Jackson Jambalaya

The deadhead at JPS will fight to keep their do nothing jobs. This is just an example.

And, to be clear, state law has been changed such that a decision this week to appoint a Conservator to take over the district will not impact any extra currriculaes, including athletics, for at least a year.

But why let facts get in the way of a good flyer?

"Your will have no extra-curricular..."

Clearly, those who run Jackson's schools, are brilliant and learned individuals. They need NO help from the State of Mississippi. KEEP JACKSON SPECIAL!

This flyer, in itself, is reason enough for the MDE to take JPS over.

"YOUR" WHAT????

Wow...........so academics don't make the list......and they wonder why the State wants to take over......

Just when I thought these fools couldn't be any more ignorant. Most of that flyer doesn't even make sense -- "Your will have no extra-curricular activities." Notice that it says nothing about enhancing academic programs or helping students who may be struggling - it's all about sports... I suppose hashtag activism is now a replacement for logical argumentation and constructive debate with these fools, Michele Obama started it with that bullshit #bringbackourgirls... How about be an adult, own some problems, take some responsibility and make some hard decisions.

The Russians are reportedly behind this flyer. They are trying to influence the hearings.

Anybody notice the time of the "PARENT" rallies? September 12th at ........2:00 P.M. and September 13th at 10:00 A.M.........hmmm do parents work? Or is this strategically organized during JPS administrative work hours so they can attend as pseudo parents to keep their jobs? Either way -- somebody's not working! I would think to maximize PARENTAL involvement (might be an oxymoron in JPS schools) evening would be more productive. But maybe not.........

Why attend a meeting to fix infrastructure when you can stoke racial animus!

No swimming either, but everybody already knew that

The ghost of Saul Alinsky lives on at JPS.

KF. You note, appropriately, that they put academics after athletics, even to the point that the academics is almost an afterthought (Seniors might not graduate - with credits; guess this is because JPS allowed a couple hundred to graduate this year that didn't have all the required credits. And of course, the resulting "NO FINANCIAL AID". If they don't have the right credits then they shouldn't get financial aid and if the State takes over the record keeping there might be an accurate reporting.

But just as has been the case on many of the social media sites, the worry is that there won't be football and basketball - as if that is the reason to operate 60 schools throughout the city at a cost of millions of OPM.

Why not just give them what they want? That seems like the nice thing to do.

START THE EDUCATION AT JPS

Start getting rid of bad teachers
Start letting go of politically appointed administrators
Start teaching your kids respect at home
Start being a responsible parent and take interest in your kids education
Start taking responsibility for your actions
Start removing disruptive students from class so the good ones can learn
Start putting reading, writing and math above football, soccer and baseball.
Start homeschooling your children if Mississippi continues to pay it's Superintendent of Education the highest salary in the nation while churning out underperforming students year after year.

I don't mind paying high salaries - if the resume justifies it. Unfortunately, what happens is people who are mediocre at best all too often get paid the best while we suffer through their worst.

I'm also tempted to say MDE should not take over the District but allow it to go on its merry way.

In 2013 the State took over the Claiborne County and Leflore County school districts. What have been the results of the takeover in those districts? I have been unable to find any information about them.

Kingfish, as sad as it is I tend to agree that maybe MDE should not take over JPS and just let it suffer on its own. I don't think that a takeover will be able to accomplish anything positive. The administration will continue the status quo and as long as the system is full of student thugs with parents that don't give a hoot about education and discipline no amount of State oversight will be able to change the final results. None the less I am afraid the eventual failure of JPS will only hasten the utter collapse of Jackson, something the Metro and the entire state cannot afford to happen. I wish I had an answer to the problems, but the answer may be to let it collapse. Where would the students end up if that happens? Surrounding school districts will not be able to absorb all their students.

Thank goodness they spared BASKETBALL from the chopping block! Here's an idea: Hand the schools over to the State. In every junior high and high school with a gymnasium, BUILD A WALL across mid court of the gymnasium and teach "SHOP" on one side and Home Economics on the other side. When they get their grades up and can also make both a lawnmower run or a wooden key holder for the wall, along with an omelet and a dress, then and only then do you get your basketball back....outside!

