Jackson Jambalaya

Judge Wingate can get this squared up quick….

I'm placing my bet on Bill Yates' daughter, Carolyn, and son-in-law, Jason, to win this battle! Take the JA Arrows down!!!

Parents and their lawyer are going for a quick settlement because no way JA lets those kids and their parents be deposed.

Is anyone really surprised that this was going to filter down to the high school level from college (paid) crap. Got news for everyone it's only going to get worse.

Sue - you might win, you might lose, but lawyers never do

Another issue that arises, are the students that transferred from Clinton able to do the work at JA. I would like to see their grades. I am just glad they JA didn't get anyone from Brandon, we need all the players we can get

Just wondering 🤔 if similar lawsuits will be filed against other private schools in the area.

Sounds like JA forgot the basic purpose of seg academies: to do whatever the rich parents tell you and make sure their athletically mediocre kids have a place to play sports.

Bill and Nancy Yates are wonderful people and very generous with their wealth.

It’s a shame their son in laws ego is ruining their family name.

Why is it discovery is more limited in county court? Never ever heard that.

Discovery is not limited in County Court. The only thing limited in County Court is the amount recoverable.

This will be an interesting precedent if plaintiffs win this case. If so, every disgruntled parent who actually pays tuition will have grounds to sue private schools when those schools bring in an army of new athletes each year limiting athletic spots. I get it. Coaches want to win and need the best players to accomplish. Meanwhile, parents want their kids to have a chance to play and don't really care if they win or lose. The morale at JA has been decimated since all this went down. Enrollment is down, families have left and those who've stay are more disconnected now than I've ever seen...and for what --- a trophy? This ain't your momma's private school anymore...this is a sports academy. If your kid is average to good, and would've been an all-star 20 years ago, that kid won't see the field/court/diamond at JA today. Choose elsewhere

Yet even with all the controversies with sportsball, nepotism in the teaching staff and admins, infighting and backstabbing amongst the parents, and uppity cliques in the student body, some people still look down on me because our kids go to a public school.

Depends on which families at JA...some mediocre kids do get to play. Just depends on $$$

@12:59 - JA most definitely got Tai Jones from the Brandon Baseball team

So you condone high school recruiting and freebies for high school athletes while the rest of the students' parents foot the bill? And explain how high school football enhances the educational quality of a school??? (other than for the college recruits)

Maybe they just want kids to be able to play high school sports with people in their own social group instead of against paid kids that happen to be genetically gifted. If the kids have to sit in class and play ball with otherwise unfit students might as well send them to Murrah and buy a new Lexus every three years.

JA kicks kid out of school because of dad's actions. Kid did nothing wrong. Kid's dad made a document with truthful info and only shared it with 2 JA dads...Why did it take this long for lawsuit to be filed? JA needs to figure out how to make this go away.

1:25 PM,
95% of high school boys aren't 6'5" and 300 Lbs and can't compete with such. What's your problem with someone paying their hard earned money to send their kids where they choose? And where they can actually play football without risking brain injuries from running into these other " scholar athletes".

I bet Jason’s two buddies who received the pdf are thrilled to be deposed.

So now we have JA and St. Andrews both headed up by non-educators.

If they came from Brandon, its unlikely they could do the JA work. But Clinton ranks in the top 5 statewide academically year in and year out. :)

Ruining their family name? Nobody outside of about 5 JA boosters agrees with that statement. Blow it up!

The kid (and family) got kicked out of school for asking questions. That is what they are suing over.

I wonder if JA will try and kick out all the families that shared the PDF? If so, they might not have enough paying families left to fund the non-payers

I thought all those new teacher assistants at Prep were supposed to work full days. How do they have time to comment on this right now?

This is so funny to entitlement vs competition and competition wins.

This lawsuit was needed; hope the parents prevail.

The MAIS is weak. They started this when they backed down to Hartfield, so now all out recruiting is the name of the game for these prestigious academic schools.

The fact that everything certain entitled families do in a premeditated way paying kingfish to post this on the week school comes back is sad. Prayers to you. We sure hope families that are teaching their kids that the rules don’t apply eventually learn.

@1:35pm What precedent does this set regarding sports? The kid was kicked out of school.

This entire football scam has turned every high school into a sleazy sports agency. These coaches keep trafficking ghetto kids for their own enrichment. The spineless, greedy adults running these MAIS schools—who should have never allowed this to happen—should all be fired on the spot.

