CHIP in Limbo: 79,000 Mississippi Kids Could Lose Health InsuranceThe U.S. Congress quietly let the Children's Health Insurance Program, initially authorized in 1997, expire last week, leaving more than 79,000 Mississippi children at risk for losing their health insurance.
HB 1523 May Become Law This Week; Plaintiffs Asking Supreme Court to Hear CaseHouse Bill 1523, the law Gov. Phil Bryant signed that can allow Mississippians acting on their religious beliefs to discriminate against LGBT citizens, is set to become state law this Friday—unless the 5th Circuit U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decides …
Auditor: 'Culture of Obstruction' Inside State Education DepartmentThe Mississippi Department of Education may have broken state law with contracts it authorized in fiscal-year 2014 and 2015, and some of those deals with people and companies in the state superintendent's network.
How the JPS Takeover Affects StudentsJPS has been under scrutiny for 18 months, and I would not claim that the district does not need major improvements. But is JPS in such bad shape that the state should take control and shut out the people of …
Takeover or Not: Jackson Schools in LimboThe afternoon of Thursday, Sept. 14, seemed to creep by slowly as Mississippi Board of Education members deliberated the future of Jackson Public Schools behind closed doors.
Protecting Children: New Leader, New ChallengesAlmost 6,000 children are in the state's custody, and some of them are backlogged in the system, newly appointed commissioner of the Mississippi Department of Child Protection Services Jess Dickinson told lawmakers last week.
Yep, JPS Takeover Is a Conspiracy. Prove Me Wrong.The predictability of all this takeover hoohaa isn't lost on anyone who comprehends Mississippi's history of racial dynamics, white flight and victim-blaming.
Fragments of Women's History"I’m all too aware of the lack of recognition at both the state and national levels that women receive for their contributions to the arts, letters, politics and the law, among other fields."
Charter School Decision Over Diversion of Public Funds Should Drop SoonParents with children in Jackson Public Schools are waiting for Hinds County Chancery Court Judge J. Dewayne Thomas to decide if the state's charter-school law violates the Mississippi Constitution, which may happen any day now.
State Economic Growth Lags, As Agencies Request More FundingFrom public safety to education, several large state agencies asked top lawmakers for more funding last week. Based on the State of Mississippi's economic outlook, however, more funding does not seem to be in sight.
Gov. Bryant on JPS Takeover: 'Not Going to Rush Judgment'After meeting with Mayor Chokwe A. Lumumba this morning, Gov. Phil Bryant said today that he does not plan to "rush judgment" on the Mississippi Board of Education's proposal to take over Jackson Public Schools, which awaits his signature.
Editorial: A State Takeover is Not the Solution for JPSThe looming state takeover of Jackson Public Schools is full of myriad problems, from the State' of Mississippi's less-than-stellar track record of previous takeovers to a lack of transparency and collaboration on the part of Mississippi Department of Education officials.