Jackson Jambalaya

These appointees are all great people and have proven over the years that they are very accomplished. I did not see a single person on the committee that is in tune to real life issues. Not one "LOWER TO Middle Class" representative !!

Barksdale and Speed have been raised with a gold spoon in their mouths and have no clue of everyday life. All of Speed's kids went to private school. I can only speak of the people I know.

This whole situation is a joke and will accomplish nothing. You see, if the parents of these kids do not do their part, there will be no change. GOOD LUCK !!!!!!!!

What about Dorsey? Thought he was a shoe-in?

I will simply say that raising a child in K-12 today is much much much different today than just 10 years ago. I only see four or five individuals on this board that would be able to relate to that experience. There is no denying that digitization of the classrooms, social media and social issues have impacted the classroom. Only four to five of these individuals will be able to relate to the function of current schools/classrooms and the needs/demands associated. My guess is this will be a waste of time and likely money for JPS. Kicking the can down the road....

I hope the first thing this group will do is visit ALL the schools unannounced and observe at least two classes as well as conduct a tour with the Principal who can share with the members his concerns. It if fine with me to divide up and report back as visiting so many schools for each member would be too time consuming. They should take their cells and be sure they all know how to use their video function.

Personally found the list to be very disappointing. I hope they surprise me.

Still can't belive Phil signed off on this.

Over-the-top spin. First thing out of nearly all of their mouths will be cries for more money.

And thus the "Special K-12 Challenge" begins. Let's start with a cholesterol pop quiz.

I'm very surprised that a former hair and nail specialist from the Oprah Winfrey show was not selected for the committee. After all, nobody, and I mean nobody, should be more of a philanthropist for the State of Mississippi than our own native born daughter Oprah.

What we've got here is a massive formula for failure. A couple of white men of the "I work for a dollar year" mold who know nothing of survival in a failed system or how to deal with it.

And a double handful of black women who are well connected with the world of grants and money-trees and, naturally, how to obtain multiple degrees that populate a resume.

Then we have one or two answerable totally to the mayor of Jackson and one totally answerable to the governor and she will resign and move on within a year, or less.

Where are the sociologists or others with PHds in marriage and family relationships? Where are those who have been in the field (and trenches) of child development, counseling, breaking paradigms and teaching people the traits of goal-building, skills development, personal responsibility, family strength? They're all absent. What we have here is yet another exercise in how not to populate a functioning committee.

But, most glaring of all is the fact that this committee by virtue of its very existence, will, five years from now, eight years from now, be just another excuse of how not to make something work and yet another committee who will be able to say five, eight, ten years down the road, "We're not through yet; We just got started good; There's work to be done; We just got the oxen hooked up in front of the cart, we need to meet for three more years". Of course Phil Bryant and Baby Chock will be long gone by then but they'll have schools named after them. Well, Phil won't.

1. Discipline disruptive students.
2. Fire incompetent teachers.
3. Stop the corruption.

That's it. At the end of the day it's going to take a hard-nosed superintendent willing to lay down the law. This committee can meet for a month of Sundays and won't come up with a better solution than that.

If you have the entrepreneurial spirit and are of the right complexion, this would be a grande time to get into the sandwich and desert catering bidness in Jackson. Imagine the meetings, the people this group will fly in here for lunch, the huge groups of school personnel who will be summoned to hotel conference rooms to break into discussion groups. All those people will have to be fed.

And there will be the required monthly 'report out' sessions where Phil and Chok will bring a group to listen to the group spokesperson tell of progress. All these meetings will occur either at noon or at 6:00 pm. People will be hungry. And My God In Heaven, if Phil can manage to get Trump's secretary of Education down here for a photo op, the catering business will literally blow a gasket.

Just one more reason that Gov. Bryant is the wisest, most pragmatic governor in our nation's history. Those boots were made for walking and talking.

#Bryant4Senate

Former JPS teacher, here.

3:46 basically has it right, although you could dramatically improve JPS just by doing #1 on their list.

It all flows back to this: When the kids who don't care outnumber the kids who do, and the school lacks the will to control and remove the former, every other "reform" you can imagine is pointless kabuki theater.

Everything goes back to bad students running amok.

Poor quality teachers? We get paid the same everywhere. Those of us who can do so leave for the suburbs so we don't have to constantly be cursed at, stolen from, and assaulted. Good teachers relish changing the lives of disadvantaged students. But we can't get up every morning and trudge into the same soul-destroying hell where we are mocked and threatened by students and administrators alike, and unable to ever teach anything of substance. And that's why you have 50% attrition.