The MAIS's pathetic failure to govern anything deserves total dissolution.

Burn it all down.

1:26 Bill Yates and his ego are probably behind all of this. He loves a good lawsuit. Jason and Carolyn just riding her daddy's "CoatTails" as usual. I feel sorry for their son.

Damn. They paid me? Where's my friggin check or envelope?

@2:32 because parents are afraid of questioning anything for fear of expulsion

Some of you people sincerely need Jesus. KF included. No kidding.

Love all the JA team attempting to drag Granddaddy into this debate - guess they know that they are up a creek without a paddle (hell, they might even be short a boat) - but this isn't about the "who" involved, its about the what.

JA kicked a kid out of school; a kid who has been a student at this private institution for over a decade, along with his siblings. Daddy has been a long-time supporter of the school, an alum, and a board member. Daddy expressed concerns over how the school's purpose and philosophy appeared to have changed in pursuit of a trophy; and recognition.

JA screwed up. Not only is what they did wrong; and sounds like it was illegal. But they picked on a couple who aren't ones just to step back and respond with an "ok, screw me again, tell me I enjoyed it". Their allegance to the institution for years, their love for their kid, and their name all got kicked to the curb just for the satisfaction of a coach's desire to make a name for himself with a derivative of a name for the school.

Picked on the wrong kid here; one who's parents are willing to step up and speak out - with the means to do so. I'm sure its not so much for the tuition, etc that they are asking for but to make it hurt for the administrators that fell for this golden ring.

Good luck to the Voyles; hope they make Eddie and the entire board have a buttache from the pinching action going on trying to figure out how to respond to this mess they created.

After reviewing the County Court filings, it appears that this dispute must be resolved via arbitration with the AAA. I would venture to guess that JA's attorneys will seek to transfer this case to the AAA. As for the merits of the lawsuit, can we say frivolous? The blind leading the blind. Good luck.

Dang, I wanted to chime in but Hookah (2:34 PM) said it all! Hookah for the win!

KF – thanks so much for reporting this. It used to be the teacher’s unions that acted like commies, now the private schools have also been infested with the same types of scum. When will the parents take the private schools back over from these ____ eater’s that are ruining them?

Yates fam about to bulldoze JA.

Yates construction family a Rich NE Jackson family is booted for questioning a school official?

Nice try 3:02. Your effort to make these parents sympathetic is laughable. The dad created a document that targeted MINOR students and included photos of these minors. This was not "whistleblowing"...he attacked children to help his child play a sport. You have no problem with children being attacked as long as they are of a different race? Every private school would ask this family to not return after publicly attacking kids. Parents sign contracts.

Anonymous @ 3:02, you must be one of the Plaintiffs in this case. Apparently, your brilliant attorney (laughing as I type) has convinced you that you have a legitimate cause of action. If you have an issue with JA's policies or actions, send your child to another school. Just that simple. Time to move on.

I applaud Jason for doing this, but his son will be much better off at Prep. JA is a shell of its former self, and it was way behind Prep even during the glory years. Also, is it true several if not all of the scholar athletes are no longer enrolled at JA? They came to do a job and immediately went back to their former schools.

Interestingly, I saw where Duggin won MAIS coach of the year. Shouldn't it have been recruiter of the year? I thought coaching excellence was awarded for doing more with less. How is winning with most talent a sign of good coaching?

They always fail to mention the kid JA poached from Germantown one week before the start of the season. Glad some light is being shed here. Parents of athletes need to watch out for these sports influencers like Warren Rowan.

its not revenge they seek. its a reckoning. long overdue

Well the uniform local rules beg to differ. I had to look it up but depos are limited absent the judge increasing the number

Enrollment is most certainly not down..

Who is the plaintiffs’ lawyer? I’m just not familiar with him.

"Kingfish note: Interesting case. Why was the lawsuit filed in county court where discovery is more limited than it is in Circuit Court?"

A first year law school student knowa this is incorrect.

KF: REALLY NEED TO GIVE TO WLBT, LET EVERYONE KNOW THE TRUE SOUTH STILL REMAINS!!! Took my kids out of JA young and put them in public schools with all kinds people. IVE MOVED FAR FROM JACKSON, YOU PRIVATE SCHOOLS AND JUNIOR LEAGUE LIVE IN YOUR OWN CIRCLES, HOPE YOU DONT STUMP YOUR FRICKIN TOE!

