Jackson Jambalaya

Then there are the testing irregularities.

He's not wrong, they already had a school bond issue a few years ago to try and cover the cost of fixing these HVAC issues, when the copper thieves were stealing all of the copper out of the units. I can't remember if that passed or not, but I can remember the arguments against doing this was that bonds were not a vehicle used to address general maintenance projects. The thought was that using bonds and paying for 20 years for just maintenance was not a prudent decision, which made perfect sense to me.

At any rate, none of that matters, what the above story and current story DO HIGHLIGHT is that the pot of money the district has does not support their current needs, and thus, they are rapidly headed towards requiring a good solution, and consolidation is the only solution that makes sense.

I worked at JPS as recent as 2017 and back then which wasn't too many years ago, the district had around 30 thousand students give or take. The enrollment numbers he threw out demonstrate a massive decline in enrollment that will likely continue ti decline , make the cut and consolidate now and make the same cut again in 5 years. easy peasy lemon squeezey

I suspect JPS has about 50% more "administrators" than the need also.

HVAC need repairs? What happened to the millions of dollars that the JPS received from a bond sale earmarked for repairs? New condos? New luxury cars? Socrates? Richard's? Chowke? Rukia?

Yes Dr. Greene but isn't JPS the jobs program of Hinds County? Have you thought about that?

The reason Rankin has more students then JPS is because every JPS student with a relative in Rankin is going to a school in Rankin now!

It’s why NW Rankin and many other schools in Rankin have become as bad as JPS!
Thank god for Hartfield Academy for those of us who can afford it!

When the citizens of Jackson....... just never mind. It's a useless waste of typing energy.

Parental Choice and individual student Voucher Accounts put parents in charge not self serving, overpaid administrators. If enough parents choose a private school to apply their Voucher account towards, the leftist public school administrators lose their income stream. Gov Reeves: get going on Parental Choice like many other Red State governors have already done!

Fk the JPS. Recent "advances" in reading are owing to forcing the illiterate, up to 10% of 3rd graders, to repeat 3rd grade. Then those that do make it into 4th grade score higher without the failures.

What about that guy who took the extremely well paid job as state superintendent and gave it up in about a month.

@12:54

No, contrary to popular belief JPS is not the "jobs" program of hinds county. There are many very intelligent and dedicated people who work for the district and they do not deserve to be belittled because of your short sightedness. The district and its subsequent failures are not a result of teachers, or a top heavy administrative structure. The shortcomings of the district are simply a result of the changing times. There are more and more pressures placed on teachers, and less emphasis on family involvement. You wind up with teachers who have to work harder and children who are lazier. So what happens? performance declines, the issues make the news, public perception gets worse and worse........

Then you get into the issue of higher performing schools have higher performing teachers. The more talented mentor style teachers largely work elsewhere because of a whole different set of reasons.

Then all of this crap becomes some assholes political talking point, and a myriad of ideas are posited, none of which could possibly ever work, they get lauded for their creativity, the district continues to fall into further disrepair.

So with ALL OF THAT being said, what do you propose they do to improve? because from where I sit, they are trying their hardest.

Signed,

A white dude from rankin county

But...but...but...if we reduce the number of schools, then we have to reduce headcount. We can't do that!

Their pride and egos will get in the way of making any solid financial moves. They run JPS just like the hair brains run Jackson the City.

Not that Memphis is a shining city on the hill, but they've been consolidating fast. Yes, it stinks not to have a closer neighborhood school and for your kid to have to move, but moving often never held back military kids for the most part. Especially if it's the difference in having a maintained school with AC and heat and clean water and classrooms without mold.

But Dr. Greene hit a mark most LiberaLtarian tax squawkers won't hear- that Rankin warehouses kids in overpacked public school factories. NWR has outgrown their buildings for years, and the kids are jammed in there, even with 5 new elementary school and a new HS. The RCBOE is warped frustrated Tea Party cretins who shovel money to Puckett, Brandon, and other outlying areas with Flowood/Rez money. And to fewtbawl, instead of classrooms.

I sent them to private schools after the failed bond issue. And am pleased. But, our real estate values depend on good schools, so the opposite tack of penny pinching and overcrowding is the bad outcome of the inverse of JPS's problems. Rankin needs to spend less on Goon Squad cool guy gear and Lawsuits, and more on school buildings, not less.

All for Flowood/Rez School District and expansion of Flowood PD jurisdiction to Rez areas. Good governance.

They are STILL upgrading hvac systems. But what I would like to know is if the school population is shrinking then why not purchase the Metrocenter Mall, renovate it and house ALL of the schools in one location. It would make sense to me to do that. If you have that much square footage in one location then that would be a viable alternative to keeping up multiple campuses. Try it…it just might work.

So, there's been a drastic decline in scholar population. Meanwhile, there's news of Charlotte Seal being suspect in an investigation as to the number of 'out of district' scholars showing up in MadCo since she was installed.

