Itawamba County School District
Encyclopedia
The Itawamba County School District is a public school district
based in Fulton
, Mississippi (USA). The district's boundaries parallel that of Itawamba County
.
related issues. In one incident, a transgender
student was suspended for wearing heels and makeup. In another incident, the school's prom was cancelled after a lesbian student articulated that she wanted to bring her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo
.
teenager, who, at the time, was a sixteen-year-old who along with his mother and two sisters moved to Fulton, Mississippi from New Harmony, Indiana
to live with Baize's grandmother. As a result of this move, Baize had to enroll at Itawamba Agricultural High School. Because Baize was legally assigned male at birth yet normally dressed in clothing considered feminine and wore makeup, and as a result of wearing these clothes and makeup to school, he was sent home from the school on February 3, 2010 and suspended from the school on February 4, 2010. Baize contacted the American Civil Liberties Union
of Mississippi (ACLUMS). However, the ACLUMS noted that on Baize's suspension form, the school had left the section that should have contained the reason for suspension, blank. The ACLUMS needed this information as part of its court challenge to Baize's suspension. The ACLUMS sent a letter to the school requesting the school to provide the reason Baize was suspended but the school did not reply. When the story was published in the local newspaper, Baize's grandmother ordered him, his mother and his two sisters to move out of her house. Baize ended up living with old friends of his mother in Florida. Because he no longer lived in Fulton to attend the school, he and the ACLUMS decided not to continue with a court challenge.
for Itawamba Agricultural High School because 18-year old lesbian student Constance McMillen requested permission to take a same-sex date (aged 15) to the event, and to wear a tuxedo. The American Civil Liberties Union
filed suit in federal court against the school district seeking reinstatement of the prom. U.S. District Court Judge Glen Davidson issued a ruling in favor of both McMillen and the Itawamba County School District, ruling that Itawamba County School District did violate McMillen's First Amendment
rights by not allowing her to attend the prom with her girlfriend, not allowing her to wear a tuxedo and by cancelling the prom, but that he would not force the school district to hold the prom since a private prom has already been planned. A prom was organized, advertised by the school's lawyer, and was attended by McMillen and five other students, including two students with learning disabilities. Meanwhile, another prom had been arranged by parents in another location, and the rest of the students attended that prom. Some students who attended the private prom defended the event saying it wasn't a prom but was instead a birthday party, while some said it was just a private party.
School district
School districts are a form of special-purpose district which serves to operate the local public primary and secondary schools.-United States:...
based in Fulton
Fulton, Mississippi
Fulton is a city in Itawamba County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 3,882 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Itawamba County.This city is part of the Tupelo Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Mississippi (USA). The district's boundaries parallel that of Itawamba County
Itawamba County, Mississippi
In 2000, there were 8,773 households out of which 33.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.30% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.90% were non-families. 23.40% of all households were made up of individuals and...
.
Schools
- Tremont Attendance Center (Grades K-12), Principal Michael Cates
- Itawamba Agricultural High School (Grades 9–12)http://www.itawambaahs.com, Principal Trae Wiygul
- Dorsey Attendance Center (Grades K-8)
- Fairview Attendance Center (Grades K-8)
- Itawamba Attendance Center (Grades K-8)
- Mantachie Attendance Center (Grades K-12)
2006–07 school year
There were a total of 3,695 students enrolled in the Itawamba County School District during the 2006–2007 school year. The gender makeup of the district was 50% female and 50% male. The racial makeup of the district was 90.45% White, 8.15% African American, 1.00% Hispanic, 0.30% Asian, and 0.11% Native American. 42.1% of the district's students were eligible to receive free lunch.Previous school years
| School Year | Enrollment | Gender Makeup | Racial Makeup | |||||
| Female | Male | Asian | African American |
Hispanic | Native American |
White | ||
| 2005–06 | 3,779 | 50% | 50% | 0.32% | 8.23% | 0.85% | 0.08% | 90.53% |
| 2004–05 | 3,789 | 50% | 50% | 0.26% | 7.71% | 0.74% | 0.05% | 91.24% |
| 2003–04 | 3,823 | 50% | 50% | 0.21% | 7.45% | 0.60% | 0.03% | 91.71% |
| 2002–03 | 3,781 | 49% | 51% | 0.26% | 7.80% | 0.56% | – | 91.38% |
Accountability statistics
| 2006–07 | 2005–06 | 2004–05 | 2003–04 | 2002–03 | |
| District Accreditation Status | Accredited | Accredited | Accredited | Accredited | Accredited |
| School Performance Classifications | |||||
| Level 5 (Superior Performing) Schools | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Level 4 (Exemplary) Schools | 4 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 4 |
| Level 3 (Successful) Schools | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| Level 2 (Under Performing) Schools | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Level 1 (Low Performing) Schools | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Not Assigned | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
LGBT issues
In 2010, Itawamba Agricultural High School found itself in the national media twice for LGBTLGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
related issues. In one incident, a transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
student was suspended for wearing heels and makeup. In another incident, the school's prom was cancelled after a lesbian student articulated that she wanted to bring her girlfriend and wear a tuxedo
Tuxedo
A tuxedo is a type of semi-formal dress for men.Tuxedo may also refer to:-Places:Canada* Tuxedo, Winnipeg, Manitoba, a city neighborhood** Tuxedo , a provincial electoral district in Manitoba...
