WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Walthall school board approves transfers

Walthall school board approves transfers

By Roslyn Anderson - bio | email

WALTHALL COUNTY, MS (WLBT) - Walthall County school officials met to determine if white students in the predominately black Tylertown school district will continue to be allowed to transfer.

It is a practice that is being investigated by the U.S. Justice Department.

Thursday upset parents met in support of continuing the transfers.

Monday they got their wish, but some ask how long will they be allowed to avoid compliance with the desegregation orders?

A heated exchange had to be stopped by Tylertown Police Officers following the special Walthall County School Board meeting on transfers.

The board approved transferring 250 white students and 50 black students from the predominately black Tylertown High School to the majority white Salem Attendance Center.

Many parents support the decision.

"My daughters would have to pass Salem to get to Tylertown. I don't know what Tylertown schools are like. I have never been to Tylertown. I take them to Salem every morning," said Salem parent Alma Brister.

"There to us has been no desegregation order. The children there black and white are all friends. They all hang out together. They all go to football games, go to parties together," said Salem parent Stephanie Gilmore.  

"There are laws that has to be followed but what we're saying is that like my child stays three miles from Salem. They would have to go like 16 or 17 miles to get to Tylertown," said Salem parent Loria Butler.

Others opposed the action.

"Tylertown is portrayed very unfairly in the media. I realize Salem is very passionate, but we are very proud of our Tylertown school," said Tylertown grandparent Debbie Holmes.

"Seems as if to me these people do not understand that there is a law that we should abide by," said local pastor Janice Webb.  

"All money goes to Salem. This school board is bias. They look after Salem. So my thing is this we need to stop this right now," said Walthall County NAACP President Clennel Brown.  

The U.S. Justice Department has been in talks with Walthall County Schools for about a year and a half about not complying with the 1970 desegregation order.

Officials confirms that time the district has been getting around the order by allowing transfers.

Tylertown is 75% black and has roughly 900 students.

Salem has a nearly 70% white population with 600 students.

"We have been given a postponement of the action of the justice department and that will enable us to study the possibility and to if nothing else we've got to get in compliance with the orders," said Walthall County Superintendent Danny McCallum.  

District officials said the justice department has allowed them to grant the transfers this school year, but they must come up with desegregation plans for the 2010-2011 school year.