Your unfamiliarity with the attorney is of no concern to the general population or the readers of this blog. His name is included in the initial narrative. If you'd like you can Google search him or inquire down to the barber shop.

I’m a disappointed JA Alumnus. It has gone downhill since my days. So have most things in Jackson. Sad.

3:38 Laughable is you resorting to making up complete and total BS to try to defend JA. Did you see the pdf? I recall it included the kid’s name, sport and previous school. And texting a document to two people is not even making it public. There was no attacking anyone. You should be ashamed of yourself for trying to rewrite what happened with your desired narrative.

Should have filed in Chancery Court to get injunction ordering the school to reinstate the student pending lawsuit.

@3:02 What about this is "illegal?" Do you think this is a criminal matter? It's a private school and they can essentially kick out anyone they want, excepting any federal or state protections like race--which is not at issue here. Are you looking for "unconstitutional?" Again, that would be wrong because parents are not entitled to a private school education, or more accurately, to pay private school tuition so their kid gets some playing time!

Laughable complaint seeking back-tuition when the kid already received the benefits of the education. That is something I would see in a pro se complaint in Sharkey County. I do bet they settle for whatever the tuition is at Prep or MRA to finish him out to be done with this. Is that worth it to be totally ostracized by NE Jackson? I guess they think yes considering they already live in Madison.

Why? Circuit/County Courts may also provide injunctive relief.

Sorry the people who gave you your information was wrong they are ALL still there, enrolled, dual enrolled, honor students, current playing baseball and running track.

Why everyone posting ANONYMOUS. Stand on what you are saying and feeling. Show yourself. They are watching!

Leave it to Mississippi rednecks to make a big stink out of the reality of private education in the rest of the USA. Vanderbilt can still have a good football team and still be Vanderbilt. This place is so damn backwards!

I thought this was a common practiced. I have several friends whose sons was recruited to JA to play football. You mean to tell me this is illegal? Heck those parents posted about it on their social media. They were all excited that their sons got recruited from JPS to play for JA.

I doubt JA is even the biggest offender. But, recruiting has been openly, unashamedly done in MAIS schools for years. The big 4 recruit and if other schools don’t, they get unapologetically steamrolled. These kids think they won something and act like they were not aided by recruited kids in key positions. By the way, it’s not all minorities that are recruited. I am not celebrating that JA is getting drug through the mud, but I do hope that the MAIS will have a lightbulb moment and figure out how to better and more fairly handle sports. It is a hot mess right now. I hope this is the catalyst for some positive change.

Much truth in your comment Hookah. Thank you.

wonder how school choice will affect all this, and what is behind the push for that, certainly not altruism

JA's football coach bragged to the media about his recruits.

JA is not what it used to be. And the idiots that run this school should be embarrassed for how this was handled. Yes, you got your trophy. But you look like a total douche bag for doing it this way (recruiting a new roster right before the season starts). Can’t believe anyone pays to go to school there. Garbage.

Very odd that he filed that in County Court. The parties are diverse (and the forum-defendant rule would apply anyways), so there was no threat the case could be removed to Federal court. They ask for punitive damages. But the jurisdictional limit in county is $200,000. So they've capped themselves, and for what strategic reason? To be clear, I know this case isn't about the money for the plaintiff. But with a cap of $200k, they've lost a significant amount of leverage in their negotiations. I don't see what reason they would file this in County Court. But they could voluntary dismiss and re-file I guess.

Record shows they are all honor students. Coming from Clinton I wouldn’t expect anything else. What did you think they were just dumb athletes.

5:49 is spot on ! MAIS needs a facelift, something smells there.

Anonymous @ 3:45 - this is 3:02. No, not a plantiff. No, have nothing to do with JA. Didn't attend, no kids attend - been on the campus once before to watch a foottball game between JA and Prep - and I have no connection to Prep either.

Wish I was a plantiff - would be in line for a nice paycheck due to their idiotic actions. But, sadly will get nothing from the coming settlement other than the satisfaction of watching stupidity having to pay the price.

