by Taylor Vance, Mississippi Today
May 30, 2025

One day after concluding a raucous special session to pass a state budget, Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and House Speaker Jason White told reporters they’re planning to focus on K-12 education policy next year during the 2026 session. 

Hosemann, the Republican leader of the Senate, said he wants to pass legislation to give public school teachers a pay raise and find a way to allow retired teachers to work in the classroom again. 

“Without an educated workforce, Mississippi’s momentum will not continue,” Hosemann said at a press conference on Friday. 

State law sets the salary for public school teachers based on how much college education they have received and how long they have taught. The last time the Legislature raised teacher salaries was during the 2022 session. 

White, a Republican from West, conducted a press conference Friday, but he excluded some media outlets including Mississippi Today. But according to a recording of the press conference in his Capitol office, White intends to push lawmakers, again, to consider school choice legislation and will form a study committee to conduct hearings on the issue during the summer. 

“Our sister states surrounding us here in the South all have basically open enrollment now,” White said. “Now, are we ready to go that far? Do we have the votes to go that far? I don’t know that. But it’s time we have a real conversation about what is best for kids and parents and not the status quo or what might upset somebody somewhere.” 

Full school choice policies typically give state dollars to families and allow them to use that money for their child’s K-12 education, regardless of whether they attend a public or private school. But it’s unclear if White would push for full school choice or a more moderate measure.

Earlier this year, the speaker pushed the House to vote for a bill that allows students in D and F-rated districts to transfer to another school, public or private. However, the bill died on a legislative deadline without a vote from the entire House. 

The House also passed a public-to-public “open enrollment” bill to allow students to transfer to a public school district located outside of the district they live. But a Senate committee killed the measure without bringing it up for a vote.

Mississippi currently has a very limited form of “open enrollment” that allows students to transfer from their home district to a nearby school district. However, the transfer requires the approval of both the home and receiving school districts. 

The House’s proposal would have prevented the home district from blocking the student’s transfer. 

Hosemann on Friday said he was personally in favor of both of those proposals, but he was unsure if a majority of the Senate would vote for the measures. 

Other priorities White outlined were: 

• Continuing to focus on improving the city of Jackson, especially the capital city’s water and sewer systems 
• Reforming the public employee retirement system 

Hosemann’s other priorities include: 

• Restructuring government agencies and their office space 
• Banning student cell phones in public K-12 schools 
• Free community college tuition 

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Hosemann, White vow to focus on school choice, teacher pay, K-12 issues in '26 appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Right

This article reports on Mississippi Republican leaders Lt. Gov. Delbert Hosemann and House Speaker Jason White outlining their 2026 legislative priorities, focusing on school choice, teacher pay, and K-12 issues. The coverage is primarily factual and descriptive, presenting their stated goals and legislative history without endorsing or criticizing their positions. The language is neutral, though it emphasizes school choice—a policy often supported by conservative and center-right politicians—while noting some uncertainty about the scope of proposed reforms. Overall, the article reflects standard reporting on Republican-led initiatives without explicit partisan framing, aligning it with a center-right perspective due to its focus on GOP priorities.

by Mina Corpuz, Mississippi Today
May 30, 2025

Lexington community members joined attorneys and the National Police Accountability Project to urge a federal appeals court to consider evidence in a civil rights lawsuit against the police department alleging a pattern of violent, racist and unconstitutional policing practices. 

A Wednesday filing asks the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals to hold oral arguments to consider evidence presented at a 2022 hearing and legal arguments that the U.S. District Court overlooked the evidence in dismissing the plaintiffs’ claims. 

Attorneys for the Black Lexington residents who claim they have been stopped at checkpoints, falsely arrested and retaliated against by members of the police department say the plaintiffs had proper standing, their claims were proper and some claims were dismissed without properly analyzing evidence. 

“For those reasons, Malcolm Stewart, Darious Harris, and Robert Harris respectfully request that the judgment of the district court be reversed and the case remanded for further proceedings,” the May 28 appellant’s brief states. 

The original lawsuit, filed in August 2022 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Missisisppi, documented conduct by the former white police chief, Sam Dobbins, who was fired in 2022 after bragging on a recording about killing 13 people while working as a law enforcement officer and using racial and homophobic slurs. 

