Thursday, August 5, 2021

Governor Approves Holmes Schools Takeover

 Governor Tate Reeves approved an emergency takeover of the Holmes County Public School District:

Today, after a thorough review, I agreed with the actions taken by the Commission on School Accreditation and the recommendation by the State Board of Education and I declared a state of emergency within the Holmes County Consolidated School District. 
 
This isn’t a decision I take lightly nor one I make with any delight. Maintaining local control when possible is a foundational principle of conservative governance; however, the serious violations of state & federal law & accreditation standards, serious financial concerns, lack of internal controls, inappropriate standards of governance, inappropriate oversight by the Board, and the continued poor academic performance (among many other factors) no longer make that possible in the HCCSD.
 
Ensuring MS kids have access to a quality education will always be a top priority. This declaration of an extreme emergency situation within HCCSD will hopefully give the kids of this district a chance at success in life, because each one of them deserve nothing less!
 
May God bless all involved in the recovery efforts!

 

 


The Holmes County School Board didn't take the takeover lying down.  The Board  petitioned U.S. District Judge Daniel Jordan, III to block the takeover.

30 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now send in Shad to see how much money was stolen form girls sports. These "school leaders" love padding their wallets with monies meant for our girls. It's happening all over and I would bet it's happening in Hinds as well.

Anonymous said...

Bet the court will overturn. This is like Cuomo, ain't going nowhere.

Anonymous said...

My question is since a request for injunction was made, does the superintendent and board get to stay on or does the State appointed superintendent take over Immediately now that the Governor has signed off on the take over?

Anonymous said...

Follow the money. Go get 'em Mr. Chad.

Anonymous said...

No. 24: https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/01/25/poorest-counties-in-the-us-median-household-income/38870175/

Anonymous said...

@3:48

Why do you suspect money is stolen from girls sports team? Is there that much of a difference in the funding of girls teams and boys teams to warrant that kind of suspicion?

What leads you to this belief in Hinds County? Are the Terry and Raymond girls teams not receiving equitable funding as the boys teams in the same respective sports? Inquiring minds want to know. I don't need names, just list the teams involved.

Anonymous said...

Clarence Webster?

Holmes can pay $400-$600 an hour for a Birmingham firm?

Who lined that up? Is this the best use of county dollars?

And talk about audit….audit every .1 Clarence enters…..

Krusatyr said...

https://www.publicschoolreview.com/mississippi/jackson-public-school-district/2802190-school-district

Grades: PK - 12
Students: 25,595 students
Student:Teacher Ratio: 16:1
Minority Enrollment: 98%
Graduation Rate: 75% (Btm 50% in MS)
Overall District Rank: Bottom 50%
Math Proficiency: 23% (Btm 50%)
Reading Proficiency: 25% (Btm 50%)
Diversity Score: 0.08

How much more worthless does "education" in JPS have to be for the State to take it over?

If a reading proficiency of 75%, not 25%, were required to drive a vehicle, then students would be reading books continuously. At 25% proficiency, virtually all education in any subject is unattainable.

Anonymous said...

When you drive through Holmes county Mississippi towns with out of county plates, do not drive One mile above the speed limit. This still doesn’t guarantee you will not get a ticket.

Anonymous said...

I hate to see this. If the State has to start taking over every Democratically run public institution and municipality within the state they'll spend a zillion dollars and need a half million more employees. Other than cutting off funds to prevent the theft it's best to just recognize that it's what the voters chose and just walk away.

Krusatyr said...

@5:12pm

MS voters never preferred ignorance, sloth, corruption and failure at the polls. But many of them, raised in democrat imposed single parent homes of dependency, are so poorly educated they cannot, in their ignorance, gauge the integrity of those who manipulate them.

Anonymous said...

Democrats have been sacrificing the education of poor black children in exchange for teachers and administrators votes for decades. Cushy jobs with paid holidays and summers off combined with their fat cat lifetime retirements keep those teachers and admins voting Democrat - as long as Democrats provide cover for school system failures like Holmes County.

If Democrats are fine with insane defund and abolish the police policies with innocent children dying from stray bullets (they’ve proven they are), then why are we to believe that they (Democrats) will not come to the rescue of the Holmes County School system in order to keep buying those teachers and admin votes?

Anonymous said...

There is no place like Holmes!!!!

Anonymous said...