What about putting Dorsey Carson in charge of JPS?

Somebody get me a bowl of water! I'm thirsty!

"Makeover not Takeover". I'm wondering what that means. Jesse would love it since it rhymes, but otherwise...

Reboot, Don't Pollute.

Hire Me, Don't Fire Me.

Raise Me, Don't Taze Me.

We Demand To Be Retired, Not Fired.

It's Not Cool To Close My School.

These Our School...Not You Fools'.

This Our Town and We Will Burn It Down.

We Be Cookin' and Y'all Jess Lookin'.

All This Here Chatter - Teacher Life Matter.

I really think that we need to revert to the european style of education. By the age of 14, unless you've demonstrated some particular educational aptitude, you get plucked out of the system and taught a trade. We need to stop mandatory participation in school especially for those who are not educable. Not every kid in school should go to college... But, good Lord, imagine the hew and cry from the entitlement sector...

someone has not got the memo, it has nothing to do with education. things are going fine.

11:03 Doing nothing is not the answer. Certainly there are a large percentage of students at JPS who are too far gone to save but not a majority. For those kids who get up everyday and want more for their lives, a takeover is a source of hope. It's time to pull back the curtain and shine some light. The MDE will quadruple the focus on achievement. The bid issue to me will be what happens when they leave. How does the change keep going?

We need Joe Clark leadership...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_SbkHgx6YIo and of course to get real with their parents....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKR_Tli5hbU

You can't help people that get in their own way. I've been trying to help friends and family try to see the err of their ways for years. It only brings resentment.

I think it is probably too late to salvage JPS. Leave it alone and let it crash and burn and THEN the parents will take control and demand accountability from administrators and teachers. It has to hit rock bottom before any changes for the better will be implemented.

Yes..well...who cares about the kids and whether or not they are being prepared for the future?

I wonder who generated this flyer? Could be neo-Nazis for all I know. It's the kind of strategy the original Nazis used.

And, let's all pretend the State system is great except for JPS and the system has no role in allowing a local school system to get so bad. This little fiefdom just has more inept " lords" who can't game the system.

KF, what is telling is to look at how all the schools are weighted in terms of academic preparation by universities. How do the students perform and what is the attrition rate of their students who do get into college? How many are employed after 10 years?

They made it to the third or fourth line before an error.

Proud products of JPS.

It always amazes me the speed and energy these people put into protesting
the school takeover(flyers, rally,public outcry). If they would just use half that energy to support the school and community around them (ie. take responsibility) these takeovers wouldn't be an issue.

Folks, this whole issue has to do with skin color. The people that are against a state takeover of JPS are for the most part black, and they do not want 'whitey' taking over their school district. That's all it boils down to, nothing more! They are too ignorant to see beyond the color of their own skin, yet they have proven that they cannot adequately run the district. When you are dealing with that kind of ignorance, there's not much hope of turning it around. If the state does take it over, it will be a battle from day one. All I can say is good luck to the state, because they are going to need it!!

Ive always said that you could very well fix schools by implementing a rule that if you are a failing school academically, your athletic teams are banned from the postseason. Three years of failing and you don't field a team.

Might be the only way to get parents involved, which is what it will ultimately take to turn the schools around.

This was obviously created by someone advocating the needed takeover. No reasonably educated person would create this error filled poorly composed message. It is also interesting that virtually all complaints have to do with athletics with little or no regard for academics.

For everyone who thinks we should let JPS collapse on it's own, give this a little thought. The parents in Jackson do not care one way or the other. Just keep the free daycare open. They don't care who runs it, just feed and take care of the kids they care so little about.

For everyone who thinks a state take over of JPS is the answer, give this a little thought. There will still be the same parents in Jackson. They do not care about education and nothing you do will change that. If children do not get any encouragement and support at home by the time they get to school it is too late.

If the parents do not change neither will the school. Don't look for any change in parenting no matter who controls the school.

