Wednesday, June 2, 2021

Brookhaven Publisher Appointed to Board of Education

 Leftenent Governor Gibbit Hosemann issued the following statement. 

A former newspaper publisher, businessman, and public schools advocate will soon join the ranks of the Mississippi State Board of Education.    

  

William (“Bill”) O. Jacobs of Brookhaven, appointee of Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann, will serve a three-year term ending in July 2024, pending confirmation by the Mississippi Senate. Jacobs replaces former Board Chairman Jason Dean, who stepped down in February 2021.   

   

The Mississippi State Board of Education includes nine members from across the State, with two appointed at-large by the Lieutenant Governor.  The Board oversees the State Department of Education, working with the State Superintendent of Education to establish statewide education policy ranging from curriculum to accountability.  Mississippi currently has about 450,000 public school students.   

   

“Bill Jacobs has spent his entire career asking questions, researching the facts, and reporting his findings to the wider public to improve his community and exhibit transparency.  These traits, along with his business sense and support for public schools, make him an excellent addition to the Board,” Hosemann said.   

   

Jacobs currently serves on the Board of Directors for the National Newspaper Association and Board of Governors as well as the Operating Board of the Mississippi Economic Council. As owner of two newspaper-publishing companies in southwest Mississippi, Jacobs served as publisher of the Daily Leader in Brookhaven and Prentiss Headlight in Prentiss until December 2012 when he sold his 130-year-old newspaper companies.  He is past chairman of the Brookhaven/Lincoln County Economic Development Foundation and Alliance, is past president of the Mississippi Press Association, and recently rolled off the Board of Trustees for King’s Daughters Medical Center in Brookhaven.   

   

Jacobs earned his bachelor’s degree in Business and Journalism from the University of Mississippi.  He also attended Belhaven College and Birkbeck College at the University of London, and is a graduate of Brookhaven High School.   

   

He is married to Amy Alexander Jacobs, twice named Brookhaven High School Parent of the Year. His children, Ann Kirk Harris (husband, Neil) and Meredith Jacobs, graduated with honors from Brookhaven High School.  Bill and Amy Alexander Jacobs were active members of Parents for Public Schools, and Amy Alexander Jacobs currently serves on the Advisory Board for the Mississippi School for the Arts.   

   

“The foundation of every community is its public schools.  Look at the prosperous communities across the state and one will find a single common element—strong public schools.  Mississippi has had some great successes but so too failures.  The current brain drain of many of our best and brightest to other states is the most disturbing failure for its continued path weakens even our best school systems.  These are challenging days for our state and I look forward to joining the others on the Board to find credible solutions,” Jacobs said. “I thank Lieutenant Governor Hosemann for his willingness to give me this opportunity.  It is truly a great honor.”  

  

Hosemann appointed Dr. Ronnie McGehee, former superintendent of Madison County Schools, to the Board in December 2020.  McGehee is the current Executive Director of the Mississippi Association of School Administrators and Mississippi Association of Secondary School Principals.    

   

For more information about the State Board of Education, visit Mississippi State Board of Education Members | The Mississippi Department of Education (mdek12.org).  For more information on Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann, visit www.ltgovhosemann.ms.gov 

  

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

They couldn’t find someone more qualified in regards to education than a former newspaper publisher/ businessman/ public schools advocate?

Anonymous said...

1004 - there are plenty of members that I'm sure would fit your definition of "qualified"(school administrators, teachers) that have seats on the board due to specific appointment requirements of the statute.

Getting some folks on the board that have the interests of the students - instead of protecting tge status quo for the professionals- is a good thing.

Frankly though, I would prefer that the State Board of EDUCATION had some members that were advocates of ALL education, not just "public" schooling.

Anonymous said...

@10:48

What do you mean by "ALL education"?

Anonymous said...

Two great appointments by the Lt. Governor. Nothing will improve, however, until the Superintendent is replaced.

Anonymous said...

11:10 I'm assuming 10:48 means public, private, home schooled, etc. Just a hunch.

Fire Carey Wright - The Facebook Page said...

"The Board oversees the State Department of Education, working with the State Superintendent of Education to establish statewide education policy ranging from curriculum to accountability."

We've been wondering. Does Carey Wright have pictures of every member or just some of them?


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Trollfest '07 was such a success that Jackson Jambalaya will once again host Trollfest '09. Catch this great event which will leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Othor Cain and his band, The Black Power Structure headline the night while Sonjay Poontang returns for an encore performance. Former Frank Melton bodyguard Marcus Wright makes his premier appearance at Trollfest singing "I'm a Sweet Transvestite" from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show." Kamikaze will sing his new hit, “How I sold out to da Man.” Robbie Bell again performs: “Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be Bells” and “Any friend of Ed Peters is a friend of mine”. After the show, Ms. Bell will autograph copies of her mug shot photos. In a salute to “Dancing with the Stars”, Ms. Bell and Hinds County District Attorney Robert Smith will dance the Wango Tango.

