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JPS Students: ‘Takeover’ Could Empty Schools, Fill Jails
State of Mississippi takeover of Jackson Public Schools could be devastating to young people, a group of JPS students told reporters outside City Hall Monday.
Where Mississippi's U.S. Lawmakers Stand on Gun Laws, Rights
In the wake of the Las Vegas massacre, the Jackson Free Press assembled details on the gun-related legislation that Mississippi lawmakers in Washington have supported or co-sponsored, as well as how much gun-rights groups have donated to them.
Transportation Head Calls Out Legislature for Not Funding Roads, Bridges
Central District Transportation Commissioner Dick Hall did not mince words at the Stennis Capitol Press Forum Monday, calling out Mississippi lawmakers' inaction on funding the state's infrastructure.
HB 1523 Becomes Law Amid Outcry, U.S. Supreme Court Asked to Appeal
The "Protecting Freedom of Conscience from Government Discrimination" Act is state law in Mississippi, after the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals denied the request of plaintiffs in the Barber v. Bryant lawsuit to block it while they appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Welty Library Set to Re-open Monday
The Eudora Welty Library in downtown Jackson will reopen on Monday, after state and city officials inspected the building today, determining the first floor is safe for patrons.
JPS Faces Big Week as Governor's Takeover Decision Looms
As Jackson Public Schools officials and administrators work to meet deadlines set in their 2016 corrective action plan, Gov. Phil Bryant could decide to take away local control of the district this week.
JPS Keeps Accreditation for Now as 18 Districts Go on Probation
The Commission on School Accreditation approved the 2017 accountability grades of JPS schools and districts at its meeting Tuesday morning, as well as recommended that 18 school districts in the state go on probation for accreditation violations.
The Edison Walthall Rises Again
The Edison Walthall Hotel is the place of legends, bar fights between powerful men and lots of stories its walls could tell, but it has sat empty now since it closed in 2010.
A Teenager, a Gun and a Chance for Innocence
The Remington 700 Model is the subject of several class-action lawsuits against the firearms manufacturer due to a faulty trigger, which can discharge on its own.
From Jefferson Davis to Barack Obama: Jackson Elementary School Gets a New Name
One of Mississippi's top-performing elementary schools, Davis Magnet IB Elementary School, has changed its name to Barack Obama Magnet IB Elementary School.
UPDATED: JPS Draws Expected 'F' in MDE District, School Grades Released Today
The Mississippi Department of Education released the 2017 accountability rankings of all schools and districts in the state this morning. Seventy percent of the state's schools are performing at "C" grade or higher. Nine districts received an "F" grade, including Jackson Public Schools.
Governor to Court: State Flag Doesn't Violate Rights as Marriage Bans Did
Offending black citizens is not enough to block the Mississippi flag, attorneys for Gov. Phil Bryant argued to the U.S. Supreme Court this week; they must instead show that the flag caused discrimination in order for a court to declare it unconstitutional.
Mississippi High Court Undercuts MAEP: School Formula Is Not a Mandate
The state's highest court says the Legislature does not have to fully fund the Mississippi Adequate Education Program, ruling against 21 public-school districts that sued the state for underfunding MAEP from 2010 to 2015.
Two Ways to Take Over a School District
If Gov. Phil Bryant does not agree to a rumored-but-still-quiet deal with the Jackson mayor and a large philanthropic foundation to provide a third option, Jackson Public Schools will face one of two options for the Mississippi Board of Education—and the state—to take over the district.
Saved for a Reason: The Fight to End Domestic Violence
The Mississippi Department of Health tracks interpersonal violence in the state, and in fiscal-year 2015, law-enforcement officers responded to 10,411 calls related to domestic violence, the annual report from the Office Against Personal Violence shows.
Gov. Phil Bryant Confirms Third Option for Jackson Public Schools
Gov. Phil Bryant confirmed this morning that he is working with several organizations as well as the Mississippi Department of Education to find a third option to revitalize the state's second-largest school district beyond leaving it under Jackson Public Schools' control or allowing the State to run it.
Gov. Bryant Wants Vote on State Flag; Taggart Says It Must Change
New messages about the Mississippi flag flowed out of the annual Hobnob Mississippi event this year with the governor revealing that he wants citizens to vote on it again and a prominent Republican saying that changing the flag is about much more than what is good for business in the state.
Report: Mississippi's Black Children Face More Barriers Than White Kids
Mississippi is one of the worst states for black children, despite having the highest population of them in the country. Black children in Mississippi face health, educational and poverty-related barriers that hinder their opportunities later in life, the new report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation found.
Mississippi Same-Sex Marriage Case Moving Ahead with HB 1523 Now Law
Legal challenges to the anti-LGBT House Bill 1523 will continue, as U.S. District Judge Carlton Reeves has lifted the stay on the 2014 lawsuit that sought to force the State of Mississippi to recognize same-sex marriages and issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
A Different Kind of Takeover for JPS
The Jackson Public School District is now in the hands of the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Gov. Phil Bryant's office and the City of Jackson.