Thursday, December 6, 2012

Feds approve Bolivar consolidation. Look at what Bennie supports.

The Justice Department approved the consolidation of Bolivar County school district in a September letter sent to the Mississippi Attorney General. The Mississippi Legislature passed a law this year mandating Bolivar reduce the number of districts from six to no more than three. The law generated much opposition from Bolivar residents.

However, my review of Mississippi school district report cards yielded quite a few nuggets about Bolivar County school districts that didn't make into that post earlier this week. Take a look at some basic facts about these districts below and pay attention to the Superintendent salaries as well as the size of the districts.

Benoit School District
284 students
94% Black
Grade: D
$15,035 per year per student (Total federal, state, local dollars)
$117,500: Superintendent salary
Number of schools: 1

Cleveland School District
 3,552 students (Urban district)
67% Black
Grade: D
$9,770 per year per student
$118,051: Superintendent salary
Number of schools: 12

Mound Bayou School District

586 students
100% Black
Grade: C
$9,916 per year per student
$52,281: Superintendent salary (Almost think he should get a raise after looking at the other districts)
Number of schools: 2

North Bolivar County School District
673
students
98% Black
Grade: D
$10,567 spent per year per student
$91,150: Superintendent salary
Number of schools: 3

Shaw School District
533
students
98% Black
Grade: D
$11,809 spent per year per student
$99,910: Superintendent salary
Number of schools: 2

West Bolivar School District
868 students
95% Black
Grade: F
$10,088 per year spent per student
$102,000: Superintendent salary
Number of schools: 4

Six school districts
Average Grade: D
$580,892: Total amount of Superintendent salaries
6,496: Total number of students


Now here are some quotes from those opposing consolidation earlier this year. First up: Senator Simmons and Benoit "$112,850" Superintendent Dr. Culley urge people to contact the Justice Department and complain their civil rights are violated. Guess the new civil right is to have a salary over $100,000. The Kingfish would be proud:

"There are too many issues and concerns with this bill to point them all out at this meeting," said Simmons. "What we are asking is for you, the public, the people of Bolivar County, to provide a voice to the DOJ. If you let them know that you don't want your school districts to be consolidated then they will have to take that voice into consideration." Article

"I have lived my entire life in Bolivar County and I have seen a lot of stuff from the state's legislature, but this is by far the worse that I have seen," said West Bolivar Supt. Henry Phillips. "There is an atmosphere in this country, not only in the state of Mississippi, to send us back to what they call 'the good ole' days." Article

Congressman Bennie Thompson opposed the consolidation in an August letter to the Justice Department (posted below). Oddly enough, the Benoit School District posted the letter on its website.



8 comments:

Benny053 said...

West Bolivar Supt. Henry Phillips. "There is an atmosphere in this country, not only in the state of Mississippi, to send us back to what they call 'the good ole' days." Um, Mr. Phillips, you sir, are the injustice. You Sir, are the detriment to your own people. You Sir, are the same ilk as Bennie Thompson...it's you Sir, and Bennie, that won't let the people leave the plantation. Obviously, your number one thought isn't to educate your people, when your four schools are a combined 'F'. It's you, sir, that is the disgrace. You sir, are the social injustice of which you speak.

Anonymous said...

That is the same message Benny that the Kenyan and his stooges used throughout the recent campaign.

Anonymous said...

Bennie 053

Sadly and even criminally, you are 100% correct.

Anonymous said...

Not only are the supt. salaries outrageous if one looks at the consultant and traning daisy chain one sees a similar amount of money siphoned off from instruction of the every people who need a step out of poverty. But we need to spend more for the childun so the bowl stays full for the chosen few to feed.

Anonymous said...

Super over one school or 2 schools? Isn't that called a Principal? Great post!

ShadowPay said...

I knew Willie Simmons when he was a pre-release counselor at Parchman. He was ineffective and a good example of the Peter Principle back then, 45 years ago. He's never put in a good day's work in his life. His goal is to receive the baton from Bennie. And he damned well may do it.

Anonymous said...

I worked in Bolivar County for several years, and you can't truly understand how ridiculous the system really is until you see it for yourself. Benoit is smaller than some private schools and it's only 10 minutes away from West Bolivar. The primary argument folks from those two schools make against consolidation is football tradition.
North Bolivar serves the small dying town of Shelby and tiny communities like Duncan and Winstonville. The Mound Bayou district is just across Highway 61. Both are two of the worst in the state. North Bolivar was taken over by the state a few years ago.
Shaw is at the South end of the county and is another small struggling district.
In the center of all of this is the Cleveland district, which at least when I was there several years ago, had some successes. Cleveland has two high schools, Cleveland High and East Side. This district is easily the most successful of the group. Several years ago when the state suggested Mound Bayou should be combined with Cleveland, most people in the town raised all kinds of hell. Local churches even held fundraisers to pay back funds that a former superintendent had embezzled from the district. Mound Bayou elected officials were talking about it like it was a civil rights issue.

Anonymous said...

I've graduated from a local public school in Bolivar County and now attend Delta State University. First off, Cleveland School District isn't easily the most successful. The most successful school is Mound Bayou. Secondly, Shaw High and North Bolivar were at one point taken over by the State Dept. West Bolivar and Ray Brooks are the most known from a traditional standpoint. West Bolivar Schools independently have received successful labels throughout the years. The reason West Bolivar has a grade of "F" is collectively the schools aren't meeting growth standards academically. In my opinion, that's a result of poor adminstration.



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