But, nice attempt at deflection. Next time though would suggest not jumping so quickly to a conclusion that has no reason for the connection - other than being somebody that pays attention to what all is happening around our City with Soul. (or is that the name we discarded here in jackson with the new administration, I lose track.)

Hookah, I agree totally. Furthermore, it's beyond my comprehension how the parents at JA - regardless of their intense desire to win football games - can't see how this recruiting effort will likely be the downfall of JA and schools like them. Admit it or not, that's just a fact. Today's kids aren't like they used to be.

What's a "Champeenship" ?

So you don’t have a clue either. Check.

Bill and Nancy Yates are wonderful people. And yes, they are very generoous with their wealth. But your next statement is about as off base as your first two were right on the mark: this is not doing a damn thing to 'ruin their family name' and I'll bet that they are proud of their son-in-law, and their daughter, for standing up in support of their grandchild's mistreatment.

Getting kid back into JA is probably not on the list of desires that they want at this stage; once bridges are burned they are hard to reconstruct and walk across. As a parent I would think it would be hard for my kid to 'go back', under an injunction, while all this was being addressed. The agenda now is to let the folks at JA burn in hell for a while as they try to figure out how to get rid of this mess.

3:02 here - what about this is 'illegal'? Lets wait and see how this legal filing moves forward, and what the resolution is. As to what might be illegal, let me suggest that you read the complaint where they spell out what they think was illegal. Don't think anybody, me or them, raised any of those "nots" that you list - not a constitutional issue, not a racial, etc - but there were several "possibly illegal" actions raised in the complaint. You think its laughable? Fine. Are you defending it for the administrators and school, with your 'its nothing' attitude? My money says that they are taking a much more serious look at it than your suggestion, and also that the Voyles aren't looking for a one-year tuition at Prep.

As to ostracized by NE Jackson - you must be hearing from a different set of folks in NE Jackson than I have heard from; granted my voices aren't anywhere around JA as I said in another answer which might be a reason for the different opinions we are hearing.

Anon at 5:32 ---- Pot? Kettle?

See section V. M. for MAIS rules on recruiting. There is almost always some kind of loophole to get around rules like this. Not sure if there is one in this case.
https://home.msais.org/test2/code/athletics/handbook_entire.php

Sue the hell out of the school. That school and others have done this for years but not to this degree. Other students put in the work for years and have been benched. The kids brought in maybe great kids and some 100% are but this sports program is bs. It's OK to not win a game! Clinton was a powehouse years ago but not anymore. The stands show the lack of support. The public schools are full of kids out of the district and living with relatives. Those kids that have been at the school from the start earned their time. Damn a sports program over academics.

3:02/6:39, this is 3:45. You must be a part-time comedian. I would definitely not hold my breath for a “nice paycheck.” Oddly, you have no connection to JA, much less Prep, but share your pearls of wisdom (again laughing as I type) as to JA. You have to love America — anyone, whether an idiot or misinformed fool, can share their opinion. Case in point.

Would be interesting to have photos of the late-model cars these scholar athletes drive. It's a long trip from Clinton to JA every day.

What if JA recruits the top most academically gifted kids from other public and private schools. Full scholarships and travel expenses paid. And give the boot to some of those students taking up space whose only attribute is their parent's money. It would be interesting to see who complains and why.

So identify yourself

Nothing says 1860 like 16 year old kids being used to secure gridiron glory for someone else’s school. Ya’ll still bring the mammy in to nurse your children?
Do you sit and observe the help service your wife? I don’t understand it in college athletics, but at this level of play, good grief. Have some self-respect.

I am. Unimaginable, the level of cuckery to imagine bringing in other children to replace your own children at the place you spend 20k a year to have them developed.

The couple suing JA may be what saves JA in the long run

I know very few JA people, but the person above who tried to diss the family is full of bs.

Did the JA coaches even want all these recruits? No way did all those families just randomly decide to apply to JA that late in high school.

Agreed. Maybe he thought trial would be had quicker in county court? But if the arbitration provision applies then maybe defendant has to pay arbitration costs on front end. If it stays in county court - getting 4 out of 5 is harder than 9 out of 12 in circuit in my 30 years.

Almost every single JA alum that I know, would be living under an overpass if not for their mommy and daddy, helping them be adults. I could give two shits about any of this foolishness, but it is very entertaining. Y’all just need to book a room at the Turquoise, and kick your feet up.

