JPS students challenge mayoral candidates to address their reality
High school students from across the district pressed Jackson mayoral candidates on water, crime, education, and more at a historic youth-led forum
Murrah High School Senior Class Vice President Javion Shed moderates the “Teens Take the Lead” mayoral forum at Forest Hill High School March 20. Imani Khayyam
By Zy’Quria McClendon and Laeyla Walters
Last week, Jackson Public Schools hosted its first-ever mayoral forum for student leaders from across the district to vocalize their concerns directly to candidates inside Forest Hill High School’s auditorium.
Event organizer and Murrah High School Senior Class Vice President Javion Shed moderated the March 20 “Teens Take the Lead” forum, which featured 11 candidates seated at a long table on the auditorium stage facing close to 200 attendees — mostly student government members from seven JPS high schools. Representatives from the school district, the Mississippi NAACP, and other local civic organizations also attended.
Eleven candidates await questions from students at JPS’ first-ever mayoral forum. Imani Khayyam
Candidates included Democrats David Archie, Delano Funches, Socrates Garrett, Tim Henderson, James Hopkins, Chokwe Antar Lumumba (incumbent), Marcus Wallace, and Albert Wilson; and independents Rodney DePriest, Zach Servis, and Kim Wade.
For close to two hours, candidates answered students’ questions about critical issues such as the water crisis, local funding, youth crime, mental health, and education. Shed, who asked the initial questions and then invited students from other high schools to ask additional ones, held candidates to a strict one-minute time limit per response.
Below, we’ve included a partial transcript of the event featuring each question and a selection of candidate responses, lightly edited for clarity.
“This event was important because teens in Jackson are facing a lot,” Shed said afterwards. “We're facing going to school every day, dealing with mental health, dealing with a never-ending water crisis, dealing with a crime crisis — plagued with all these problems, and yet no solutions. Plagued with a Black school district not getting adequate funding… This was my inspiration to do this.”
Student government leaders from seven JPS high schools stand for the Pledge of Allegiance as Forest Hill High School’s Junior ROTC presents the colors on stage. Imani Khayyam
JPS Superintendent Dr. Errick L. Greene closed the event by complimenting the students.
“You called and 11 candidates showed up to be a part of this conversation,” he said. “This didn't have to happen, right? Because they've got busy lives and they're on the campaign trail and there are lots of folks who want their time. … So, I want you to take a moment and take in the power of your voice. It is not a little thing.”
Jackson residents head to the polls Tuesday to vote in the primaries for mayor and city council. In races where no candidate receives 50% of the vote, runoffs will be held between the top two vote-getters April 22.
Water Crisis
Javion Shed, moderator: The water crisis has been a major issue in Jackson, affecting families, including young people, who have had their education and their daily lives disrupted. What specific steps will you take to ensure clean, reliable water for Jackson residents, and how will you prioritize this for our generation?
Marcus Wallace (D): As far as the water is concerned, and as far as it relates to young people, I think the best thing we can do is show and display to the young people how to have solid relationships, because the major issue with our water is all levels of government have not gotten in one room and worked the issues out.
Chokwe Antar Lumumba (D): When residents don't have water, it's more than just a matter of inconvenience. It's a cycle of humiliation. I've talked with our superintendent when we've had to shut our schools. This has been a challenge that has been a locally enduring challenge since the '80s, so what I did was take the voices of Jackson residents all across this nation and make certain that this became a story that the world knew. And that is why we were able to secure more money in Jackson's history, in state history, in federal history, when we were able to receive $800 million to go to our water system. Now, our responsibility is to make sure that that money is spent equitably. And so, we have proposed a two-board solution: one in an operations board that has the technical expertise to run the water system. But second, and more importantly, is a Community Advisory Board that speaks to the equitable funding of the water system, because we have to ensure that in contracting, it is competitive and that we turn our crumbling infrastructure into an economic frontier.
