Governor Phil Bryant just announced that he will wait until October 19th to make a decision on whether or not the Jackson Public School District should be taken over by the state.
Governor Bryant said that while he could just sign a letter declaring an emergency in the Jackson Public School District, he has a responsibility to do his own review of the situation.
“We want them to know that we are following in our responsibility as Governor and at the agency, the fullest responsibility that we have under the law,” said Bryant. “I have total confidence in the board of Education. The meeting with the mayor was very productive. I met with the superintendent Dr. Murry, I’ve met with the legislative delegation and my position has been that I am going to do what is best for the students, not the administration, not the faculty, not anyone else. What is best for the students, their learning, and safe environment in the city of Jackson.”
Bryant said his decision to wait until October to make a decision on whether or not the Jackson Public School District should be taken over by the state is because that is the day that the state department will determine what letter grade JPS is at.
“The state department will give its final approval to determine if for the second year in a row the city of Jackson is rated as an F. That’s one of the indicators, triggers if you will, that would add to a declaration of emergency. Is this the second year that the school district has been rated as an F.”
He said that he considers it to be prudent to wait until at least October the 19th so that a better final decision can be made. However, Bryant added that the time needs to be used properly.
“As I told the mayor, we need to look at this as an opportunity,” said Bryant. “We need transformational change in the public school system in the city of Jackson and I think that this might be an opportunity for us to do that so that five years, ten years from now, we are not facing the same failures that have occurred in the school system to date.”