There will be some turnover at JA, attorneys will make a paycheck, and the Voyles and Mr. Yates grandchildren will still be wealthy a hundred years from now.

MRA jr high basketball team lost every game for 8 yrs to Prep. During that same period MRA senior high basketball never lost a game to prep. This was almost 20 yrs ago. Deweese recruited players for Sr high that took spots from kids that had gone to MRA since K-4. 95% of parents loved MRA beating prep no matter what. However, the kids that had payed their dues all those years and lost a spot to play Sr high ball weren’t so happy. Sad

Almost every single JA alum that I know, would be living under an overpass if not for their mommy and daddy, helping them be adults.

You obviously know very few JA alums.

The outcome of the legal matter is of little consequence- JA already lost. Their brand is greatly diminished and forever tarnished. Same goes for championship season. They need to make this go away.

That part.

It’s a shame what JA did bringing in kids just to beat Prep and Hartfield. GET THE SCHOOL RECORDS IN DISCOVERY and find out who’s behind this internal and external. 10000% chance not one of them missed a game.

All of these people saying “let’s check their grades” are stereotyping these children. Just because they came from a public school does not mean they are only good for sports. Clinton is an A school district and has been for many years. With most of these recruits coming from Clinton, they are most likely honors students that can do the work they are given. This does not take away from the fact that they were illegally recruited but let’s focus on that instead of attacking their intelligence just because of where they are from.

This will certainly be entertaining to watch how the chips will fall regarding litigation. I am 100%.certain, Edward Wettach will not be associated with JA moving forward.

It’s very obvious that most people commenting don’t have the first clue about any of this. This isn’t about money. Voyles has plenty of it. It’s about daddy voyles getting his feelings hurt because all the Yates money in the world couldn't help him undo the damage he did with the pdf. It’s about daddy voyles choosing to leave when he was given the chance to play nice in the sand box and wouldn’t. It’s about ego and saving face. Plain and simple. Think about what JA turned away when they told him to pound sand. No amount of money was worth the headache that he caused. Is JA innocent of recruiting? Of course not, but neither are the other schools. If you don’t believe that, then you don’t know the facts. And if you think the pdf only went out to two people, then you really don’t know the facts.

The level of stupidity in this thread is astonishing. No doubt most of you will be in Arizona on Thursday.

MAIS not only bears but touts its council school legacy. IYKYK. The kid will probably wind up over at St. Joe now that St. Joe has all but forgotten its brave and honorable past rooted in catholic social justice and jumped the shark, “proudly” switching over to a MAIS school. It is a gross disservice and disrespectful move. Hats off to St. Andrew”s for walking the walk and talking the talk - and staying out of the MAIS mess.

Folks that care about the future of the MAIS including Jackson’s private schools should not get sucked into being bogged down with the legal eagles posting herein. Laws are written by politicians and fee churner attorneys and while yes, the suit will be settled in court (likely after many continuances) the bigger issue for the MAIS…..is moral.

Parents running private schools carries its own set of problems such as nepotism but allowing meathead coaches (backed up by school dictators) to run wild with accomplishing their personal goals of W’s while literally stealing opportunities from tuition payers and giving said opportunities to those that do not pay…..proves the pendulum has swung too far the other way, and the parents must therefore take over the MAIS schools.

Taking from payers and giving to non-payers is a leftist communist mentality with far-reaching consequences for MAIS schools…..and well beyond anything to do with the athletic programs. It’s time for a private schools parental uprising.

Are you talking about the NCAA, the NFL or the MAIS?

When do the academies start recruiting for their 30+ ACT students or National Merit Finalists? Oh that’s right, Madison Central has that sewn up. MC had 29 National Merit finalists compared to 2 at JA. Those 2 were not being paid to attend JA but I bet they received a full academic ride to college. The recruited football players also have scholarships but let’s see in 4 years what their academics lead them towards. I bet it’s not medical school or engineering, degrees that can help humankind better than a football. These JA parents that chose to pay for star football players rather than pay an instructor to have an SAT prep class at their school (MC has a full class on this) are living their life dreams of sports glory through their boy-children. They have lost their way.