Zach Servis (I): So, I'm actually a member of the spring cohort for the Jackson Water Academy [Jackson Water Academy is a program designed to inform the customers of JXN Water about the specific process of managing the water system] where I will be walking step by step through what they're doing, meeting with leadership, and seeing how the water systems actually work and how the repairs are being made. Something that we have to realize is the job of the mayor is to put the right people in the right places. I don't know how to control the water system, and I shouldn’t try to sell you that I do. What I need to be able to do is put the right people in positions to succeed and lead. Now, I want to propose a public-private partnership. This turned around a city comparable to ours in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where we retain ownership of the water system, but we actually let a private entity do the work. So, they're held to the same standard, but we don't have to spend all of our money doing it. And if they don't meet the contract terms, then we can terminate it. But it alleviates the stress from us, and we still get quality results and solve the issue. We've also got to be able to show that we're not going to steal the money that we get for the water system, but that we manage it responsibly.
Youth Crime
Shed: What strategies will you implement to provide alternatives for young people to reduce involvement in youth crime? And we cannot just arrest our way out of youth crime, so have that in mind while you're answering.
Tim Henderson (D): This issue is very near and dear to me. In 1994, my 18-year-old brother killed my 20-year-old brother. So, when it comes to young people and the investment that we need to make, I understand it firsthand. There are certain things we're going to see under my administration. One, you're going to see a Public Safety Commission that is comprised of educators, religious leaders in the community, business leaders, social workers, and mental health professionals. We've got to attack this situation at its root. You young people are going to see safe spaces, so you've got places you can go. Transportation is going to be expanded and made safe so that you can get from one side of the city to the other in a safe way. You're also going to see an investment in parks and recreation, so that we make sure that in your community you've got places you can go and just play basketball.
James Hopkins (D): I'll continue to do exactly what I'm doing now with Reset Jackson. We'll continue to work with our young people. We'll continue to mentor our young people. We'll continue to have them involved in community activities — as far as clean-up activities, feeding the seniors, feeding elders, going out, and talking to some of these homeless people. Churches are going to have to be involved. They can't just be in church on Wednesdays and Sundays and expect the communities to change, and we have to be open about that. Sometimes we're afraid to say what's on our mind because of who we may offend. But the bottom line is, if you really want your young people to be better, you’ve got to reach out to them. You can't expect them to always come to where you are. You have to be willing to get into the communities, get into the schools, go to the barbershops, go to the playgrounds. And that's what I'm going to continue to do — work with our young people and make sure that they understand that they're not the future, they are the present, and they are priority number one with James Hopkins, 833 representative.
Rodney DePriest (I): Violence in Jackson is the number one issue we face, and we need to recognize that law enforcement alone can't correct it — that we need to come alongside law enforcement. Quite honestly, the men of this community, the faith-based organizations of this community have failed the young people in this room — and I'm part of that. We need to walk alongside law enforcement, but what we need to recognize is that City Hall cannot address these problems. We have a hard problem, and we need to show opportunity to our students, and we need to biblically look at the places that we can go and the things that we can do. We all know that what you see is modeled, and we need to be modeling a better future for our students. That's the only way we're going to work our way out of this violence in a sustainable manner.
Portrayal of JPS in the Media
Shed: JPS is often highlighted in the media as a reporting tool for crime in this city, creating a negative perception of our schools and students. This narrative overlooks the achievements, talent, and potential within JPS. As a future leader, how would you work to shift this narrative and ensure that the successes of JPS students in schools are just as viable as the challenges?
Socrates Garrett (D): Publicity is critically important. So, we get a bad rep for not telling our story properly. JPS has outstanding students and outstanding achievements. We just got to get in the media and challenge them when they misrepresent what's going on in our schools. It's critically important. And then, we got to stop the charter schools that are coming into our neighborhood now and taking some of our brightest students that we have with them, and leaving the challenge for our teachers and our school system to work with children that come from underprivileged areas. And yet, we still achieve and we overachieve every day. So, I think the key to it is to get the word out about exactly how good Jackson Public Schools’ system is, and let's fight for additional funding for it so that we can tell our story better.
