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Miss. school boards group withdraws from national association over ‘inflammatory’ letter to Biden

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Miss. school boards group withdraws from national association over ‘inflammatory' letter to Biden

The Mississippi School Boards Association is joining 12 other states' associations in breaking from its national federation over what it says has been lapses in governance on the national group's part.

The problems came to a head in late September when the National School Boards Association (NSBA) authored a letter to asking federal agencies to assist local enforcement in protecting school board members, students and educators from threats and potential violence stemming from debate over issues such as masks and .

The NSBA offers resources to local school boards, including the Center for Public Education, Council of School Attorneys and others. It also advocates for policies that .

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The MSBA Board of Directors voted Monday to end its membership with the association, saying it will no longer allow the NSBA to speak for the MSBA and does not see “the value of continued membership.”

“The September 29 letter from NSBA to , with the inflammatory language and the request for federal agencies to intervene in our communities, was just one in a series of lapses in governance,” an email from MSBA President Leroy Matthews and Executive Director Denotris Jackson stated in an email to school board presidents and superintendents. Jackson did not respond when asked by Mississippi Today for details about what these lapses were.

Jackson previously said the letter to Biden was sent without the knowledge of the MSBA.

The email from the MSBA also said it would be working with other school boards associations to create a new organization. The noted 12 other state associations have officially withdrawn from the NSBA and another six have not paid their dues for the year.

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The National School Boards Association, or NSBA, cited a “growing number” of instances across the country of disrupted meetings and sometimes violence in the letter it sent to Biden. The organization asked for the federal 's help in identifying threats and suggested that some of the actions could constitute domestic terrorism or hate crimes.

“NSBA believes immediate assistance is required to protect our students, school board members and educators who are susceptible to acts of violence affecting interstate commerce because of threats to their districts, families and personal safety,” wrote NSBA President Viola Garcia and Interim Executive Director and Chip Slaven.

The letter mostly cited threats via mail and social media, disruptions and some instances of violence stemming from the debate over mask-wearing policies in schools. 

The NSBA's letter to the president also mentioned that school board members are on the receiving end of strong opinions — and sometimes, actions — regarding another hot topic: critical race theory. The theory, which centers around the idea that racism is systemic in the nation's institutions, has been banned by some states from being taught in schools. 

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 Although State Superintendent of Education Carey Wright said recently this theory is not being taught in Mississippi schools, state leaders, including Gov. Tate Reeves, have said they intend to do the same. At least one lawmaker has recently indicated he will be authoring legislation to prohibit its teaching in Mississippi schools.

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Powerball jackpot increases to $935 million after no one wins the top prize

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www.wjtv.com – Matthew Knight – 2024-03-28 05:00:55

SUMMARY: The Powerball jackpot is now at $935 million after no winners were drawn. The Mega Millions jackpot was won in New Jersey for $1.13 . The Powerball jackpot has not been won since New Year's Day. The next drawing is for a sole winner who will be paid over 30 years through an annuity. Experts recommend taking the annuity option as it provides more control and protection for the winnings. Taxes will be withheld regardless of the payout option. Financial and legal advice is recommended for jackpot winners. Powerball is played in 45 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

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Mississippi News

Warming trend for Easter weekend – Home – WCBI TV

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www.wcbi.com – Isaac Williams – 2024-03-28 04:08:29

SUMMARY: The weather in Columbus, Mississippi will be cold in the mornings but warm up in the afternoons for the Easter . Thursday will be sunny with highs in the 60s, dropping to the 30s at night with patchy frost. Friday will have highs in the 70s, and the weekend will be even warmer with temperatures in the 80s and no rain expected. Next will see warm and humid with the possibility of scattered showers and thunderstorms on Tuesday. It is still unsure if the storms will be severe.

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The post Warming trend for Easter weekend – Home – WCBI TV appeared first on www.wcbi.com

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Two Rankin County teens arrested for shooting death of 14-year-old in Jackson

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www.wjtv.com – Kaitlin Howell – 2024-03-27 19:16:28

SUMMARY: Two teenagers from Rankin County, Maxle Mooneyham, 16, and John Foote, 17, were in connection to the shooting of 14-year-old Cameron Horne-Crook in . The suspects were charged with murder and were assisted in their arrest by Rankin County deputies and Pearl . Horne-Crook was shot multiple times on March 25 in the 3500 block of Ridgecrest . He was a student at Northwest Rankin Middle School. The names of the suspects were corrected by Jackson police in an updated announcement.

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