Rock bottom test scores? It's hard to teach when you spend 60% of class time doing disciplinary write ups (which are totally ignored) or "differentiating" (i.e., dumbing down) lessons to cater to the kids who don't give a damn.

Bottom line: you either have the courage to start expelling delinquents or you don't. Their parents failed them, and that sucks. But you can't run a school and a juvenile prison in the same building. You can't ask the poor black girl with a single mom who checks her homework every night to climb a mountain while dragging dozens of jackasses behind her.

You will never, ever in your lifetime have a DOJ/DOE that will be more sympathetic to this kind of change, or less likely to block it. Enough with the bullshit committees and studies. Do what needs to be done or shut up.

Kushnik dog-and-pony show. What is hilarious is that our local Obama, BabyChok, actually believes his black Jackson audience is somehow awed by these grand proclamations replete with color graphics.

This is Farish Street all over again. Except this time beyond the fleecing of taxpayers there are actual student victims who will never get back these years wasted in failing JPS schools.

+1 to 4:35 PM

First order of business will be for the committee to all watch The Principle, starring Jim Beluahi, as research....

this group is still better than the Butler Snow Triplets

Funny how anonymous posters seem to have all the answers to our societal problems.

There should be about 20 cameras placed, unbeknownst, into various classrooms of various grades. Also, ones on school buses - preferably toward the back.

If, as the above poster states, discipline is not enforced, nothing will change. This is a case of a picture being worth a thousand words. When the true state of our classrooms, hallways, bathrooms, and buses is understood fully, then the committee will have a chance to really tackle the core issues and those begin and end with impartial discipline being administered consistently.

Funny how?

9:05 may be on to something. If the average person doesn't see how the students act then how can we really know what is going on in the classrooms. It's really not a bad idea. Then you can shift the good apples away from the bad apples and the ones who actually do want to learn can be placed with students like them that have the same goals.

4:35 has nailed it. All the other posts (while some make excellent points) pale in comparison, including my previous post. Run her post up the flagpole and salute it smartly every morning and the first best step will have been taken. All else is pissing in the wind.

Won't it be great if the first order of business (of this group) is to sign on to the notion of discipline and the second order of business is to tell the ACLU to stay the hell out of our work-efforts.

"But you can't run a school and a juvenile prison in the same building." Until that sinks in, nothing will ever change.

So Phil didn't like what the Biard of Education committee recommended so he does the logical thin an created another board. That real take charge leadership.

Well as a administrator with JPS I really am concerned about the racial makeup of this board. How are whites from eastover with large amounts of money and send kids to JA or Jackson prep academy going to show us how to lead a school. Not sure how those private schools operate and how there academics are but they need to keep the racial makeup of the board in tact with the district of the public school. Do these people even know about education. I've worked in JPS for 11 years now and have never heard of any of these people. I would really like to hear there ideas. Might be amusing in a district employee meeting.

What legal authority establishes this third option? This is very concerning. Who finances this third option? Taxpayers? Oprah? The Beginnings of the New Repulik of Afrika. They will go outside the law. The use of the 3rd option is an illegal operation. Score one for the New Republic Afrika and its Harlem supporters and G. Soros.
The top-heavy JPS needs to cut people in administration. NO more hiring friends, loved ones, etc.
Put that money back into the schools. Demand parent involvement. Do not send little Daquon or Latiffahy to school with weapons or such hatred for themselves that they take it out on other students and adults.
Students are required to learn how to take a test rather than develop critical thinking skills. This shows up later if they attend college. They do not want to be treated like adults in college. They want to be coddled and given the answers.
SAD!!!

After trying to read 8:43's comments assessing of the problems, I see a great need for a complete overhaul of the public education. It is painful to read incomprehensible drivel from a JPS administrator with 11 years of experience.

8:43's grammar and spelling says a lot, especially coming from a current JPS administrator...

I have talked to numerous jps teachers and we feel like we have been left out of the discussion. Why would teachers in the district have the last say in who's on the board. Racial makeup income what qualified these people to be placed on board. HbCU supporters or some eastover prep academy Ole miss rebel flag waver. It's a bad idea to the teachers.

"Well as a administrator with JPS I really am concerned about the racial makeup of this board."