Kim Wade (I): First of all, don't jump in front of insults. Just because someone commits a crime that happens to be a student shouldn't reflect on JPS. We shouldn't even entertain that. We should just go on with the fact that that an individual committed a crime. The main thing we need to do is, as individuals, pursue excellence. A spirit of excellence should be the core item. On day one, I told my kids on their first day of school — tell them you go up to their teacher and tell them, shake their hand, and say, ‘Hi, my name is Dylan. I'm here to learn.’ Teachers are like anyone else. They like easy work on their desk. I want my child to have the favor of the teacher. So, many times, it's your attitude when you come in the door. So, the main thing is, let's work on us, and then our image will take care of itself.
Delano Funches (D): Having been a proud product of the JPS, you know, when I saw that our children were having problems, I invested over $100,000 of my own money in our children — and not only in the children, but I invested in the parents of the children. When I take the children to Washington, D.C., I'm not their chaperone. I take their parents or their guardians with us. I understand that we have to have a holistic approach. The child has a parent. We have to work with the child and the parent, and we have to love our children, spend time with them, and let them know that they're loved. There's also a significant homeless population among our children, and I've discovered that after working with these kids. So, I know that you need love, and I know that you need time spent with you.
Education
Shed: JPS has faced many challenges over the years, from funding struggles to infrastructure needs and academic performance gaps. Under the leadership of Dr. Errick L. Greene, JPS has made significant strides toward becoming a stronger and more innovative district. As we look to the future, do you believe in the creation of a JPS liaison in the mayor's office — someone solely dedicated to addressing the district's needs and who could help bridge the gap between city leadership and our schools?
David Archie (D): Yes. As a civil rights activist, a community activist, and now a political activist, I understand dollars and I understand cents. The state of Mississippi has always underfunded JPS. And now, they're even doing it more. The state of Mississippi has nearly a $3 billion surplus — not a deficit, but a surplus. But I don't see them finding their way to JPS and the city of Jackson, trying to fix the problems and the issues that we have. And so, you need someone in that mayor's seat that has an open-door policy to JPS and to the teachers, the administration, and all that participate in JPS, so we can begin to get what we deserve. And that is your tax dollars back to your community, back to your schools, so we can fix stuff.
Albert Wilson (D): I have liaisons with the city. I taught in Murrah High School for a year or so, and I felt the struggle that took place. We were missing a lot of things. As a teacher, I had to purchase a lot of things, and I know there's still a struggle with teachers when it comes to talking to them. So, a liaison is needed. But for the last 30 years, I've been a liaison through Genesis of Life. I've been the person who contacted students, meeting with principals, meeting with teachers. We get some of the worst students there that have been given up on to come to our center. So, I've been at the PHA, meeting with the parents. So, yes, we definitely need them, but we, as citizens, need to speak up for ourselves and continue to demand more from our school, our city, and us ourselves as mayoral candidates to bring resources to you all.
Additional Q&A from Students
Khalil Millsaps, Forest Hill High School: Many teens, myself included, complain about how they wish there were more places to socialize, more events to look forward to, and how there should be opportunities to enjoy themselves outside of school. In the years prior, we had spaces that teenagers could go to, like the mall, or teen clubs that only cost $5. A thriving city should have places where we feel safe, engaged, and excited to be a part of our community without the fear of losing our lives or having to spend an abundance of money. What will you do to mold the future of this city while also curating more spaces for teenagers?
Servis: First of all, you're talking about something me and my brother and I just had a conversation about two nights ago — how there are not enough spaces for young people to get together and congregate and do good things and have fun. So, being in the performance industry and the event industry is literally what I do for a living. This is something I already have a plan for. We're going to define Jackson's art and culture as our brand. Like, this is what we do. We do fun stuff here in Jackson. We're going to celebrate our artists and our culture. So, one thing we're going to do under my administration is bring something called family centers. And these are spaces specifically for youth and students to come — and also parents, if they want to come. And we're going to try to work with the churches to get them to not just host events where they're preaching at you, but where you can actually come safely and have fun. And we're going to create — and James Hopkins will also say this — we're going to bring back some of these community centers. We're going to have specific events for the youth and the young adult community so that y'all can safely engage in fun entertainment and enjoy socializing safely.
