Mississippi News
Jackson State faculty denounce CRT legislation
Jackson State faculty denounce CRT legislation
Jackson State University's Faculty Senate passed a resolution Friday opposing legislation that seeks to ban the teaching of critical race theory in Mississippi.
The faculty senate at Mississippi's largest historically Black university is the first to formally speak out against efforts by the Legislature to curtail discussion of racism in the state's K-12 and college classrooms.
In the Jan. 27 resolution, the faculty senate writes that it “resolutely rejects any attempts by bodies external to the faculty to restrict or dictate university curriculum on any matter, including matters related to racial and social justice, and will stand firm against encroachment on faculty authority by the legislature or the Boards of Trustees.”
Earlier this month, every Black senator in Mississippi walked out of the chamber when the Senate passed SB 2113. The bill's description states it will “prohibit” critical race theory, but the language in the legislation is more broad and includes that no public school or public college or university “shall make a distinction or classification of students based on account of race.”
The House has not yet taken up its bill, HB 437, which is more specific and would ban teaching fourteen “divisive concepts,” including that “racial equity and gender equity … should be given preference in education and advocacy over the concepts of racial equality and gender equality.”
These bills would impede faculty at Jackson State faculty from fulfilling the university's mission of providing a quality education to students from diverse communities, the resolution states. Specifically, the resolution denounces the House bill's definition of “divisive concepts,” which the faculty senate called “indeterminate, subjective, and chills the capacity of educators to explore a wide variety of topics based on subjective criteria that are inapposite from the goals of education and the development of essential critical thinking skills.”
READ MORE: CRT bill passed out of Senate committee likely unconstitutional, opponents say
“Educating about systemic barriers to realizing a multiracial democracy based on race or gender should be understood as central to the active and engaged pursuit of knowledge in the 21st century,” the resolution states.
The resolution calls on the administration at Jackson State to join the faculty senate in opposing anti-critical race theory legislation.
“In a nation that has for centuries struggled with issues of racial inequity and injustice, many students do not have adequate knowledge of BIPOC and LGBTQI history and the policies that contributed to inequities,” the resolution states. “Jackson State University has a responsibility and opportunity to help build equity and social justice.”
This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
Mississippi News
On/off weekend rain
SUMMARY: The weather in Columbus, Mississippi is expected to have scattered showers and thunderstorms over the weekend. Temperatures will be in the low to middle 60s at night and low to middle 80s during the day. There is a chance of showers during the Starkville Derby weenie dog race, with cloudy conditions and breaks of sun. Temperatures will continue to rise into the upper 80s and potentially lower 90s next week with on and off rain. Overnight lows will remain mild in the low 60s to low 70s. Stay prepared for rain with rain gear as showers and storms are expected.
The post On/off weekend rain appeared first on www.wcbi.com
Mississippi News
Jackson pastor concerned about sinkhole near bridge
SUMMARY: The pastor of Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church in Jackson is calling for the condemnation of a bridge on Martin Luther King Boulevard near his church due to safety concerns. The bridge has been a problem for nearly a decade, with a large sinkhole recently appearing. The pastor is advocating for the city to take action, as the bridge has already been the site of a fatal accident and lacks guardrails. While repairs are being made, the pastor believes the street should be shut down to prevent further accidents. The City of Jackson has not responded to inquiries about the issue.
The post Jackson pastor concerned about sinkhole near bridge appeared first on www.wjtv.com
Mississippi News
Shopping trips ends with shoplifting charges for Lee County women
SUMMARY: Two Lee County women, Marie Thomas and Brandy Allred, were arrested in Tupelo for a substantial shoplifting case where they took over $1,000 worth of merchandise. Thomas was charged with felony shoplifting and her bond was set at $5,000, while Allred was also identified as a suspect in two grand larceny cases and was charged with felony shoplifting and two counts of grand larceny, with a bond set at $50,000. The incident occurred in February at a business on South Green Street in Tupelo. Follow WCBI on Facebook for continuous news updates.
The post Shopping trips ends with shoplifting charges for Lee County women appeared first on www.wcbi.com
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