I'll guarantee you this. When it comes time for Dorsey to send his daughter to Chastain he'll either be moved out of Jackson or will send her to a private school. He's just the latest "concerned" white McWillie parent who talks a big JPS game until faced with the inevitability of Chastain.

If you work in Jackson but moved into the surrounding counties... you are part of the problem. Think about the resources you use, monies you collect, but leave nothing but negative comments on the web. End of the day, there are a lot of kids that will be impacted by failures of adults. Also, the national story will be the "second largest school district in MS is now state run". <---- That looks bad on all of "us"!

@ 6:19! Finally someone agrees with what I have been saying for years. What we are doing is NOT WORKING! The masses can cry and cry about not having job opportunities, but you can't when little Johnny can't read the directions to run a CNC Milling machine or set up the program to run it. Or if DeMarcus can't read the warning labels on the conveyor in the automobile plant and puts his hands where they will get cut off. The Vocational/Technical training in schools should have never disappeared. Now, I did happen to see where Holmes CC has a Concrete Truck and they are attempting to fill a much needed void and that's great. But how do you get someone to pass their CDL's to get a job when they have played football since the 5th grade and can't read and write much less operate a concrete truck and when someone holds up their hand showing 5 fingers to signal the driver to "add 5 gallons" of water..... see where I'm going with this? We damaged our state way further than we can imagine by not having some type of training for our youth and not forcing them to stay in school!

I like someone above said believe - you do stop what your doing now - it ain't working and the State takeover is not really the answer if it just the same or worst.

Yes - I did notice that NO BASKETBALL was not on the list... guess that continues no matter what.

Like above - drop all those entitlement / playtime options and see who actually shows up for school. Those that do that's worth fighting for. Those that don't - they weren't coming to learn anything anyway. They will figure out live the hard way. But, hey after a year of that I bet your get some back to learn. At that point you should have the trade school curriculum in place. A top notch Shop and Home Economics class/afternoon will never hurt anyone. And those that don't make the cut for college (or maybe they just don't want to waste a ton of money at the liberal union encampments) can go make at least basic living (and not live off the already drained taxpayers). In reality some trade school kids go to work and get 2 year trade school training at local Jr. College as well as OJT and make a big living.

Bottom Line: All that on that flyer trying to be saved is not working - try something else and earn your money admins (at least some of it). It can't get much worst.

All the new subdivisions popping up in Madison and Rankin counties are thanking JPS for sending so many black middle class families in their direction.

Can anyone explain why half the comments have a version of "the parents don't care", "keep the free daycare open", and etc? That is one poorly worded flyer and not the full/correct narrative. Being a product of JPS, and growing up in West Jackson, I understand the importance of Extra Curricular activities. The student has to stay academically eligible and have a good attendance record to participate (there is a correlation between extracurricular participation and student engagement, Google it). You keep the child engaged, you usually get a graduate. Don't miss the message trying to discredit the messenger.

Do you all know any black people? Who are these black people that you know that do not care about their kids? Who are these black people you know that walk around calling people "whitey?" Are you watching blaxploitation films and taking your cues from those? I've been black my entire life and have never heard anyone call white people whitey - except for the folks (white, I assume) on this site. This ish is hilarious. I don't think most black people think about white people as much as you all seem to think we do. But you sure as hell are obsessed with us.

Should the state take over the district? Probably. Do I think that a state takeover is going to result in drastic changes to JPS? I really do not. I don't remember any great improvements being made in those districts which have been taken over by the state. Does anyone have any, I don't know, evidence that state takeovers (in Mississippi) have been beneficial for students in districts that are/were under conservatorship? That's not a rhetorical question. If you can point me to evidence that would be great. The quick internet search I did didn't turn up much...

10:58 - yes, I know plenty of black people. Have I ever been called 'whitey'? Absolutely, and much much worse. Have I been called anything negative by the individuals I know? Absolutely not.

But on election day, as a white person entering a 90%+ black precinct, I have been called so many negative, racially perjorative names you can imagine. Why? Because the folks making the comments don't believe that a white person should have any involvement in the election process "IN THEIR AREA". (Their words, not mine).