Mayka Gilbert, Jim Hill High School: Mental illness is not a crime, yet people with mental illness are disproportionately impacted by our nation's criminal justice system and overrepresented in jails and prisons. What is your stance on strategies to build on the mental health framework within this community for the youth, middle-aged, and elderly that will promote well-being and improve access to support and opportunities before individuals become a statistic?
Garrett: Mental health issues are critically important in our city, and what we have to do now is we have to provide the right care. You see, there is no program out there that will help our parents to deal with mental illness in our community. So, we have a lot of property and a lot of abandoned buildings. We have to house that population and make certain that they get their medication and that they're taken care of. It's creating a tremendous problem. A young person that's suffering from mental illness cannot learn, cannot study, when you're hearing several voices in your head. It's difficult for you to focus on what's going on in that environment. Currently, you can't call anyone and get the help that you need, because they only react after a crime or something has occurred. So, it's a tremendous issue in our community, but this city has the ability to provide the resources necessary to treat the mental illness in our community.
Mya Nelson, Callaway High School: How do you plan to improve infrastructure in our city to ensure safer roads, better public transportation, and reliable utilities for residents — especially students and families?
Lumumba: Thank you for that question, and 601 runs to 601. Let me speak to programmatic solutions, because what you will hear in this campaign is people talking about concepts of a plan instead of programmatic solutions. The challenge with Jackson's infrastructure is that we have not had dedicated funding to the issues that we have. Our needs exceed our means. And so, what we've been able to do is leverage the 1% sales tax so that we can have the first-ever state-funded special tax to deal with roads. We're using our utilization tax — which is our internet sales tax — to deal with the flood mitigation that happens in communities. And we've been able to go to Congress to get the historic funds and $800 million to deal with our water infrastructure. You have to have dedicated lines of funding.
Janiya Bordeaux, Forest Hills High School: How will you address the root cause of gun violence, such as poverty, mental health, and gang activity, while providing a safe school?
Wade: As I've said before, there is no home-run solution to the crime problem. There are solutions to aspects of the crime problem. That results in you having to make decisions on the trade-offs that come with that. And we cannot get a consensus on the trade-offs. For instance, if we wanted to have roadblocks right out here at this corner, some part of this audience might want it, while the other part is ready to go to court to sue against it. We have to decide what's best for the community and not what's best for our narrative. We're not gonna grow beyond that. We're gonna be always asking this question. We'll always be in the same place. We need innovation, but we need individuals to think above themselves and think about what's best for the community.
Charles Travis, Callaway High School: What strategies will you use to attract new businesses and job opportunities to our community, especially ones like internships and part-time jobs for our high school students?
Wallace: First thing we got to do, we’ve got to reduce the crime. We’ve got to clean up our city. We’ve got to clean up our city. We've got to illuminate our city to let people know — businesses know — that we're open for business. Once we do that and we start attracting businesses, even from contract opportunities, when out-of-town companies come in here to do work, we must require them to utilize local businesses and local citizens for these job opportunities. We got to do what we got to do to circulate the dollars back into the city.
Aaron Fields, Forest Hill High School: As mayor, what policies do you plan to implement to reduce gun violence in our city, and mostly in areas near our school?
Funches: First of all, I'm going to let these children know that they are loved. I'm going to continue the program that I'm already doing with these children. The youngest kid we have in our program is three years old. Kids turn to guns because they're not getting the love they need, and they're getting love from gangs. So, as a community, we have to get together and love on these children and let them know that we're concerned about them. We have to provide a space for them to come — a safe space — and we have to invite their parents or guardians to come along with them.
Rayoanna Beals-Stewart, Murrah High School: If awarded the role of mayor, what strategies will you implement to address the declining enrollment in schools?
