Did Jackson Academy kick out a student because his father questioned alleged recruiting and poaching of football players from other schools? Such accusations are made in a lawsuit filed yesterday in Hinds County Court.
11. During the summer, it became apparent that Jackson Academy had begun recruiting high school athletes from nearby schools to play sports at Jackson Academy.
The complaint accuses JA of recruiting, a practice allegedly prohibited by the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools. Jason Voyles did some digging:
13. Based on information compiled in conjunction with other parents, Jason prepared a pdf document identifying 11 student-athletes from Clinton, Madison Central, Pearl, and Northwest Rankin that Jackson Academy had recruited for sports during the 2025-2026 school year. 14. Ten of the students identified in the pdf have since enrolled at Jackson Academy. 15. Indeed, of the 13 new students in the Junior and Senior classes for the 2025-2026 school year, only 1 does not play a school sport. 16. On June 4, 2025, Jason sent the pdf to two fathers of Jackson Academy students. One of the parents circulated the pdf to others outside the Jackson Academy community.
The concern was apparently justified. Mississippi Scoreboard reported in August 2025:
Jackson Academy hasn’t won a state football championship since a three-peat from 2009 to 2011. But the Raiders – led by four players, each with multiple SEC offers – are one of the favorites to bring home the gold this season.
Offensive lineman Caden Moss (No. 1 rated player in Mississippi and No. 4 rated offensive lineman in the country in the Class of 2026 by 247 Sports), defensive lineman and Tennessee commitment Dereon Albert (No. 8 player in Mississippi and No. 28 defensive tackle in the Class of 2026), linebacker and Tennessee commitment TJ White (No. 3 player in Mississippi and No. 5 linebacker in the country in the Class of 2026), and wide receiver and North Carolina commitment O’Mari Johnson (rated No. 17 player in Mississippi and No. 35 athlete in the country) lead the charge for the Raiders.
The new recruits paid off as the Jackson Academy Raiders marched through the season 11-1, demolishing the competition as it won the MAIS 4A State Football Champeenship. JA averaged 41 points per game. It avenged its only loss to MRA (35-24) by thrashing MRA 35-0 in the playoffs. Hartsfield barely put up a fight as it went down 50-14 in the final. The Clinton transfers led the team throughout the season.
18. On June 9, 2025, Jason, Carolyn, Eddie, and a board member met in Eddie's office. According to Eddie, Jackson Academy had decided to unenroll the Voyles family, including C.V. from the school. 19. Eddie claimed ""the amount of negativity"" caused by the pdf was ""just unacceptable and extreme."" When Carolyn asked Eddie to identify any factual inaccuracies with the pdf, Eddie responded: ""I am not dealing with facts."
It is alleged Mr. Wettech cited a provision to justify young Voyles' disenrollment:
[W]e understand and agree that the School has the right to terminate or not renew a student's enrollment contract if the School reasonably concludes that the actions of a parent or guardian make such a positive and constructive working relationship impossible or otherwise seriously interfere with the School's accomplishment of its mission.
21. And it was the facts-not Jason's actions-that sparked the negative backlash that Jackson Academy felt. The facts of Jackson Academy's illegal recruiting demonstrated just how far it had strayed from its mission. Rather than inspiring and equipping "each student" for success, Jackson Academy actively poached rosters of nearby schools so it could win more games. This harms Jackson Academy's students who have devoted their time and loyalty to the school and who, because of Jackson Academy's actions, have fewer athletic slots for which to compete. It harms parents like Jason and Carolyn who have devoted resources to their children's educations. It harms nearby schools that have invested for years in their students who are being targeted. And it harms the community at large by promoting school systems where sports become not just an important part of education, but the main goal to be forcefully pursued at all costs.
The plaintiffs claim JA expelled their son because Mr. Voyles dared blow the whistle on the school to other parents.
The complaint charges Jackson Academy with breach of contract, bad faith breach of contract, promissory estoppel while levying a count of intentional interference with contract against Eddie Wettech.