This has nothing to do with the conversation about JPS, but since you happen to ask the question and didn't make it rhetorical, I thought I would give you an honest answer.

10:58, just drive through Jackson after midnight. If you live through it take notice of the number of black kids running up and down the street. You tell me where the parents are. Do you see that as an example of caring parents?

12:12 It wasn't a rhetorical question so I appreciate your answer. I'm just amazed (I'm really not) at the blanket statements about black people. Never are these statements quantified. It's always "black people this and black people that." Simply using the word "some" would help.

10:58 I've no reason to be out after midnight, so that won't be happening. But are ALL the black children running up and down the street? If you want to say the parents of the children running amok don't care, fine. I don't necessarily agree with you, but at least you're not being all-inclusive. I don't see the sheriff in my neighborhood busting ALL the white children for drugs and would never deign to paint all of any group with the same brush, positively or negatively. There are "good" parents of all backgrounds just like there are "bad" parents of all backgrounds. I would like to know why you are driving the streets of Jackson after midnight? Don't you have a job to attend do in the mornings? Are you out partying? Who is watching your kids while you patrol the mean uncaring streets of our capitol city?

The fact remains that you keyboard gangsters sit around talk *%$# about black folks in general and then complain about black folks not doing the things you would have them to do is hilarious. Why in the world would they/we? This piss poor paternalistic attitude has got to go.

If you're not watching the live JPS hearing, you're missing a real treat!

I worked for MDE during the time of Dr. Henry Johnson's tenure as Superintendent. His 'Monday Memo' each week stated that all students should go to college. His view in this area led to massive shutdowns of Vocational Technical programs in our high schools. I witnessed this first hand while visiting school districts. The junior colleges in our state have done a pretty good job of interacting with businesses and gaining funding from business for Vo-Tech programs. However, there are thousands of Mississippi high school students who either do not have the capacity to attend college/junior college or don't have the desire. Our high schools should offer them trade alternatives.

One reason for the increase in dropout rates was this emphasis on college for every student when every student should not be on a college track. Then Hank Bounds came in as Superintendent and pushed the 'Get on the Bus' initiative in response to dropping graduation rates.

I also worked for a local school district and have seen parents of every color who care and don't care. As a supervisor, I thought I could make my employees care. Not possible. But you can make it so uncomfortable for them not to care that they act like they care. Same objective accomplished.

My motto to get folks to do what you want them to do: Find out where it hurts the most and push there.

The only event that will make these parents care is if the schools are closed down. Then suddenly, they care about academics and having their kids to school on time. MDE should have taken over JPS a long time ago. Someone here stated that if the care and time was put into parenting and school support that was put into protesting, this district would be first in the state.

September 13, 2017 at 4:55 AM You win the internet for today. I'm packing it up and going home.

12:49, The reason I was driving down the city streets at midnight was because I was going back and forth to work. I actually had a job. It wasn't a day time only job. I had to work different shifts. Most of the time I was getting off work or going to work at midnight. I wasn't one of those lucky enough to have a day time only job.
Many times I saw kids 10-12 years old dragging something down the street. When a car came by they would hide nearby then come back out and drag the box of items on down the street.

@ 10:58- True! Caring parents isn't defined by race. Thanks for posting

10:58 and 12:49 aren't black

Would someone please read this CL article and count the grammatical errors? It makes my head hurt. What passes for journalism in this state is horrendous. It's not just the CL. All news outlets in the Jackson market are despicable. KF excluded
http://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/2017/09/13/jps-takeover-nears-commission-vote/656264001/

It just happened...

Looking more like "FREE THE (schools partly funded by 16th section) LAND, by any means necessary" has just begun.

12:49, in and amongst her preachy diatribe said, "I don't see the sheriff in my neighborhood busting ALL the white children for drugs." That could possibly be because there are no (or very damned few) white children in your neighborhood, and if there are any, they aren't running drugs. Where is this 'neighborhood' out in the county where the sheriff is busting all the black kids. Do you mind if I speculate as to your credibility?