You truly have no understanding of the matter. Most of the MAIS schools operate on a shoestring. The Big Four are well funded but bloated with fixed coasts due to excess administration. A few years ago, I was told by someone with deep Prep connections that if Prep lost ten students they would have difficulty in making their budget.
So if rural academy is barely making ends meet and local doctors and lawyers cough up the money to fund five stud athletes at $10,000 annually, this adds $50,000 to rural academy's budget with little to no increase in marginal costs.
I don't like it. I think it is poor strategic planning to take the starting football spot of Johnny whose parents have forked out tuition and made extra contributions for 12 years. Yet the economic reality is the extra $50,000 is a life saver for rural academy.

Is Allen Smith going to represent Jackson Academy? I guess he could have a conflict of interest on multiple levels but he knows about paying recruits

Did I hear correctly that the James family left Jackson Academy? Is there going to be any families left there soon?

I'm not saying that it was the case with any of the kids this year, but JA routinely ignores admission testing requirements for good transfer athletes. It is well known that if you do not pass some of the other schools admission testing requirements then you should go apply to JA and you will get accepted. IMO that's lowering a schools moral standard more than recruiting.

Everyone loves a winner. Enrollment goes up when you’re winning. Look at Prep, look at Alabama, Ole Miss. if you win, they come. Sadly, athletics are the front porch to the school. JA enrollment went down when they were losing year after year. Prep and MRA were killing them in the recruiting game. Hartfield even passed them. They wised up, got to crootin! Now they’re winners! Yes, the old guard will be mad. Little Billy been there for 12 years. Tell Little Billy to hit the weights and compete! Competition is what drives America. Make the athletes pay their way, which they probably do. Make the recruits earn their grades, which is probably happening. And make the entitled bunch compete! If they can’t compete, leave.

As the father of a high school football player, I can vouch that MRA/JA/Prep all participate in at least "soft recruiting". My son has been told numerous times that basically "if you want to come, we can make it happen" at all three schools.
Looking at it from a parental perspective, I'd be pissed off if my son played for JA his whole career then lost his spot as a senior to some kid brought in for a title. Would I be litigious? I don't know. I don't have Yates money to follow through like that. But would I be pretty freaking angry and want to tear some folks some new **sholes? Damn right.

The haves paying for the have-nots

@7:50 with the dumbass post of the day. You’ve got to be a MRA or Hartfield parent. Or, an entitled and bitter former JA parent. Move on with your life and find happiness.

There are several comments about students/families leaving JA in droves. Does anyone have the enrollment numbers to back that up? Current enrollment compared to the past three years.

From what I can tell, all of the info in said PDF was public information taken from the recruited kids' own social media pages or scouting guides

I wish the Catholic school I graduated from would have turned the MAIS down as well. I was against it at the time and am more against it today— the MAIS is a joke of an organization. At the time, we were getting accused of recruiting because of the 50 mile radius rule (we weren’t, we just had Catholic families in those areas that wanted their kids to go to a Catholic school). But public’s thought this was unfair and kept pushing the matter to MHSAA, and we just got tired of it.

To compete in athletics in MAIS, you have to recruit athletes— which is not what our school was about. But they’ve gotten into it now to the major detriment of the school. Makes me very sad. Not to mention, you are banding together with the very organization put in place to continue segregation- certainly not what we stand for.

MAIS can’t even fairly decide which schools should be in the same classes and districts- they’d rather they be closer in distance than closer in population for some reason.

Those admission tests are manipulated. If a kid leaves one private or public school but has a reputation, the applied for school can “say” the child failed the admission test to get in but the test is on an 8th grade level at most schools. It sounds like @7:50 am is the local doctor whose son was denied at two schools but finally accepted at prep after obgyn dad gave money to the basketball program. That dad knows what’s up. Funny how things change and turn out. Life catches up yo you.

Not naming names, but one of the "big 4" needs to pump it's brakes on commenting. They had a big booster that paid to have 5-6 D1 caliber athletes on it's roster to win a state championship or two. Then said large donor's kid wasn't allowed to play ball with said recruits, and he took his ball and went elsewhere. While he didn't pursue legal action, that had to be an odd & uncomfortable situation. But they sure enjoyed wearing those "Beat Prep" shirts for a little while. For the record, no public school had as many D1 caliber athletes on their roster as that school did at that time, or really any time.

Does anyone have the pdf? I saw it on Facebook a while back - didn’t know where it originated or it was related to their son transferring to prep. These athletes coming to JA wasn’t “under the table” because it was in the news, clarion ledger, etc. I know if a private school plays in the MHSAA they can’t recruit (TCPS got in trouble for it a few years ago), but I thought it was allowed when playing MAIS.