That complaint also shows the conduct of his successor, Chief Charles Henderson, who is Black and has overseen a department that allegedly is violent against residents and has used roadblocks to exclusively target Black neighborhoods. 

Lexington, located in one of the state’s poorest counties, has a population of less than 2,000 people and is 86% Black. The city’s mayor is white and its aldermen are Black. 

The original lawsuit plaintiffs are brothers Robert and Darius Harris, Malcolm Stewart, Eric Redmond and Peter Reeves. Dobbins, Henderson, the police department and the city were named as defendants in the lawsuit. Later, four police officers were added as defendants. 

“This case is about more than a few rogue officers — it’s about a police department functioning as a tool of racial control and abuse,” Lauren Bonds, executive director of the National Police Accountability Project, said in a statement.

Attorneys from the organization, along with attorney Jill Collen Jefferson of JULIAN and others are representing the appellants.

Bonds said the violations have persisted and escalated, which underscores why the organization’s clients are continuing with the case and why it remains critical.  

In 2022, plaintiffs sought a temporary restraining order against the Lexington Police Department to prevent them from violating Black residents’ civil rights and prevent violence against them, but a federal judge denied it.

Over the next two years the district court dismissed a majority of the plaintiffs claims, and two plaintiffs remained with claims against the officers, Dobbins and Henderson. 

In January, U.S. District Judge Tom Lee approved an agreed judgment between plaintiff Redmond and the defendants and dismissed all claims brought by the remaining plaintiffs. This is the decision being appealed with the 5th Circuit Court. 

Since 2022, there have been other federal lawsuits brought by Lexington residents against Dobbins, Henderson, the city and the police department. Most of those remain active in the district court or the 5th Circuit. 

In a Wednesday statement, the National Police Accountability Project said the Lexington lawsuit by the five men is an example of an urgent need for local and federal action to stop law enforcement abuse in the South and across the country. 

Last week, the Trump administration rolled back federal oversight of police departments by ending consent decrees and halting investigations. 

The Justice Department under the Biden administration opened a civil rights investigation into the Lexington police, but it did not result in a consent decree. 

The New Orleans Police Department had a consent decree that lasted from 2011 to 2024.

Bonds said the Trump administration’s move is a “deliberate slap in the face to the memory of George Floyd” close to the 5-year anniversary of his death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. 

She also said the move is an attempt to disempower Black communities, shut down paths to accountability and silence resistance. 

“But let us be clear: We are not backing down. We are doubling down,” Bonds said. 

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Lexington residents urge court to scrutinize police abuse claims appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This article primarily reports on allegations of police abuse and systemic racism in Lexington, presenting the viewpoints of plaintiffs and civil rights advocates in detail. The tone and framing emphasize racial injustice and criticism of law enforcement practices, reflecting concerns commonly associated with center-left perspectives. While the article references factual legal developments and includes official actions, it frames the issue with language highlighting systemic oppression and resistance, such as “police department functioning as a tool of racial control” and critiques of the Trump administration’s rollback of police oversight. This suggests a bias sympathetic to civil rights and reform efforts, typical of center-left coverage.

by Pauline Rogers, Mississippi Today
May 30, 2025

Editor’s note: This essay is part of Mississippi Today Ideas, a platform for thoughtful Mississippians to share fact-based ideas about our state’s past, present and future. You can read more about the section here. 

When Mississippi’s own Jamal Roberts captured the crown as American Idol’s newest star, it wasn’t just a personal victory. It was a collective affirmation.

Roberts won with the largest vote total in the show’s history, fueled by millions of votes from fans who believed in his voice. People voted from their phones, laptops and tablets, some casting multiple votes in one night. The results were immediate, visible and powerful.

It was a vivid demonstration of the power of participation. But it also highlighted a profound contrast: in civic life, particularly in Mississippi, voter turnout remains inconsistent — and for many, impossible.

Mississippi still has some of the harshest felony disenfranchisement laws in the nation. People who have served their time remain barred from the ballot box unless they obtain a pardon or have their rights restored through an arduous legislative process that rarely grants relief. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, over 200,000 Mississippians are disenfranchised, and many of them are Black — a legacy of Jim Crow that continues to define who gets to fully participate in democracy.

