.

Yup, extremely naive.

I had to fire the lone St. Andrews alum in our office two years ago. He was --no joke-- going to rehab on his parents dime, so he couldn't be our runner anymore. He was 27.

Also, I love watching my Madison Central kids and their friends dominate SA in literally everything.

8:37 Including Presidential Scholarships? :-) I don't know the exact number, but I think somewhere around 33 have ever been awarded to a Mississippi student, and 32 of them were at SA.

Maybe your special snowflake got the other one :-)

Incidentally, I don't see anything that is factually incorrect by posts from 5:15 and 7:15. Maybe they should be a little more sensitive about hurting the feelings of those who haven't accomplished all that much in their lives. And there IS drug use among SA students (including EtOH) but it doesn't seem any more or any less common than among other high schoolers around here.

The big question all the fools with class envy are missing, and the only important one, is: what have other schools in Jackson done to evaluate the water their students drink every day? Is there something uniquely bad about the old pipes at SA'a lower school, or are they the only school that has checked for this neurotoxin on campus? I haven't heard about any testing anywhere else.

7:15 said, " Most parents will pay a fortune to send their kids to college but most St. Andrew's kids score so high they get free or mostly-free rides, thus saving the parents more money in the long run."

I work with families in cash flow & personal finance. If you believe that tale then you are in for a real disappointment.

9:28 -- That's adorable. You picked one scholarship, which you call the "Presidential Scholarship" --as though there were only one "presidential" scholarship-- and cite it against ...

-2x as many national merit finalists

-Athletic dominance, best band in the state, all that bourgeoisie stuff you're too effete not to suck at

-National Academic Decathlon champs

-State debate champs

-State academic competition champs

-Multiple kids admitted to Harvard, Yale, etc.

And even if SA did have a slight edge in getting in the door at Bowdoin, there's one big, immutable difference: MC is free. And any kid who needs the hothouse flower environment at SA to thrive isn't going amount to shit anyway. If Pradeep or Cooper succeeded at SA, they would have succeeded at MC, too.

So at the end of the day, you're paying for one thing: to keep your kid from having to go to school with too many black people, while maintaining plausible deniability.

Just admit it. It will unburden you.

9:28 Agreed on all points. The administration is performing due diligence to ensure the lower-school students are safe since their property resides within the Jackson Free-Fire Zone. I'm sure all of the other private and public schools are doing that and notifying their parents. Surely they are? Wouldn't they? And 8:37 the difference between a St. Andrews drug user and a Madison Central drug user is the SA teen can explain the chemical compound of the drug and how it affects the central nervous system given weight, height and age. The Mad Central teen knows that a plastic baggie containing the drug is something, maybe a container, you can mostly see through. As far as the post about your "runner" I'm not sure I would revel in the fact that someone has a drug problem and how much the family is suffering through that. Okay, I'm certain I wouldn't do that. Go Saints

Well I'm a Saint Andrew's parent and my graduate got a full scholarship which is about $32K per year at an out-of-state school. And he's breezing through it because he's completely prepared. So that's, um, about $128,000 I don't have to pay. But we do send him money for board and food. And he has a part-time job because he's really prepared for college and so he has time to work. I'm not disappointed.

10:23

"The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students."

That's the one I'm talking about. Never awarded to a MCHS student. Five seniors at SA just got nominated for this year.

BTW, MCHS is not "free". We pay $4000 a year in property taxes in Madison, and the biggest chunk is for the school district. MCHS is an outstanding public school, something that keeps our property values high.

For a class of 72 students they do pretty well in awards, etc. The PERCENTAGE of students getting 36s on their ACTs, etc, is extraordinarily higher at SA. Maybe if SA had 1000 or 2000 per year the raw numbers would be higher, but that's 6A vs 3A. That affects the athletic stats too, but I suspect the math behind this is just a little over your head.

Apparently no one has told you the student body is full of black kids. Asians too. Almost all are kids of local MDs and scientists, but if skin color is your obsession, well there's the facts.

Interesting fact: the valedictorians from SA and MCHS two years ago both ended up at Vanderbilt, as did last year's SA valedictorian (the MCHS valedictorian went to a different, equally prestigious school). All great kids, all well prepared for college, all with outstanding academic records and extracurricular activities. The difference, of course, is the bottom of the class.......

I thought this was something about water quality and lead. But I see it's only about a bunch of haughty parents trying to out 'eloquent' each other in the Jeopardy Elocution Category, hollering down the hall, 'Hey, look at that shit I just posted on JJ!"