But this is not an issue of 'consolidation' as the term has come to mean. 'Consolidation' refers to the joining of two or more separate districts, not buildings within a system/district.

Closing down school buildings while beefing up the population in other buildings would save one whale of a lot more money than 'school district consolidation'.

But there is no appetite for doing that, which would result in:

Cutting the number of principals.

Cutting the number of assistant principals.

Moving teachers and assistants and reducing those numbers.

Drastically reducing cafeteria costs.

Reducing the number of administrative staff throughout the system.

Eliminating maintenance expenses in closed buildings.

Reducing the tremendous number of support staff in shops.

Reducing physical plant/campus maintenance staff and equipment.

Reducing automobile, van, other transportation equipment.

And God help the legislator who suggests we might also look at reducing the number of oversight personal at SDE.

On and on and on.

Charlotte Seal is a disgrace. However, the fault lies with MadCo School Board. They KNEW what she was, KNEW what she would do and they approved her anyway. Some parents are very UPSET.

The Superintendent really ought to be let go. It's clear they dropped the ball on their overseeing responsibilities, allowing a student to actually walk to the highway and tragically end their own life. And let's not forget the issues with testing irregularities and the dwindling number of enrolled students. It's frustrating how, even after receiving federal COVID funds, they're still harping on about air conditioning problems. It's like the money never actually goes towards fixing anything substantial, and all we get are excuses in return. I mean, why even take up the position if all they're going to do is make excuses?

It's disheartening to learn that Jackson has been dubbed the fastest shrinking city in the entire nation. It just doesn't make sense to keep following the same old routine when it's evident that it's not working.

1:05 - "Thank god for Hartfield Academy for those of us who can afford it!"

Spoken like a true prosperity-gospel-believing bible-thumping hypocrite.

@1:21
This is how we undermine public shools. It’s been a lont term, back to the ‘70’s and ‘80’s tactic of the republican right. Focusing on what to do right with public schools is the way (not jesus).

@3:17 is spot on. Realities have to be faced as these need to be run as businesses, which is why the republican right wants to put public money into private pockets. They run as businesses and enrich their friends on the public dole, but not necessarilly as educational institutes.

Many possible solutions here but the leadership (strange to use that word to describe the board and the administrators that controls) aren't willing to take any of them.

Prime example - within the last year or two, after JPS decided to close Rowan School (located just off Mill Street, north of Capitol Comples area) due to declining enrollment and costs associated with needed renovations, which included a failed HVAC system, one of the Jackson area charter schools offered to purchase the facility from JPs. The charter school was needing additional space and what better place to shop than for a closed school building. From what I heard, the charter school offered $750,000 for the facility but JPS refused to consider that or any other offer ---- because they felt the charter school was "competition" and they didn't want to help 'the other side'.

In other words, education of Jackson kids wasn't the goal of JPS. The fact that the charter school was attracting some students and PART of the state money associated with those individuals, JPS would rather sit on an empty building, I assume pay insurance on it while it remains off the tax rolls and deteriorating further, and not have an additional 3/4 million dollars in its bank account.

Result was that the charter school purchased another facility and met its needs - the school continued its expansion program, Rowan School still sits empty and owned by JPS, and the cash money is not in JPS's account but in the pockets of a former real estate owner.

Great leadership JPS. Keep it up and you can equal the management skills failure of the City of Jackson administration that appointed you.

"But, but, but, if we closed schools some of my relatives and friends would lose their job which would reduce the palm grease."

Here's the link to the uncut version (if you can spare the 15 minutes): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXSNIBJAYGM

1:21 PM
Let me know if I'm reading this wrong, but why is forcing the illiterate to repeat until they can pass seen as a bad thing? As a child (now adult) of No Child Left behind it's better to fail them instead of passing complete fuck ups.

1:42 PM
Not who you're responding to, but the "jobs program" to me seemed to be the administration of JPS not the teachers. Granted consolidation will reduce the teachers in JPS. I do wonder whether consolidation will result in larger classrooms which will definitely impact JPS schools in the negative.

4:26 PM
Again as a public school alumni, most public schools aren't good.

The Mississippi Department of Education is in the same boat as PERS. Far more is being spent than is being legislatively authorized, and either a huge tax increase is on the horizon, or deep cuts and - consolidations.

Why does JPS insist on calling all of their students “scholars”?

A scholar is a person who is a researcher or has expertise in an academic discipline. A scholar can also be an academic, who works as a professor, teacher, or researcher at a university. An academic usually holds an advanced degree or a terminal degree, such as a master's degree or a doctorate (PhD). Independent scholars and public intellectuals work outside of the academy yet may publish in academic journals and participate in scholarly public discussion.

Everyone should move to Madison County so that it can become the new Hinds County. Lumumba could succeed Mayor Mary and we could all move to the bold new city Jackson.

At 3:27:
What exactly are u talking about concerning Charlotte Seal?

