JACKSON, MS (Mississippi News Now) -
A group of students protesting outside Bailey Magnet High School on Friday morning say they don't want the school to dissolve.
"All these kids are my family. I want my family to be at that school," says Junior Kourtney Jackson.
The students say they arranged the protest early in the week, after hearing that the Bailey Magnet building would become APAC Middle School beginning next school year, and Bailey students would be rezoned to attend either Callaway, Murrah, or Lanier.
"We're number two in the district with our grades and stuff, with state testing. We have the least expulsion rate. Why would they take one of the best schools out of the game, just turn it into something else?" asked Junior Candace Dockery.
The district says the move will even out enrollment. Bailey Magnet has just 500 students. Some other high schools are overcrowded.
During the protest, our crew didn't see any teachers or administrators trying to get the children back inside.
"They probably support us because they know they shouldn't close Bailey down," says Senior Lee Montgomery. Seniors will not be affected by the change, but some took part in the protest to support the school. About 100 students took part in the demonstration.
Some students told us that their testing had been completed, and the students who were protesting had finished for the day.
"We support what they're doing," says Eric Stringfellow, the district's rezoning consultant.
Stringfellow says he applauds the students exercising their 1st Amendment rights, but the district will stick to its decision to rezone.
"In my mind, this has been one of the most significant weeks in the history of the City of Jackson as it relates to education. This is a great civic exercise, 1st Amendment exercise," he says.
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