The evolution of a segregation academy (Greenville, Greenwood: middle-class, transfer, school district)

[Suesbal]

Greenville Christian School started out about 1970 as a “segregation academy” - a school for white parents who didn’t want their children going to the just-desegregated public schools. My guess is that as the years passed and the local population of white families with children dwindled, GCS decided to admit black students rather than face closure.
https://mississippitoday.org/2021/09...cademy-league/

In truth, the era of the segregation academy in the Mississippi Delta is almost over. There simply aren’t enough white families with children to keep them all-white. Some have closed over the years.

[Listener2307]

After meeting with McLendon, Martin did transfer. But he did more than that. He brought several teammates with him. And those teammates reached out to friends in nearby Greenwood, whose high school wasn’t playing football either. Greenville Christian’s roster quickly grew.

So black football players recruited other black football players who transferred to Greenville Christian for the express purpose of playing football.
Great.
Do they still have to pay the $5,000 tuition?

[Suesbal]

Originally Posted by Listener2307

After meeting with McLendon, Martin did transfer. But he did more than that. He brought several teammates with him. And those teammates reached out to friends in nearby Greenwood, whose high school wasn’t playing football either. Greenville Christian’s roster quickly grew.

So black football players recruited other black football players who transferred to Greenville Christian for the express purpose of playing football.
Great.
Do they still have to pay the $5,000 tuition?

I don’t know. The quality of education at that school was also left unaddressed.
It doesn’t do any good to attend a private school if you aren’t learning any more than you would at a public school.

[Listener2307]

It's ironic, isn't it?
The segregated football team of 1963 has been completely replaced by another segregated team in 2021.
This is not progress.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by Listener2307

So black football players recruited other black football players who transferred to Greenville Christian for the express purpose of playing football.
Great.
Do they still have to pay the $5,000 tuition?

I understand your point, but the fact that also remains that sports is usually the one thing that brings people together, across racial lines.

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by Listener2307

It's ironic, isn't it?
The segregated football team of 1963 has been completely replaced by another segregated team in 2021.
This is not progress.

Not even remotely the same.

In 1963 Black players were excluded from schools and their teams simply because they were Black. In 2021 White players are not excluded from taking part on the team. And they would likely start or play if they were good enough.

[Suesbal]

Greenville has three private schools. Washington School was considered the most elite of the bunch, where farmers and white-collar families sent their kids. St. Joseph was where most of the Catholic kids went, although a large number of its students are now black and Protestant. Greenville Christian was for the middle-class white families.

[Listener2307]

Originally Posted by eddie gein

Not even remotely the same.

In 1963 Black players were excluded from schools and their teams simply because they were Black. In 2021 White players are not excluded from taking part on the team. And they would likely start or play if they were good enough.

You're right, of course.

But that wouldn't make headlines. No one would write about the integrated football team. Reporters write about an all Black football team as if it means something. It doesn't.
The school is exploiting vulnerable young Black football players by using these them to promote the school. They should be ashamed of themselves and called out for their self serving actions.
The Greenville Public School District also has an all Black football team. Can you find an article about that?

[eddie gein]

Originally Posted by Listener2307

You're right, of course.

But that wouldn't make headlines. No one would write about the integrated football team. Reporters write about an all Black football team as if it means something. It doesn't.
The school is exploiting vulnerable young Black football players by using these them to promote the school. They should be ashamed of themselves and called out for their self serving actions.
The Greenville Public School District also has an all Black football team. Can you find an article about that?

Well. I'd say there is one reason that Greenville High's team isn't in the news is because they are and have been beyond horrible for a long time. Meanwhile this Greenville Christian team went from being lousy to being what appears to be a team for the ages.

It's clear that you don't like the irony of this place having been a "seg academy" and fielding an all Black team and that being a focus. However it would appear that the real issue to be discussed is the fact that they are recruiting players from other school systems and being aggressive about it.

Perusing other private schools in the delta it still appears that there are a number of them that are mostly or close to all White. While the public schools are pretty much all Black.

I'd be curious concerning how many former "seg academies" have morphed into a majority Black school besides this one.

[Suesbal]

What I really want to know - and this is something that would be taboo for most people to discuss- is if the black students at these formerly all-white academies are doing better academically than their public school cohorts.