A state takeover can bring some standard of order to a disorderly situation but it will not dramatically raise the academic achievement of the students in that district as only a dramatic improvement can bring the district to respectability. The state will still employ most of the same teachers and will still have the same difficulty attracting better ones. Unlike JPS the state can do a limited overhaul of this small district without overwhelming its own resources. Any improvement will help, and since there is nowhere to go but up, it's a prime candidate for a takeover. Sooner or later the state paper pushers had to skin somebody and Holmes is prime.

Anonymous said...

Whew! Just when folks were wondering why we are paying all of these pols to languish around fairs and whatnot with nary a care or thing to do, a reason to break out the gold-foil stars and paper-crushers presents itself! Huzzah! I did hear mention of some trifling health thing but didn't get all the details over the din of the cowbells and new team name suggestions. Can anyone enlighten a deef ol' man?

Anonymous said...

Can they get Holmes CC too??

Anonymous said...

I wonder why Tater's predecessor didn't have the backbone to do the same thing with the Jackon school system.

Anonymous said...

4:57pm The state tried but old side step-in' PhillBilly Bryant bought what the Mayor was selling. Meanwhile JPS students still are trapped.

Anonymous said...

“Rarely is the question asked: Is our children learning?”

Anonymous said...

When Tate signed the order, didn't that automatically remove the superintendent and board. If that's the case and he signed before the petition was signed, couldn't the State just argue that the petitioners do not have any standing?

Anonymous said...

4:52 ....For me it comes down to a general distrust in leadership from the top down. There has been enough flim flam over the years and if someone dug into it a little, they will find what they need all thruout the state. Title 9 has been around since 1972 . But hey, if you believe the girls are being treated equal when it comes to spending then it matters little.

That'sMisterDeplorableToYou said...

What are the math / reading proficiency rates at the Holmes Christian Academy, do you think? How do their ACT scores / graduation rates compare, do you suppose?

The Clarion Ledger says that the white families in Holmes County send their kids to the private school to "avoid racial integration". https://www.clarionledger.com/in-depth/news/politics/2020/02/10/black-children-holmes-county-mississippi-denied-equal-education/4510336002/ It has nothing to do with academic performance.

Anonymous said...

What an absolute waste of resources. Yes I can hear you now ( aren’t are children worth it). Well they could be if they were shipped off the better districts. The state throwing money at a school that has clearly misused funds and failed at the most basic form of education is simply throwing money down a rabbit hole. Now if you tell me everyone involved will be investigated and that teachers will be tested and fired if they fail required level skills then there may be hope. But we all know that’s not gonna happen!!

Anonymous said...

Democrats have been sacrificing the education of poor black children in exchange for teachers and administrators votes for decades. Cushy jobs with paid holidays and summers off combined with their fat cat lifetime retirements keep those teachers and admins voting Democrat - as long as Democrats provide cover for school system failures like Holmes County.

If Democrats are fine with insane defund and abolish the police policies with innocent children dying from stray bullets (they’ve proven they are), then why are we to believe that they (Democrats) will not come to the rescue of the Holmes County School system in order to keep buying those teachers and admin votes?


To really get how bad this comment is, you have to be an outsider. Then you have to be an outsider that's lived here a long time, long enough to learn the people. Twenty-plus years of living here and people like the poster that made that comment assuming a political party, that has very little power in this godforsaken state, is the reason why the school system in this state is a complete shitshow.

It is fucking scary the number of people that would actually agree with that bullshit too!? WOW!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

to the guy with he dumb name (8:22)

"...families in Holmes County send their kids to the private school to "avoid racial integration... it has nothing to do with academic performance."

Ahhhh... just like in Jackson/JPS, it's one in the same.

Anonymous said...

@8:18

4:52 here. I do not believe that girls are being treated equally. We see it on all levels in our society. That is why I asked the questions that I asked. I think the current Hinds superintendent is clueless. The district has been running off good teachers and admins for years now, and the changing demographics has run others off.

If you can provide something to go on, I have no problem going to some school board meetings and asking the tough questions. My kids have all graduated, so I have no problem going to bat for my neighbors who may be reluctant to speak out.

Anonymous said...

9:12 ......Sadly I can't point to any one thing other than my distrust. There has been enough red flags the last couple years , that should have already triggered a state investigation into where and how the monies are being spent. Asking the school board directly will do nothing. We are seeing that all over the country and when enough hands are in the cookie jar.........

Anonymous said...

@8:52 - schools are run at the local and county level, and Holmes County has been democrat for decades.

Anonymous said...

Let's call a spade a spade. Phil Bryant was a political chicken-shit for not doing the same thing with JPS.

Anonymous said...

The party is over. Now it's time to follow the money and throw some MFers in jail.



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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.

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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.


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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.

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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!!!

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