JA Parents:
Pull your kids out of JA and send them to Exeter, Andover, Woodberry Forest, or Deerfield.

Interesting to see so many uninformed people quick to slander Mr. Wettach, the JA football program/Coach Duggan and the students that transferred to JA. If I'm not mistaken, the only sport the Voyles kid played was baseball. So, why do you feel the need to throw these kids under the bus and make a sweeping assumption about their academics? I also noticed that nothing has been mentioned about the Instagram account that was created by someone about JA Recruits when all this went down. So many people are quick to cast the first stone...

I'm with Hookah. This is a silly ass situation. I feel sorry for the kid. How horribly unfair to him.

Do you think there was a conspiracy between coaches and administrators to bring in AAU/NIL (mostly black) athletes after evaluating the mediocre (mostly white) talent and conceding to the fact that they could not be successful unless we supplement with AAU/NIL athletes?

I’m with the Voyles 100%

I've had JA parents tell me that the PDF "was a violation of privacy for minors" and "put them in danger." Then I saw the PDF, it was simply a public picture of the athlete, the athletes name, and their recruiting stats that are on public recruiting websites for all to see. Hardly endangering to put into one document what anyone could just look up and the athletes proudly posted themselves.

Its pretty impressive when Madison Central puts out 20+ National Merit Semifinalists and 130+ kids that score a 30+ on the ACT every single year. My parents saw private school as the better option and struggled to send me to one of the Big Four. Even 20 years ago, most of the class matriculated to State, Ole Miss and Holmes or Hinds CC - the same as the public schools. Sure, you'd have an occasional Rice, Vandy, Georgia Tech or Ivy, but so do the public schools. When I got to college, I was amazed how ahead of the game kids from Madison Central, Northwest Rankin, Clinton, et. al. were because I was under the impression that public schools were terrible.

Now, I send my kids to Madison public schools. Are they perfect? No. Are athletics competitive? Yes. We've managed to make the team but we are coming off the bench. But they are getting a better education than I ever did.

The premier reason to choose private school when you have access to good public schools is the opportunity to participate in athletics. If the Big Four continue these recruiting efforts, families are going to start realizing that they can save $18,000 a year and get the same or better level of education.

It isn't slander (defamation) if it is true.

Madison Central folks always talk about the top of their class. Very impressive. Tell us about the bottom. The bottom at the big four private schools usually end up at Ole Miss.

Interesting to see so many uninformed people quick to slander Mr. Wettach ...

What, exactly, are his qualifications?

"The premier reason to choose private school when you have access to good public schools is the opportunity to participate in athletics." Correct. What about this trueism do meathead coaches and shortsighted administrators and boards not understand?

As a 1990s Hillcrest grad, I hate all yall and hope your schools fold. Except Hartfield, you didn't exist back then.

7:35, some rural academies recruit, but definitely not to the level that the big 4 do. The big 4 have football rosters with multiple D1 commits. The smaller schools “in their division” are made to play the big 4 (with their recruits and a student body 3x the size). It is not a good game and really not good for anyone, but yet that’s the way the MAIS has chosen to handle things. Changes have needed to happen for years…

“What we have here is a failure to communicate!” 1 pound of glastnos should lead to the quick end of the headmaster

104 - 12th
90 - 11th
87 - 10th
77 - 9th
75 - 8th
60 - 7th

Notice a trend?

Never underestimate the sense of entitlement that some parents have, especially when little Johnny can’t run a 4.4 forty. If Voyles suit is successful, get ready for a class-action coming from all the students at MRA that were shut out of playing basketball while Coach Duease has been recruiting outside athletes for the past 30 years. Where are the Prep Dads complaining about playing time when Jerion Ealy and Conner Griffen were brought in?

The corrupt seeing leading the blind is arbitration. The binding arbitration I went through was a joke. The plaintiff attorney introduced new "evidence" in the closing statement. The "evidence" were doctored fake documents to which we were not allowed to object. One plaintiff testified he had not used drugs in years only to shortly later die of "acute cocaine intoxication." The arbitration chair ruled that the autopsy was inadmissible. At least in court you have to follow the rule of law. Not so in arbitration.

