Ellington

Nicholas Scott Whitehead More involvement with parents and parental figures.

Chip Matthews It is hard to educate anyone who feels that the government is in charge of education. Education starts in the home, and the problem begins at home. ... We have got to get away from the government rearing our children, it’s enough that the government pays their way!

Brian Williams Charter schools!

Kandie Itisme Better parents.

Dianne Dade Everett Access to quality education is what everyone in Mississippi needs. You get what you pay for and adequately funding programs, paying qualified personnel and holding EVERYONE ACCOUNTABLE! (This is from the cradle to the grave!)

Kasey Crumbley McKay I agree that parents need to be involved, but saying “better parents and that’s it” is not the solution to our problem. The bottom line is, running public schools takes money. We have to pay our teachers if we want them to stick around and stay in the schools. I am a parent who cares very much about my children’s education, but there is little I alone can do about the Jackson Public Schools system. And how can you say that we need to take the government out of education? If we do that, then half of this state wouldn’t go to school. Not everyone can afford a private education.

Ashlee Theodore The lottery (which generates funding for education).

Nicole Taylor As a teacher, I believe people who have never stepped foot in a classroom should stop creating laws that hold only the teacher responsible. There are many people responsible for the education on a child ... teachers, administrators, parents, grandparents, community members AND the actual student. Until everyone steps up, there won’t be significant change.

Stacey Michelle Walker Completely agree with a lottery. I’ve lived in Colorado and South Carolina which both have lotteries. Both are amongst the best schools and education in the U.S.

Carol Murray The money that was supposed to go to education from the casinos (that now goes to the general fund) needs to go to education. ... The lottery, like the casino money, will just get put into another fund. If education in this state is ever going to improve we’ve got to pay teachers accordingly. Teachers educate our doctors, lawyers, legislators, governors, presidents, etc., so why can’t we pay them like they deserve to be paid? Maybe the good ones would stay around if we did.

Mark Francis An attitude that education is important. It starts with the Guv’na.

Pam Greer Use the Farish Street project money on the school system.

Jan Mcdonnieal-Wilson Many things, but teaching phonics again so children LEARN to read is one.

Beth Wilson Peterson Teaching children how to think, not what to think.

Kiya Beaman Coming out of the Jackson Public Schools system last year, I agree with the lottery, teachers pay and the quality of the teachers. I believe in parental involvement and not educating kids by tests and deadlines. I also believe that there should be more counselors in the schools to help the relationship between students, parents and teachers. There also needs to be a strong relationship between the community and these schools including colleges. I also don’t understand why this conversation keeps going on without recent products of the public school system.

Deanna Graves Recall election?

Jill Butler Fully fund the MAEP. Set smaller class sizes. More resources for special-needs children. Comprehensive sex-ed in every school.

Julie Odell Isn’t that the $10 million question in every disenfranchised part of the country? And we’ve been asking it since the 1960s.


Diana Barnes There needs to be a definitive description of “improve.” All parties come to the table. Give solutions a chance to work.