Jackson Jambalaya

JPS is only suing to save the myriad useless jobs on the payroll.

I don't think the JJ readers understand how painful this is for the Jackson community. You basically have the white power structure in MS (through MDE) telling the Jackson community that they are no longer in control of their destiny in regards to education. The good folks of Jackson understand that fundamental changes have to be made but this is not the answer. This is the good ole boys with pointy hats abusing power in a manner that harkens back to the Jim Crow era.

Just when you thought this could not get more laughable, the Clarion reports this morning that mayor Loboomba has recommended the City of Jackson be put in charge of JPS.

5:54am "The white power structure"? Good Lord. They are following the law that the Legislature--including black Legislators--voted for. Please stop being unhelpful with the racial conspiracy theories and recognize that this is a problem 20 years in the making that has gotten so bad that the state has recognized it can no longer ignore it. "F" schools not "black" schools are the focus.

JPS probably warrants takeover, but Commission and the Board ought to follow their own audit rules, which give the school district superintendent 30 school days to respond in writing to the audit.

5:54 AM

It's "in regard to" and not "in regards to."

And when you literally have kids lives in the balance, every minute counts.

JPS has failed thousands of kids and left MS holding the bag.

I'm not sure the state is equipped to handle JPS but one thing we know for sure is that JPS cannot do the job.

Take it over. Throw the bums out. Save some lives.

JPS is made up of mostly black leaders. JJ has given us facts that the JPS system is failing. The MDE has given ample opportunities to correct the problems that are chronic and run rampant through JPS. The leaders (and yes the black leaders) have to be held accountable. After all, the funds are distributed through their administration. The state and the city have nothing to do with the administration of public education in JPS. The race card will not get you far in life except for misery, resentment, bitterness, and hatred. Why blame the white man for this? The white man has not been in charge of JPS for several decades. Blaming will not solve the problem (and in this case, PROBLEMS!)

JPS cannot be fixed. Move along folks. There's nothing to see here.

554..in case you missed it the destiny of jackson is total ruin. JPS CLEARLY can't do the job. So you're ok with letting the failure go on as long as only black folks stay in power??? Youre a special kind of racist aren't you? Its people like you that have brought Jackson to what it is today...great job

@ Justice - JPS hasn't been in control of the school system for a long time. Consultants with short-term plans, showing zero results run their "handlers" in central office and study how to grow the enterprise, rather than improve it. The teachers are inept and are petrified of the students, the parents don't give a shit about their children's academic advancement and the schools are unsafe and unclean. Just like with the justice system in the city/county I'm at a loss as to where to even begin...

Sad, because I know there have to be some students who want to succeed and improve their chance at a better life.

I'm glad the issue is assigned to Judge Gowan. He's a straight shooter, unimpressed with racial hysteria, and unflappable when it comes to applying the law to the facts.

@8:40,
How can you say that "the teachers are inept?" Most of the teachers in JPS are trying to do the best they can with meager resources, an unpredictable and often inept administration, and stupid window dressing "improvements."
Visit any JPS high school and you will meet many teachers who care about the students as well as students who care about their own education.

@9:16
Your making the case for a state takeover of JPS... "meager resources" yes bc JPS spends more money outside of the classroom than any other school district and receives more money per student. It's all spent outside of classrooms. Look at the stats. Needs a major overhaul. Sounds like you agree with this wreck less spending by administration within JPS. I also live in jackson. However, I don't dare send my 3 kids to JPS...

9:16 Maybe with state help those teachers and students may have an opportunity to make a difference in our city and state.

"Justice for Tyrion" is a troll. Always has been. Ignore him.

I want my money back from those thieves that run JPS and I want it in cash!

Look most people in NE Jackson would love there money back that JPS spends and we use other schools for our kids education. The school my kids attend is much more diverse and offers a better education than JPS. No diversity at JPS nor is money being spent in the classrooms. Its theft.

I actually had to deal with a City of Jackson employee recently in regard to a business matter, and the person in question was competent, well informed, and committed to serving the citizens of Jackson. It was an epiphany in that I was inclined to view city employees through the same lens as the City's leaders. I now see that there are plenty of good people working for Jackson, but they are hobbled by the nitwits actually in charge. As an aside, I also have met the new Mayor, and found him much more pleasant than his reprehensible father. He could have established himself as a true statesman if he had said "what has been perpetrated on the children of Jackson is a disgrace... I support the State take-over, and my administration will work with the state to address this appalling situation." However, he went to the default position, letting us know, early on, that he'll just be the latest in the recent line of failed Mayors. What a waste of an opportunity. There is no bravery in politics. More of the same as Jackson slides into third- world banana republic status.