You people really need to chill, stop walking like you have a cob up your ass and lose the bow-ties and tennis skirts.

Apparently no one has told you the student body is full of black kids. Asians too.

FULL?

Caucasian - 71.8%
African American - 12.6%
Asian - 7.8%
Asian Indian - 1.7%
Other - 0.2%
Multi-racial - 4.2%
Hispanic American - 0.6%
Middle Eastern - 0.3%
No response - 2.5%

Let's see @7:15pm.....

Military reference? Check.
Owns a business? Check.
Brags about paying taxes? Check.
Public school pot-shot? Check.


Just give it up guys, this fellow is obviously better than all of you. I mean, how could any of us peons possibly hold a candle to that?

@6:28 Lot more diversity than many of public schools in metro area. ( see jackson public schools, canton public schools)

As a young parent trying to decide where to send my child to school in a few years, this thread has ruled out Saint Andrews. Thanks for saving me the time and energy, 5:15.

Good for St. Andrew's for staying on top of this issue. All of the quibbling back and forth above about the merits of a St. A's education is ridiculous (not a St. A's student, alum, or parent).

ummmm, St. Andrews released a statement on how they are dealing with the lead in the water issue that exists right now in Jackson. I'm not sure how, or why it makes it on this blog, but it did, even though it is of highest importance to the parents of the children that attend there.

We wonder what is wrong with our country / states / cities.....just read how people respond to each other on blogs such as this. Would you want someone talking to your mother / grandmother / wife like people have spoken above?

Chill out people, enjoy life for all it is, the ups and downs, and all that other stuff. CHOOSE to be supportive, and part of the solution.....it's all about choices. Choices you make, I make, others make.

St. Andrews is a good school, no doubt; but also remember, there will be a lot of kids that attend less fortunate schools that CHOOSE to lift themselves out of their circumstances, and will succeed at greater levels than many of the most highly educated.

I can't help but think about the "Sermon on the Mount" right now.

It seems to me that compared to the juvenile attacks on St A's students and parents on a story about water quality, 7:15 am's responses are remarkably polite.
I actually like knowing whether or not someone who comments has any credibility on the subject.
7:15 am obviously does . He is personally familiar with St. A's and successful businessman.
I don't see the ones making attacks showing a willingness to share what gives them credibility on the subject of education or anything else. What do you do for a living 4:09 pm. Are you commenting at work or are you unemployed? Or are you an adolescent?
Having dealt with children for over 50 years , a bright child that studies hard will excel wherever he or she goes and will read and learn outside the classroom and seek help, as well. He or she will have an easier time with good adult guidance and help when he or she encounters difficult subject matter.
Even at the top schools in the country, there will be problem children who don't live up to their potential.
What is very revealing in these comments is class envy.
If you are white and you were smart enough, worked hard enough to make good grades, made good decisions about your career path, figured out what you didn't know and had good judgment in seeking those to inform you, you should be doing just fine. You should have no reason to resent successful people. Could it be you aren't as smart as you think or that you have a personality problem?
While not everyone is smart or fortunate and there is honor in doing the best you can with what you've been given, that doesn't mean your opinion has any value on subjects you know nothing about. This notion that everyone's opinion has worth is ridiculous and if name calling is all you can do to express yourself, you ought to keep silent. While you have a right to speak up, it shouldn't be used to embarrass yourself.

God I love a smell of sanctimony in the morning! Thanks @8:22 AM!!!

Why are some of the public school parents so eaten up with how much the private school parents spend on school for their children? Why does it matter to you? These are rhetorical questions, of course.

not being sanctimonious, or to meet in the middle, it was not my intent.

but, just go to five random news sources, pick 5 random articles, and take the time to read through as many comments as you can. It's just not a good picture of where we are as a society today. Some may be ok with it, but it just doesn't set well with me

I actually like knowing whether or not someone who comments has any credibility on the subject.

And we know you'll believe anything.

7:35 Has a problem with the US military...probably was ineligible or a commie...Czech
Doesn't own a business...envies those who do. Probably lives with Mom and Dad? Chick
Sees no problem with paying taxes...Bernie fan and loaded up on "entitlements"...Chock
Loves public schools....perhaps a unionized teacher who constantly whines about having to purchase paper and glue with their own money which is subsidized by taxpayers (businesses) as well as their summer vacation, all holidays, teaching assistant, health care and retirement...Check

What about lead levels in JPS? I'm sure they are being as proactive with ridding the schools of toxic water.