Jason and Carolyn Voyles seek repayment of eleven years of tuition, emotional distress, compensatory damages, and punitive damages.
The case is assigned to Hinds County Court Judge Yemi Kings. Attorney Grafton Bragg represents the plaintiffs.
Kingfish note: Interesting case. Why was the lawsuit filed in county court where discovery is more limited than it is in Circuit Court? Discovery will be the key. Subpoenaing school records will show who paid for the transfers tuition . Depositions could delve into whether the players were recruited and if they were recruited, how were they recruited.
This is going to be an interesting court fight. Stay tuned.
221 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 221 of 221PDF vs Instagram
Factual vs slander and hate speech towards minors
Publicly available info vs uninformed, bully-like, non-factual opinion
Seems different to me.
The pdf refers to each child as a “recruit”. All it takes is one child not being a recruit and parents have a problem.
Either way, the parent’s intent and behavior in creating the pdf is most likely a violation of the school’s handbook, thus giving the school the discretion to excuse the family.
PDF Creation, while containing factual information had slanderous intent (my opinion), led to Instagram page creation, which led to the justification for unenrollment. It’s not hard to connect those dots. That’s #19 of the complaint in a nutshell.
Two things can be true at the same time. 1. JA violated recruiting laws (as of yet, no proof or ruling from MAIS to substantiate those claims) and 2. A parents action violated the rules of the contract as outlined in paragraph #26.
This pleading is so absurd that the only place it stands a chance is in the court of Public Opinion (my non-legal analysis).
12:12, it looks like the lawsuit has gained a great deal of attention in the court of public opinion which may have been the intent. It seems like expelling that kid caused a lot more bad PR than the actual pdf ever did.
Momma said she was miserable for 14 years while at JA. Sounds like the school did her a favor.
Final verdict TBD. Defendants haven’t presented their case yet.
I wonder if discovery will uncover the creator of the Instagram page, the JA Arrow Logo, and who’s behind posting the JJ articles. Oh yeah, and the unnamed parents in the complaint.
When does the Jackson Academy baseball picture composite come out?
I hear there’s more recruits on the team than there are paying kids.
Didn’t the coach already quit them? I guess he had enough.
1:35 I hear a lot of things, but I have never heard of a single kid that pays their own tuition. If so, I’d love to know what kind of summer job they got to be able to afford it.
Please let me which Prep & MRA starters were recruited? I’ll wait?
Please let me which Prep and MRA starters were recruited? I’ll wait…..
3:33 and 3:36 with the studder.
Arguably Prep’s best player this season was recruited from Brandon. Prep also has transfers from Pisgah, Meridian, MRA, etc. I’m sure they all came on their own. Hell, whose positions did the two JA transfer take?
MRA has an OL recruit from Madison Central, another from Germantown, another from Pearl, another from Canton, a WR from Alabama, recruits from NWR, Manchester, etc. Many of the seniors in this year’s class came from Madison Public Schools.
Wait no more.
I hear the oil money is drying up at JA and headed to Alabama! Wow.
Major loss to JA. That family has been dedicated to that school for years. Paid for most of the structures around there.
If that doesn’t speak volumes to the supporters of the recruits, than you are an idiot!
I think families with young kids will recognize that JA’s future is dark!
Prep probably didn’t have recruits this year. They sucked.
So can’t wait for the court to embarrass this embarrassing entitle family and alumni against competition and success …stay to mais and others already vetted this out. Drop the fcjing hammer on these racist pigs JA
Bump all you racist pigs
Parent was on the board and broke a rule….guess he is forgiven since he got money and Caucasian lol
You must be an employee or this is not factual. Let’s pull this from the attorney
Because this a publication act and no facts. Wait to court
@5:26 It speaks volumes, but not in the way you think.
Yeah ok
Looks to me like the Plaintiffs tossed a hand grenade into their own camp. I’d hate to be one of their foot soldiers who may be disposed.
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