Smart move by St. Andrews and JA. My wife armed with an MBA was hooted at by professors and fellow students when getting her Masters in Education. She was told "education administration was no place for business."
Geez, I wonder why education is a money pit?

If you don't think parents of 7th/8th/9th grade boys who would like to see their kid have a chance to play athletics at JA is concerned, you're kidding yourself. It doesn't take a genius to see writing on the wall when it's right in front of your face in bold letters. And, for those who say, "just be better" some kids are simply genetically gifted and early growers. And, for you, you will need to fund JA in the future because they'll need your money. Don't count on the average size kid parents continuing to foot the bill.

Ha! Very funny. OM know a few thing$ about recruiting.

Good point!

Only 2 national merit finalists and hired guns playing the sports. Do JA parents only send their children to learn how to be fanboys of superior men, a lifetime of drinking in the Grove?

January 7, 2026 at 11:43 AM Actually it did exist as University Christian.

I think it is within the MAIS rules for private schools to recruit from public schools. I think the MAIS has an issue when it is between 2 MAIS schools unless there is an actual move (50 miles).

JA needs to bring back Jernberg, even if just a one year contract. Restore some sanity, class and old fashioned manners.

6:14 your nose is growing. Love to see that "straight face". LMAO.

I suppose now's the moment to ask: are there any private schools in the Jackson Metro, which don't have "sports programs", AT ALL?

Between Beth Israel's offerings for the very-young, and those of Saint Andrew's, our kids got off to a good start. But it became clear, that sports, in the higher grades, encouraged invasion of Saint Andrew's, by a calibre of Whites, to whom I didn't want our offspring exposed. (violent, nasty, conniving, bullying, Rich White Trash - the sort of Jacksonians who now degrade campus life at Ole Miss) A lack of sports, would have kept the parents from sending them to Saint Andrew's.

Luckily, we discovered Madison, and its then-excellent public schools. Why PAY, for the kids to be distracted by downmarket nonsense like sports/homecoming, etc. - just like in a public school? So, we opted for the FREE version. The savings made nice padding for the kids' trusts, and meant our own Founding Capital reached Critical Mass, a decade earlier than it otherwise would've.

Remember the scene in Grey Gardens, when 50-year-old 'Little Edie' (Jacqueline Onassis's first cousin) comes down the stairs in a bathing suit, waving a flag, & doing a cheerleader dance to "Drill" music?

"All the money the Bouviers wasted, sending her to Miss Porter's - for THAT to have become her cultural uptake!? They should have just sent her to East Hampton public schools, and put the money in trust for her. At least the Ediths would have had an income..." (our daughter's exclamation, during Edie's Cheerleader Dance).

So, I'll repeat the question: are there any sports-free private schools in the Jackson Metro? You CAN get into a good college, without having sports in your CV.

Meathead coaches and the people who hire and supervise them aren't big on understanding or analyzing things more complicated than game films.

More than a few are probably habitual liars, and thus believe everyone is lying to them as much as they lie to others.

Everyone wants to make the lawsuit about recruiting violations but it seems to me it's more about the new headmaster kicking out a longtime student b/c the school got exposed for wrongdoing.

How did the school get exposed?
The dad made a pdf with the names of new recruits coming to JA. The names had not been made public yet. The dad privately sent the pdf to two other JA dads. It was not posted on social media. One of the dads sent it to others outside of JA.

What else was in this pdf that would cause the headmaster to expel a good student from JA? The names of this year's new athletes transferring to JA along with their picture, height, weight, sport played, former school, etc. All of the athlete's info was publicly available online (recruiting sites, social media pages, etc).

Was the information in the pdf accurate? Yes. 10 of the 11 kids were enrolled at JA at the beginning of this school year. The only athlete in the pdf not to enroll at JA decided at the last minute to stay at his current school. He was listed as a Target in the pdf.

my son went to prep in the 7th grade and played 3 sports untill the 11th grade thats when he played foot ball only. in 2022 we won the state championship. there were zero recruits on that team, my motto that year was "we may lose every game but at least we will do it with OUR boys.....it was a great year, lost one game to MRA , our guys were not the biggest or the fastest but they had heart and believed in themselves . it was 100% done without recruits...i suggest to everyone to do it that way, win or lose it just feels better. you dont have to recruit to have a great year, win or lose....