You've just exposed the problem. The racial makeup of decision-makers at JPS has been the problem for forty five years. And you whine about changing that paradigm? Notwithstanding (I know that's a lot of syllables for you to comprehend) your slaughtering the English language in that post, the first thing you people want to jump at is racial makeup, who lives where, who 'they' relatives are, where they're employed and whether they've been 'down for the struggle' long enough or at all. Nothing else matters. Ever!

But, please tell us how you made it into the education-administrative-ranks, with ten years in the system, and you're still unable to construct grammatically correct sentences. Please don't tell us you're a principal and you're evaluating the credentials and abilities of others.

@12:05
I made it into education after graduating from Alabama state university and I have been to numerous continue education courses annually as well as the constant grind of impacting the kids for the better. Yes I have a hard time understanding what the white board members can contribute. They don't send there kids to JPS and we benifit in no shape or form from them as a district. Please inform me how Jackson wealthy whites help JPS? My other concern is are they even qualified? The racial optics is questionable. Do they care for JPS students?

Let's take a look at this entry posted by a JPS administrator:

Well as a administrator with JPS I really am concerned about the racial makeup of this board.

In that sentence, there should be a comma following the word well (In fact 'well' shouldn't be there at all) and a administrator should be 'an administrator'.

How are whites from eastover with large amounts of money and send kids to JA or Jackson prep academy going to show us how to lead a school.

In that sentence, the word Eastover should be capitalized. 'And send' should be 'who send'. Jackson Prep Academy doesn't include enough capital letters and the sentence should end with a question mark instead of a period. For now, we'll overlook the fact that you included no data comparing the 'amounts of money' any of the committee members have, nor would you know that. Your racial prejudice is abundantly apparent in that sentence.

Not sure how those private schools operate and how there academics are but they need to keep the racial makeup of the board in tact with the district of the public school.

Besides just being a terribly sloppy sentence, the first word of it should be 'I'm'. There should be 'their', in tact probably means intact and I give up on what 'there academics' means.

Do these people even know about education.

Ah, hello, but, what is there to be known about education that you'd like us to consider? What does it mean to 'know about education'? Why does that question not end with a question mark?

I've worked in JPS for 11 years now and have never heard of any of these people. I would really like to hear there ideas. Might be amusing in a district employee meeting.

If you'd like to hear 'there' ideas, why not shut up and wait for 'there' ideas to hit the table so you can hear them? And once again, an administrator who doesn't know the difference between their and there. The fact that you believe 'district employee meetings' are held for administrator/teacher amusement is quite telling.

Somebody please tell me the post at November 4, 2017 at 8:43 AM is satirical. If not, this is why JPS is where it is.

12:36,
I'm sure you also believe that standardized testing doesn't favor white students over black students either. You should look into this and educate yourself on the disadvantages of being in a black district. We are evaluated on tests. That's why jps shows poorly. These tests are slanted and we as a district are not given that consideration. I'm not sure these board members are educated on black inner city students and they could do more harm than good. How do I know they wouldn't try to implement the same strategies private schools in area use for testing and classroom situations. Secondly are those schools any better... we don't know any of this.

The comments made on this blog by JPS teachers are racial and that is just one of the reasons this city and state will continue to be #50.

I CALL BULLSHIT ON EVERYTHING WRITTEN HERE !!!!!!!!!!!!

NE Jackson pays the bills for JPS... the administrator should consider that. We may not send our kids to JPS but we do pay the bills. Also private schools in the metro area are more diverse than the crappy JPS schools. Yes the academic standard is much better at private schools than JPS. I can't believe anyone wouldn't know that. Good grief...

David Clarke:

America’s urban communities need a reformation. So why do they keep electing Democrats whose progressive policies hold them hostage on the plantation of liberal ideology?

Every week a prominent Democrat is in the news labeling their opposition as racist as if it is some sort of sport. Do you support school choice that helps struggling black parents endgenerational poverty? Racist. Call out black crime rates that disproportionately claim black victims? Racist. Criticize the welfare state that keeps black people hooked on government handouts? Racist. Are you a Republican? Automatic racist. And if you’re a black conservative like I am, it’s even worse.

No substantive conversation can take place in this environment. Liberal politicians that engage in identity politics have diluted what it actually means to call out racism. Democrats refuse to admit just how harmful their own policies are to black and other urban communities.