Oh I'm black. You can speculate all you want. Doesn't change my phenotype or bother me. This is the first time I've been accused of not being black...is there some test you lovelies would have me take to determine whether or not I'm black enough for you? With regards to the statement about ALL the white children being drug dealers, my point - unclear though it may have been - is that when the white kids in my neighborhood are busted for drugs - and busted they are indeed - I have enough good sense to know they are not representative of all white children. You all seem very limited and unable to process the fact that black people are not a monolith. Stop being obtuse, intentionally or not. My God.

7:22 says "black people are a monolith" yet why is it that the GOP considers it a grand victory to get 15% of the black vote. When 90%+ of a group votes the same way then that is pretty close to a monolith.

27,000 kids (give or take) in JPS and 100 show up to protest. Not exactly a consensus. JPS clearly has problems that need to be addressed. Whether MDE is capable of addressing them remains to be seen and I do have my reservations. However, I at least think that MDE can manage to have someone monitor the metal detectors in the mornings and make sure there is an adult in the room. Those children deserve a better environment regardless of what anyone on this thread thinks about their parents. There are probably some parents that don't care about education, but I can assure you that there are plenty who do but don't know how to make things better. How do you teach kids to respect an institution that can't keep students and teachers in the classroom? That can't get the buses to the school on time? The message that we are sending these kids is that they aren't worthy enough to have a safe environment. We have reaped what we have allowed to be sown. The kids aren't the problem.

This 'flyer' is proof positive that the JPS is a totally lost cause. Such spelling errors and misuse of grammar clearly shows the futility of public education in Jackson MS. Pitiful, just pitiful.

Fred Howard said...
"Can anyone explain why half the comments have a version of "the parents don't care", "keep the free daycare open", and etc? That is one poorly worded flyer and not the full/correct narrative. Being a product of JPS, and growing up in West Jackson, I understand the importance of Extra Curricular activities. The student has to stay academically eligible and have a good attendance record to participate (there is a correlation between extracurricular participation and student engagement, Google it). You keep the child engaged, you usually get a graduate. Don't miss the message trying to discredit the messenger." September 13, 2017 at 10:24 AM

Mr. Howard, 'extracurricular' is one unhyphenated word. Also, writing "and etc." is redundant. 'Etc.' is an abbreviation of the Latin 'et cetera'. The 'et' in et cetera means 'and'. Essentially, you have written, "...and and similar things?"

STOP THE TAKEOVER OF J.P.S.!

The State of Mississippi is trying to takeover the J.P.S. school district. (Note: it should be J.P.S.D.)

If this happens, then the students will be prevented from
participating in extracurricular activities, including:
*Football
*Soccer
*Band ~ (note the LACK of 'no')
*yada
*yada
*yada

(I don't get paid for this.....lol...so, that's all)

10:58 am I want to assure you that there are white people who not only know black people but who socialize with black people and are graced with their friendship.
We also are embarrassed that, like all racial groups, we have some absolutely ignorant and sorry, no good people among us as well. We even know white people from well to do families whose children are drug addicts...some of them have been featured on this web site and are in jail now.
We even know there are white criminal gangs too...the Outlaws, the Mafias ( Italian and Russian) and the Aryan Brotherhood who make the Crips seem minor league. And, then we have the neo-Nazis and KKK.
We've noticed it's not black kids who are doing mass murders at schools as well, the latest in Plano just yesterday.
We don't claim to be more Christian as a race as our churches welcome all races and we've noticed there are many thriving black churches as well.
So, the truth is that some folks just need to look down on somebody and blame someone else for the problems of humanity while ignoring that they are part of the human race.
There's actually rather a lot of scholarly research about people who are called " haters" on the Internet and if these " haters" read about their common traits, they'd keep their mouths shut and their keyboards silent.

@September 13, 2017 at 9:58 PM
It was a made for TV news non-event specifically held to generate racial discord.

@September 13, 2017 at 8:57 PM
They vote like a monolith but will vote Republican when paid to do so.

10:58
Discourse from the left has degenerated to "If I disagree with you then I am lovingly telling you that you are a racist. If you disagree with me you are a "hater".

The first amendment will be dead in 20 years.