5:19: Because this Lumumba administration only cares about how it is perceived by others, so naturally they think that calling students "scholars" actually means something.

2:42, would you mind explaining what a "LiberaLtarian tax squawker" is? I clearly do not subscribe to the same newsletters you do.

If I understand, you feel the school board in your county was allocating finite resources based on politics rather than need? And your response was to remove your child from government schools and place them in a private school. A market based approach. If you had meant to say libertarian then I hate to be the one to break it to you but you have libertarian leanings. Next thing you know you'll be reading Bastiat.

"What about that guy who took the extremely well paid job as state superintendent and gave it up in about a month."

Another low information popcorn-eater in the bleachers. He was recommended by the hiring authority (primarily that woman in Clinton), put on the payroll without senate confirmation, and was summarily rejected by the senate. In other words, his ass was sent packing.

He didn't 'give it up'. He was rejected and sent home.

@4:28
“ The charter school was needing additional space and what better place to shop than for a closed school building. From what I heard, the charter school offered $750,000 for the facility but JPS refused to consider that or any other offer ---- because they felt the charter school was "competition" and they didn't want to help 'the other side'. ”

You can’t seriously look at what’s happening in the city and be surprised by this, can you?

Granted consolidation will reduce the teachers in JPS.

JPS is already short on teachers. Consolidation will help, not hinder.

“But Dr. Greene hit a mark most LiberaLtarian tax squawkers won't hear- that Rankin warehouses kids in overpacked public school factories. NWR has outgrown their buildings for years, and the kids are jammed in there, even with 5 new elementary school and a new HS. The RCBOE is warped frustrated Tea Party cretins who shovel money to Puckett, Brandon, and other outlying areas with Flowood/Rez money. And to fewtbawl, instead of classrooms.”,

" Rankin needs to spend less on Goon Squad cool guy gear and Lawsuits, and more on school buildings, not less.”, what did any of this ranting have to do with the subject of JPS?

@2:42 PM - Please take your meds.

It's not like KF hasnt posted reports about how JPS spends more per student aka "scholar " smh than the other area school districts.

1:46 is right over the target. You need as many buildings as you can get to exaggerate the attendance numbers and get that sweet money and justify those too heavy budgets

Impressive. A very brave, principled and truthful man.

JPS: tell the truth, get fired

I’ve said the following for years on here:

It’s an absolute joke that JPS has only one real track and now only two real stadiums (Hughes and Forest Hill). North Jackson at the alternative school is a piece of crap and Newell is condemned from what I hear.

For years now, JPS schools have had HVAC issues and classrooms haven’t had enough desks.

It’s sick that Central Office, the JPS Board, and the bond people wasted money on totally renovating auditoriums and libraries with the bond money instead of fixing the HVAC, getting desks, and getting a couple more good looking stadiums for the kids.

There are the JPS teachers, students, and school level employees; and then the people at Central Office, the School Board, and bond people. The groups live in two different worlds. One is reality. One is part nepotism, part obsession with title, and part delusional from the best I can tell.

Dear Central Office,

Don’t waste another dime on Convocation to make people watch y’all selves pat yourselves on the back as long as there aren’t enough desks for every classroom and properly working HVAC.

Also, why have students through the years had to pay to go to things like pep rally’s during school hours?

This city is being run by idiots ... we need business people ...you cannot run a zoo that is losing money an buildings you cannot afford ... its a no brainer .. hope Chuck gets the boot ...

3:48 said:
"1:05 - 'Thank god for Hartfield Academy for those of us who can afford it!'

Spoken like a true prosperity-gospel-believing bible-thumping hypocrite."

Congrats 3:48, you now have the dumbest post of the year.

Sixties and seventies, we didn’t have any A/C in school but the principal’s office and maybe the teachers’ lounge. Some classrooms had fans. We learned just fine. It was pointless busywork, but we learned that and learned better how to behave, all just fine.

@ 4:26 PM - You are confusing 2 critical points. It is the private sector that doing favors and squandering tax payer monies. It is a non-profit entity with insufficient accountability. That's why JPS is in its present state.

The more conservative view (actually, more of a libertarian concept) of privatization and school choice, provides 3 key benefits: 1) Giving parents more leverage in their child's education, 2) Puts pressure on the schools to perform or lose students (aka, funding), and 3) Assigns accountability in the form of financial performance. You can't overstaff, overpay, underperform, and waste money when you're held to a P&L without losing your head.

My typo "... It ISN'T the private sector..."

@8:12 AM
You didn’t have resurgent tropical diseases and climate change back in the dark ages when you grew up before the internet.
You can probably tell us tales about running and playing through clouds of DDT sprayed every evening at dusk back then too.

Jackson government at all levels is doomed. Case closed.

Oh wait, all is wonderful in Jackistan, so don't bring your corrupt socialist, racist derived troubles to Madison County.

Will the last one to leave Jackson please turn out the lights