.
Transgender controversy
Juin Baize is a gender variantGender variance
Gender variance, or gender nonconformity, is behaviour or gender expression that does not conform to dominant gender norms of male and female...
teenager, who, at the time, was a sixteen-year-old who along with his mother and two sisters moved to Fulton, Mississippi from New Harmony, Indiana
New Harmony, Indiana
New Harmony is a historic town on the Wabash River in Harmony Township, Posey County, Indiana, United States. It lies north of Mount Vernon, the county seat. The population was 916 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Evansville metropolitan area. Many of the old Harmonist buildings still stand...
to live with Baize's grandmother. As a result of this move, Baize had to enroll at Itawamba Agricultural High School. Because Baize was legally assigned male at birth yet normally dressed in clothing considered feminine and wore makeup, and as a result of wearing these clothes and makeup to school, he was sent home from the school on February 3, 2010 and suspended from the school on February 4, 2010. Baize contacted the American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
of Mississippi (ACLUMS). However, the ACLUMS noted that on Baize's suspension form, the school had left the section that should have contained the reason for suspension, blank. The ACLUMS needed this information as part of its court challenge to Baize's suspension. The ACLUMS sent a letter to the school requesting the school to provide the reason Baize was suspended but the school did not reply. When the story was published in the local newspaper, Baize's grandmother ordered him, his mother and his two sisters to move out of her house. Baize ended up living with old friends of his mother in Florida. Because he no longer lived in Fulton to attend the school, he and the ACLUMS decided not to continue with a court challenge.
Prom controversy
In March 2010, the school district board made national news after it decided to cancel the promProm
In the United States and Canada, a prom, short for promenade, is a formal dance, or gathering of high school students. It is typically held near the end of the senior year. It figures greatly in popular culture and is a major event among high school students...
for Itawamba Agricultural High School because 18-year old lesbian student Constance McMillen requested permission to take a same-sex date (aged 15) to the event, and to wear a tuxedo. The American Civil Liberties Union
American Civil Liberties Union
The American Civil Liberties Union is a U.S. non-profit organization whose stated mission is "to defend and preserve the individual rights and liberties guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States." It works through litigation, legislation, and...
filed suit in federal court against the school district seeking reinstatement of the prom. U.S. District Court Judge Glen Davidson issued a ruling in favor of both McMillen and the Itawamba County School District, ruling that Itawamba County School District did violate McMillen's First Amendment
First Amendment to the United States Constitution
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution is part of the Bill of Rights. The amendment prohibits the making of any law respecting an establishment of religion, impeding the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech, infringing on the freedom of the press, interfering...
rights by not allowing her to attend the prom with her girlfriend, not allowing her to wear a tuxedo and by cancelling the prom, but that he would not force the school district to hold the prom since a private prom has already been planned. A prom was organized, advertised by the school's lawyer, and was attended by McMillen and five other students, including two students with learning disabilities. Meanwhile, another prom had been arranged by parents in another location, and the rest of the students attended that prom. Some students who attended the private prom defended the event saying it wasn't a prom but was instead a birthday party, while some said it was just a private party.