Another Jackson Prep Championship, Another Essay by Curmudgeon

[Liverpooldawg]

I mean I agree with what you're saying, but there really isn't even a "choice" to be made for some.

The corporate choice continues to be made. Make that choice for the public schools and make them work then everyone benefits. I come from and live in an area of the state where that choice was made from the beginning. We have excellent public schools that everyone goes to.

[Todd4State]

The corporate choice continues to be made. Make that choice for the public schools and make them work then everyone benefits. I come from and live in an area of the state where that choice was made from the beginning. We have excellent public schools that everyone goes to.

And not everyone is that fortunate. You can't tell a parent that is financially able in the Mississippi delta to send their kid to a public school that is bad over a private school that gives them a better education.

In Madison, they have an excellent public school in pretty much each area- Madison, Gluckstadt, and Ridgeland. And yet many people continue to send their kids to MRA. And personally I think that's OK. I know people that didn't fit in at Madison Central for whatever reason (bullied, struggled academically, didn't like it etc.) but they went to MRA and they were happy and are doing fine now. And I know people that came to MC because they didn't like MRA.

My parents sent me to MC because it was a good school and they didn't want to pay for private school because there was no reason to do so. However, if Madison didn't have a good school, they would have sent me to a private school.

In most cases, that's the "corporate choice" that parents are making- where can my child get the best education? If the public schools want to get the private school people back, then they need to put out a better product.

[Liverpooldawg]

Corporate choice does not refer to the choice any individual parent makes.

[IMissJack]

But, in most states, I believe most of the private schools are Catholic/Episcopal, etc. religiously affiliated. In MS, most of the private schools are not religiously affiliated. Here in Houston/Katy, TX the Public 6A my son goes to plays Strake Jesuit regularly, and they are part of our conference.

[Thick]

Well get ready because the big 3 in the Jackson metro area (MAIS) could be seriously looking at MHSSA. It has a lot to do with the new alignment MAIS is proposing. All three schools are communicating with each other on possibly making the jump together. This came from the AD's of 2 of the 3 in a conversation about a week ago.

[Liverpooldawg]

But, in most states, I believe most of the private schools are Catholic/Episcopal, etc. religiously affiliated. In MS, most of the private schools are not religiously affiliated. Here in Houston/Katy, TX the Public 6A my son goes to plays Strake Jesuit regularly, and they are part of our conference.

Exactly.

[Liverpooldawg]

Well get ready because the big 3 in the Jackson metro area (MAIS) could be seriously looking at MHSSA. It has a lot to do with the new alignment MAIS is proposing. All three schools are communicating with each other on possibly making the jump together. This came from the AD's of 2 of the 3 in a conversation about a week ago.

I wonder if the MHSAA will take them.

[JDog13]

Black people are allowed in private schools. Prep, JA, MRA have black people enrolled. Just about all the private schools in MS are "religiously affiliated." The majority are Christian belief. I say Christian belief because a lot of them don't affiliate to one certain religion. There are several Episcopal Academies and Catholic Schools. The Catholic Schools have played in the MHSSA for years. Many of the private schools use curriculum from Abeka https://www.abeka.com/ChristianSchool/ . Myself, like many of my classmates, went to private school because the public schools in our area did not provide as good of an education.

[IMissJack]

Black people are allowed in private schools. Prep, JA, MRA have black people enrolled. Just about all the private schools in MS are "religiously affiliated." The majority are Christian belief. I say Christian belief because a lot of them don't affiliate to one certain religion. There are several Episcopal Academies and Catholic Schools. The Catholic Schools have played in the MHSSA for years. Many of the private schools use curriculum from Abeka https://www.abeka.com/ChristianSchool/ . Myself, like many of my classmates, went to private school because the public schools in our area did not provide as good of an education.

I went to an academy in MS that was call a "Christian" school and nothing was further from the truth. That was put on most academies in the '60s to give some cover for the real reason they were formed. And, I do agree that I got a better education than I would have gotten at the time in the public school that I would have had to attend. But, that same academy is so small now and dwindling, that I am sure the public high school is far more up to date and advanced than the private one.

[engie]

I have no problem with private schools, I'm just against segregating the competition. Every other state in the South has gotten past this.

Exactly. It sucks for any decent team in MAIS too. Trust me. When you are the best, you want a chance to prove it against all comers or either get proven wrong.

I get pissed about this every postseason in the MS/ALA allstar game when 3-4 worthy MAIS players in positions of need are left out of games we lose by one possession to a unified Alabama team....

[engie]

Well get ready because the big 3 in the Jackson metro area (MAIS) could be seriously looking at MHSSA. It has a lot to do with the new alignment MAIS is proposing. All three schools are communicating with each other on possibly making the jump together. This came from the AD's of 2 of the 3 in a conversation about a week ago.

Good.

Those 3 hold all the power. They leave and the MAIS will crumble...

[JDog13]

I went to an academy in MS that was call a "Christian" school and nothing was further from the truth. That was put on most academies in the '60s to give some cover for the real reason they were formed. And, I do agree that I got a better education than I would have gotten at the time in the public school that I would have had to attend. But, that same academy is so small now and dwindling, that I am sure the public high school is far more up to date and advanced than the private one.

Madison Central, NWR, etc. will provide a far superior education than the smaller private schools no doubt. Small private schools are struggling. One I went to for a few years closed, the one I finished at was founded in 78.

[Quaoarsking]

In most areas though, if the private school shut its doors and all of the students funneled into the public school, the public school would get a lot better, probably better than either school was to begin with, thanks to the increased money and parental involvement coming in.

Look at Starkville and Oxford for an example. The public schools in Oxford are excellent because almost all of the students go Oxford HS or Lafayette County HS. I think there's a small private school or two, but nothing major. Starkville HS and Starkville Academy are both decent, but if Starkville Academy disbanded itself and everyone went to Starkville HS, it would be one of the best in the state just from pooling resources.

You can't really blame individual parents for sending their kids to the better school, but it would be nice if every parent would collectively decide to go public and fully commit to it. Both sides would be better off.

[curmudgeon]

What's the new alignment being proposed that would piss off Prep, JA and MRA. I can't imagine anything that wouldnt be favorable to those schools.