12:35,

What is a continue education?

How in the shit does a college grad, from any college, confuse their and there? It's not hard. One shows possession (ownership) and one is a place.

Your grammar is atrocious and I weep for my JPS alma mater.

So....here we have it. No tests should be given to 'black scholars' because we all know tests are slanted in favor of white kids. And as Abraham Lincoln so famously told us, the races are not nor will they ever be equal. The answer is that we should not attempt to measure student achievement or progress. To do so is discriminatory. So, at JPS, we're right back to social promotions and giving passing grades simply because a 'try' was attempted. This is precisely what black parents, community leaders, Chock and Cohorts, and administrators (including teachers) in the district want. When you have this, you wind up with posts like that of 'the Administrator at 8:43 a.m.'. An environment where the ability to construct sentences is no more important than the ability to pass tests.

But, I'm holding on for an explanation as to how the black students in the Rankin and Madison County school systems, not to mention numerous other districts, manage to pass their coursework and do well on tests.

After reading the comments of those that self identify as JPS employees, I think I now have a clearer understanding of why JPS has been so unsuccessful.

"Fret thee not, ye all. I got dis better than thou Pharisee Wright" Philbilly 11:17

So according to the JPS administrator, standardized tests are racially discriminatory to black inner city students.

My God, people like this are the main reason minorities are losing ground in society, because they perpetuate the victimhood mentality that makes racial discussions unproductive.

I'm reminded of the recent story about the University of Illinois math professor who believes that algebra and geometry perpetuate “white privilege” and that evaluations for math proficiency perpetuates discrimination against minority students. If that kind of stupidity is the norm among educators of color, then why are whites asked to spend tax dollars supporting "their" schools? Clearly our white standards and our money are the problem, right?

One would think that IF standardized testing within JPS or any other school district across the U.S.A. for that matter were "slanted" towards "non-whites" having difficulty with the testing, we wouldn't see an overwhelming amount of graduates with multiple degrees from Historically Black Colleges then would we?

As I heard a few days ago: "His level of education is much higher than his level of knowledge."

Think about that one.

PS: A reliable source, being the concerned parent of a JPS student, has recently expressed concern that JPS is currently in the process of "dumbing down" the school curriculum so the kids can pass.

Some of us was hopeing that the administrative would come back end support or defend they're early commentings on education and what it are that she know about the education.

Actually, one all-black school is doing extremely well. That is New Hope. Ask any parent who has a child there. It isn't the children. Every child is born as a clean slate and ready to learn. Even retarded children want to learn. Children with average IQ's can learn. Race is not a factor except for the environment some are forced to live in. If mother is a druggy or absent like the father and grandmother is too tired to raise another group of children, then we all suffer. Becoming a parent is not for a person's entertainment or bragging rights, it is a huge responsibility. The black community needs to send this message to their youth in every way possible. The church and the many social service organizations in our area need to teach and model every day to these children who are being drug up instead of raised. The schools can't do it all, but we have numerous examples right here in Jackson that are able to educate those who can sit still and learn. Calling the Board out before it has even met is not the way to start fixing JPS's problems.

I am Black. I am concerned when we make excuses for failing. Our history in America is triumphant! Why have we resolved to ignore our triumphant history by stating that environs dictate capability? We are capable if we accept that we are capable despite our environs.

I think it's fantastic that New Hope school is doing well... my child goes to a diverse private school and they all seem to do extremely well... also, look at the charter schools in Jackson also doing well for the most part. My question is this... why shouldn't lower income students in poor school districts get to choose where they attend school. I think we all know the answer to that. The JPS crowd of administrative workers need those dollars for employment reason. Sad but true. School choice please. I get to choose my kids school why shouldn't others

Interesting studies show that black families that are a 2 parent household (mom and dad) those families are rarely in the poverty rate and also have students graduate at much higher rates and also teenage pregnancy with black 2 parent households hardly exists. Very interesting.

5:45 Did you even finish 8th grade... anywhere?

Everybody. READ 5:45 Good lord.

The schools are merely a reflection of Society.

Now (December 4th) that the BTC's RFP has been released, it might be worth reading and noting that the successful bidder/applicant will:

"Devise all strategies with an emphasis on quality, equitable education for all children in JPS, especially children of color."

Are the children of non-color SOL in this effort? I would not have included the last 4 words of this requirement -- but remember, wherever you go in Jackghanistan, there you are.