Wrestling returns, except this time it will be a Battle Royal with Othor Cain, Ben Allen, Kim Wade, Haley Fisackerly, Alan Lange, and “Big Cat” Donna Ladd all in the ring at the same time. The Battle Royal will be in a steel cage, no time limit, no referee, and the losers must leave town. Marshand Crisler will be the honorary referee (as it gives him a title without actually having to do anything).


Meet KIM Waaaaaade at the Entergy Tent. For five pesos, Kim will sell you a chance to win a deed to a crack house on Ridgeway Street stuffed in the Howard Industries pinata. Don't worry if the pinata is beaten to shreds, as Mr. Wade has Jose, Emmanuel, and Carlos, all illegal immigrants, available as replacements for the it. Upon leaving the Entergy tent, fig leaves will be available in case Entergy literally takes everything you have as part of its Trollfest ticket price adjustment charge.

Donna Ladd of The Jackson Free Press will give several classes on learning how to write. Smearing, writing without factchecking, and reporting only one side of a story will be covered. A donation to pay their taxes will be accepted and she will be signing copies of their former federal tax liens. Ms. Ladd will give a dramatic reading of her two award-winning essays (They received The Jackson Free Press "Best Of" awards.) "Why everything is always about me" and "Why I cover murders better than anyone else in Jackson".

In the spirit of helping those who are less fortunate, Trollfest '09 adopts a cause for which a portion of the proceeds and donations will be donated: Keeping Frank Melton in his home. The “Keep Frank Melton From Being Homeless” booth will sell chances for five dollars to pin the tail on the jackass. John Reeves has graciously volunteered to be the jackass for this honorable excursion into saving Frank's ass. What's an ass between two friends after all? If Mr. Reeves is unable to um, perform, Speaker Billy McCoy has also volunteered as when the word “jackass” was mentioned he immediately ran as fast as he could to sign up.


In order to help clean up the legal profession, Adam Kilgore of the Mississippi Bar will be giving away free, round-trip plane tickets to the North Pole where they keep their bar complaint forms (which are NOT available online). If you don't want to go to the North Pole, you can enjoy Brant Brantley's (of the Mississippi Commission on Judicial Performance) free guided tours of the quicksand field over by High Street where all complaints against judges disappear. If for some reason you are unable to control yourself, never fear; Judge Houston Patton will operate his jail where no lawyers are needed or allowed as you just sit there for minutes... hours.... months...years until he decides he is tired of you sitting in his jail. Do not think Judge Patton is a bad judge however as he plans to serve free Mad Dog 20/20 to all inmates.

Trollfest '09 is a pet-friendly event as well. Feel free to bring your dog with you and do not worry if your pet gets hungry, as employees of the Jackson Zoo will be on hand to provide some of their animals as food when it gets to be feeding time for your little loved one.

Relax at the Fox News Tent. Since there are only three blonde reporters in Jackson (being blonde is a requirement for working at Fox News), Megan and Kathryn from WAPT and Wendy from WLBT will be on loan to Fox. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both and a torn-up Obama yard sign will entitle you to free drinks served by Megan, Wendy, and Kathryn. Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required. Just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '09 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.


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Trollfest '07

Jackson Jambalaya is the home of Trollfest '07. Catch this great event which promises to leave NE Jackson & Fondren in flames. Sonjay Poontang and his band headline the night with a special steel cage, no time limit "loser must leave town" bout between Alan Lange and "Big Cat"Donna Ladd following afterwards. Kamikaze will perform his new song F*** Bush, he's still a _____. Did I mention there was no referee? Dr. Heddy Matthias and Lori Gregory will face off in the undercard dueling with dangling participles and other um, devices. Robbie Bell will perform Her two latest songs: My Best Friends are in the Media and Mama's, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to be George Bell. Sid Salter of The Clarion-Ledger will host "Pin the Tail on the Trial Lawyer", sponsored by State Farm.

There will be a hugging booth where in exchange for your young son, Frank Melton will give you a loooong hug. Trollfest will have a dunking booth where Muhammed the terrorist will curse you to Allah as you try to hit a target that will drop him into a vat of pig grease. However, in the true spirit of Separate But Equal, Don Imus and someone from NE Jackson will also sit in the dunking booth for an equal amount of time. Tom Head will give a reading for two hours on why he can't figure out who the hell he is. Cliff Cargill will give lessons with his .80 caliber desert eagle, using Frank Melton photos as targets. Tackleberry will be on hand for an autograph session. KIM Waaaaaade will be passing out free titles and deeds to crackhouses formerly owned by The Wood Street Players.

If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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