Or will any whistleblower in JPS be fired like the man who brought up the whole situation to the media. After all, it's either the city's reputation or have to face a toxic problem.

11:45 -- "The difference, of course, is the bottom of the class......."

And there it is, folks.

If your kid is in the bottom of the class, he's not going to amount to anything, even at SA. He'll just spend his trust fund.

If your kid is in the top of the class, he would have the same success coming out of MC as SA. Arguably more, since learning to work with non-privileged, non-effete people is a critical skill.

But, of course, what you really mean to say is "At MC, there are too many blacks and poors."

So just say it. It will be so liberating for you.

Y'all are funny. I'm happy the kids at St. Andrew's aren't continuing to be lead-poisoned by the City of Jackson. Now...

St. Andrew's easily has the most rigorous curriculum of any school in the area, and probably the state. (MSMS may come close -- just guessing on that one these days.)

Madison County public school parents can't stand that St. Andrew's parents can look down their high-priced, private school noses at them, even though the Madison County public school parents -- specifically Madison Central -- love doing the same thing to everyone else.

On the other hand, St. Andrew's isn't immune to a lot of the public school problems (e.g. drinking, drug use, etc.). Spoiler: It's a problem at every area high school, and if you deny it, you'd better keep a closer eye on dad's whiskey and mom's prescriptions.

It is really funny, though, to see Madison County parents trying to brag about a racial diversity advantage over St. Andrew's. "You're whiter than we are!"

Why begrudge someone who has found a school that fits for their family? Or can you only be happy with your city, your kids' school, etc. if you're convinced someone else wants what you've got and they can't have it?

Make your own choices and find happiness in whatever choices you've made.

"Different strokes for different folks...
And so on and so on and scooby dooby doo-bee..."

- A Public High School and Public and Private University Educated Parent of Two Private School Kids (who occasionally listens to Sly and the Family Stone)

Why are they knocking St. Andrew's? Don't you know? This is Mississippi where we can't stand to see someone succeed. Nothing agitates a crowd more in this state than the mere sight of success. If someone shines, well dammit, we have to knock them down. A private school earns national honors and educates kids? Well, we can't have that now can we? We have to trash the school. Two Germantown THIRTEEN year old students get published in the New York Times? Off with their heads. Heaven forbid someone should open up an italian restaurant, pizza joint, and bakery that actually succeed in Jackson. Tie his ass up to the back of a pick up truck with some tow chains and drag it through some Dixie mud. Mississippi is in last place because of poverty, poor educational systems, corruption, and an attitude that HATES success.

This thread is vivid proof of it.

Thanks for your "editorial" KF and amen to the substance of your comments.....we are our own worst enemy in Mississippi and I hate that it is that way.

K'fish......you probably just hit the nail on the head with all that is wrong with the 'Sip

Too many bad choices by too many people

Amen Kingfish. You people are the absolute worst. Sitting in your flimsy mcmansion in Madison, acting all smug that you send your kids to MC. Get over yourselves.

Is St. Andrew's for everyone? No. Is MC for everyone? No. Different strokes for different folks. And any "evidence" about the success of graduates of any school, based solely on your experience with one person, is necessarily anecdotal and irrelevant.

Hopefully you understood all of those words. After all, I went to St. Andrew's.

Thank you KF! How true, how true.

9:11 pm I hope most of those who read this site know full well that you were not being sanctimonious.
I hope they know the definition of the word and you were not engaging in the same rude, hateful and juvenile commentary that you rightfully find distasteful.
Those accusing others on this website of preaching or being sanctimonious invariably are attempting to justify their inability to defend their position and/or to have a civilized discussion.
You stated the obvious as far as I'm concerned.

The JJ Troll's daily droppings have been deposited.

9:55-- "If your kid is in the bottom of the class, he's not going to amount to anything, even at SA. He'll just spend his trust fund."

Maybe. If an SA child is at the bottom of their class and struggling to keep up, they won't make it at SA. They will move to a different school. I see it happen every year.

SA is an excellent school and I am sure MC is as well. We chose SA for our kids because of the tight-knit community, the diversity, and of course the academics. We are middle class working parents and I would LOVE a new car or to have a family vacation or a kitchen remodel but we choose SA instead. Schedule a visit and walk around and you will immediately see the difference between SA and other schools.