Wilson: Okay, great question. Like I mentioned, I taught at Murrah — a wonderful school. But we've got to address the issue. Why are our kids moving to charter schools? Why are our schools closing down? And to address the issue that's taking place — a lot of times it's, Hey, in the summertime, we don’t have air conditioning in this district because of that… those issues with beautification of our schools. I've fixed nine dilapidated buildings. So, sometimes just cleaning up our schools and putting paint on (them), making (them) better. And then income — bringing more money to our schools to fix those things. So, through community development block grants, there are grants that we should have, and the city should be reinvesting those monies into our schools. And fundraisers, where we've got people who have graduated from these schools — who are in the NBA and other places — get them to sow back into our schools. So, money's going to fix a lot of things, so they don't move to other places.
Malaya Tyler, Tougaloo Early College High School: How can partnership between JPS and local organizations help reduce achievement gaps among students? Additionally, with organizations like the Bean Path already making an impact in the city, how can we establish more partnerships with similar organizations to further close the achievement gap?
Henderson: That's a great question. And I will tell you, it is part of what I've done in my military career — that's building relationships and coalitions. I have an effort under the Jackson 2035, known as the Nonprofit Cooperative, where we bring in — it's a public-private partnership — organizations like the Bean Path. And I actually know Dr. [Nashlie] Sephus [founder of Bean Path] personally. So, we've had these conversations with her about how we establish that tech hub to bring about opportunities for young people like yourself. How do we create those relationships that take advantage of resources that nonprofits already have? And we maximize that and make sure that young people are back to that student council with a liaison in the mayor's office. This is where you all would have the time to sit down with me and talk — ‘Hey sir, these are the kinds of things we'd like to see’ — and I'll be able to point you to the folks at the Bean Path.
Mikenzey Hodges-Woods, Lanier High School: How can schools and community organizations collaborate to provide a more restorative justice program that offers opportunities and cross-representation for youth involved in the justice system?
Hopkins: Well, I think the first thing we do is the nonprofit organization will have to be accepted within the justice system as an option. You know, there was a time when people would go to the military instead of going to jail, but those days are over. But the system would have to have their arms open to accept the nonprofits. But as far as the justice system, I don't want to speak on something that I don't have the experience in when it comes to the justice system. But I do believe that instead of sending our students to the detention center all the time, we could give them community service with nonprofit organizations. And what that would do is kind of help them get that experience of not being in trouble, but being a positive part of the community. And that way, when they do go back to the judge, we can advocate for those students.
Maceo Myles, Murrah High School: What are some of those ideas you have to improve school funding so we have better environments for our scholars?
DePriest: It all goes back to the money. When you experience cut after cut after cut and reduction in tax base and admiral ad valorem taxes that fund our schools — this isn't glamorous — but we need to cure the violence and need to restore the infrastructure. We have to create an environment in our city where businesses can thrive, where customers and employees feel safe. Without that, we will not have the jobs we need to grow the tax base. We will not have the jobs that the young people in this room need — to be able to have an internship, to be able to find out the value of work and the dignity that comes with it. So it has to be — we have to look at what we can do ourselves: cure the violence, restore the infrastructure, so that we're in a position that the tax base can grow.
Jeremiah Wilson, Lanier High School: How can JPS and local policy work together to prevent student involvement in the criminal justice system, and how can these strategies be supported by local policy?
Archie: So, JPS has been denied on so many different levels. I am perhaps one of the candidates on this stage that's going to probably file some lawsuit against this state in terms of them treating JPS the way that they do . Of them treating JPS in the way that they have treated JPS. In all ways, we have to operate with less but do more. We're the biggest — perhaps now the second, maybe the third — largest school system in the entire state. But we always have to operate with less. And so, we cut, cut, cut, cut until we can't cut anymore. But I want to open, open, open. I want to ask this state, I want to ask this federal government to come in and provide more resources. Right away — what about giving JPS a billion dollars so we can thrive and we can do the things that it takes to get it done so we don't have to worry about money?