KF- Guess you don't like folks thinking this is a "family unit" problem? Do you think that's too racist and sensitive to say... that you wouldn't post my earlier comment?

I don't know if this is just coincidental or if it was planned but for the past 3 days a certain talk show station the MHSAA has been promoting the advantages of high school sports and placing emphasis on how sports make athletes leaders in their communities. Looks as though that failed miserably in The JPS District also. In order to become leaders you have to be literate. Do you see my point? Just giving grades and diplomas to these "so called scholars" doesn't cut it anymore. I sure don't like how JPS has wasted funds and I wonder how much has to go down the drain on athletics before the bleeding stops. Start teaching first, with that extra 10 million they get. I'm still in shock and speechless. If it were a white district The State Auditor would be all over this. What's wrong with this picture?

6:10pm: YES!!! Totally agree. The Mayor swapped an opportunity to lead magnanimously and decided to needlessly incite his base (he won with 90%+ vote margin).

TO THE MAYOR: The outcome is a foregone conclusion. The State will take-over, as Phil Bryant has indicated he will sign the Declaration in October. Cut your losses and please, please lead the City by saying the situation is dire and kids' education are more important that grown folks' jobs.

6:10 - agree with your observations about the city worker and the Mayor. Afraid though that the Mayor showed his true colors earlier when he ran up to Madison County to fight against Nissan with Bernie and crowd. And when he showed up with the jury to support RSS (who of course comes from a politically powerful family in the city). Now, instead of dealing with the pile of problems on his plate he wants to make the argument that he and the city can run JPS - when they can't even run the water department.

A much better position to show his leadership and potential would have been to stand up against the loud-mouth racist chanting individuals who claim to be leaders in the Jackson black community and offered to do all he and the city could do to help the state fix JPS. But no - just as in the other cases, he has to play to his base because it fits his plan for KUSH.

(BTW, the 90% vote is very misleading - a general election vote with no opposition of merit. Even offered high paying jobs to the weak opponents so that he could push the numbers up. His 50%+ vote in the primary is worthy of note and offers good bragging rights; but the 90% is garbage fourth quarter points.)

"Now, instead of dealing with the pile of problems on his plate he wants to make the argument that he and the city can run JPS - when they can't even run the water department."

Kind of like skraight piping JPS student scholars into JSU, Alcorn, Valley, Tougaloo.......

I honestly could not care less how the people of Jackson feel about this.

The remaining "people of Jackson" are, by definition, those who could not bring themselves to rent an apartment in Clinton or Flowood, but instead thought it was fine to let their kids rot in failing schools.

It's one thing if you live in the Delta and are dirt poor. But if you're renting in the metro area anyway, and decent schools are literally twenty minutes away, but you still let your children suffer, you don't get to have an opinion.

Your kids will become our problem as taxpayers unless we equip them with basic skills now. You failed to do that, so you don't get to talk.

1:34
Also many people live in Jackson that send kids to prep in massive numbers and JA St Andrews etc... come to NE Jackson or CC of Jackson etc... people left in Jackson are those that are lower income and those that have a large amount of money... no middle class

@6:44
I agree with you 100% the MHSAA is only pushing this idea to have a voice in this fight!!! Also, It's amazing to me that people are having a conversation about sports during this process. That alone potentially may explain a lot of the problem. I think sports are fantastic and help many students get ahead in life. However I certainly wouldn't focus on that at the moment. Let schools be a institution of learning rather than an incubator of athletic programs.

"But if you're renting in the metro area anyway, and decent schools are literally twenty minutes away, but you still let your children suffer, you don't get to have an opinion."

I had not thought of that, but it's the truth. So many of these parents are renting anyway, few are home owners. So why not rent in an area that has decent schools where your child can jump off this merry go round and escape the cycle?

This only proves that a lot of these 'parents' are satisfied with their children's educational lot in life. As long as the chirruns is gone for most of the day....I be free.

9:06, Something like that would mean all of those government rent checks would go to another city.