Roberts’ win demonstrates what’s possible when people are moved to act. Imagine that same energy channeled into local, state and federal elections. Imagine Mississippians casting ballots not only for a singer but for their children’s schools, their community hospitals, their roads, water systems and criminal justice policies.

But unlike reality television, the results of voting in a democracy aren’t immediate. Votes cast in August may not change policies by September. Ballots mailed in November may not yield results until months later. Democracy is not designed for instant gratification. It is designed for lasting transformation. That requires patience, persistence and most importantly, participation.

History is rich with examples of what sustained, organized civic action can accomplish.

Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) began with a single mother whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver. She organized. She lobbied, and she galvanized others into action. Today, thanks to their advocacy, all 50 states have laws that criminalize drunk driving with legal blood alcohol limits, and thousands of lives are saved each year. Change didn’t happen overnight. It happened because people voted, lobbied and stayed engaged.

The Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids launched a decades-long effort to reduce youth smoking. They mobilized parents, teachers, doctors and young people themselves. Through a combination of public education, local ordinances and federal action, youth smoking has declined dramatically in the U.S.

The Fight for $15 movement, led by low-wage workers demanding a livable wage, began with walkouts and was once considered a political longshot. Today, it has reshaped local economies across the country, resulting in minimum wage increases in cities, counties and states, and is influencing federal policy discussions.

These examples all underscore a key truth: showing up to the polls may not produce the kind of instant results seen in a televised competition, but it is a necessary step toward durable change. Policy requires organizing, coalition-building and a long-game mindset. It involves “We the People” and that includes returning citizens, low-income families, rural voters, young people and everyone in between.

Mississippi has a storied history of both voter suppression and voter courage. From Fannie Lou Hamer to the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, the fight to vote has always been met with resistance but also with resilience. Today, that fight continues, especially for those silenced by a criminal legal system designed to exclude.

The good news is that the blueprint is clear. Vote like Jamal Roberts is counting on it. But also vote like your child’s school lunch depends on it. Like your access to clean water depends on it. Like your loved one’s right to return home from prison and fully participate in society depends on it — because it does.

Whether in-person or absentee, whether at the courthouse or by mail, casting a ballot is a statement of presence. Even when the results aren’t immediate, the act itself is cumulative. It builds pressure. It signals demand. It creates momentum.

Let Jamal Roberts’ victory be more than a moment of celebration — let it be a mirror. Mississippians have already proven the ability to mobilize in historic numbers, helping drive more than 26 million votes to secure Roberts’ win. That level of engagement doesn’t belong solely to the world of entertainment. It belongs to democracy. When that same energy is directed toward policy and people, toward justice and equity, history is not just watched — it’s made.

As Mississippi approaches Election Day on Tuesday, the opportunity to act is here. Let this be a fresh start. The same spirit that voted for Jamal Roberts can show up at the ballot box — whether early, absentee or in-person. Let Mississippi once again show up and show out — not just for a voice on stage, but for the voices in our communities who deserve to be heard, counted and valued.

Pauline Rogers is a longtime advocate for criminal justice reform and the founder of the RECH Foundation, an organization dedicated to supporting formerly incarcerated individuals as they reintegrate into society. She is a Transformative Justice Fellow through The OpEd Project Public Voices Fellowship..

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

The post Excitement of voting for Idol's Jamal Roberts could change lives if carried over to other elections appeared first on mississippitoday.org

Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.

Political Bias Rating: Center-Left

This article presents a perspective that leans toward Center-Left by emphasizing the importance of voting rights expansion, criminal justice reform, and social equity. The author highlights systemic barriers like felony disenfranchisement, disproportionately affecting Black Mississippians, and calls for sustained civic engagement to achieve lasting policy change. While the tone is generally constructive and hopeful, it advocates for reforms commonly aligned with progressive or Center-Left values, such as restoring voting rights to formerly incarcerated individuals and mobilizing marginalized communities. However, the article avoids partisan rhetoric and focuses on broad democratic participation, maintaining an inclusive and solution-oriented approach.