Wilkinson County Christian Academy Explained

Wilkinson County Christian Academy
Location:Woodville, Mississippi
Coordinates:31.0751°N -91.3121°W
Pushpin Map:Mississippi
Type:Private
Grades:PK3-12
Principal:Donna Loomis

Wilkinson County Christian Academy is a private PK3-12 Christian school in Wilkinson County, Mississippi, near Woodville.[1] It was established in 1969 as a segregation academy.

History

In a 1969 newspaper article, a parent explained that "my kids got to go to school," but that they were attending Wilkinson Christian since "They can't go to school with the coloreds.".[2]

In 1982, Wilkinson Academy teacher Bernard Waites told the Clarion-Ledger that he withdrew his daughter from public schools and sent her to Wilkinson Academy because "there was no way I was going to send her out to a school with 2,700 black kids."[3] Waites, who resigned as Wilkinson County School District superintendent to join the Academy, also said that he had difficulty accepting blacks socially and that he "didn't feel so good walking the halls of the black public schools."[4]

As of 2015 it has 270 students, with the majority being from Wilkinson County; West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana; and East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. The campus is on U.S. Highway 61 South.[5]

Athletics

The school won the 2016 Mississippi Association of Independent Schools class A-AA football championship.[6]

See also

Notes and References

  1. "Contact" (Archive). Wilkinson County Christian Academy. Retrieved on April 15, 2015.
  2. News: A new Day Ends Public Segregated Schools in Mississippi. Wooten. James. January 7, 1970. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Newspapers.com. 33.
  3. News: November 29, 1982. Nancy. Weaver. Clarion Ledger. Race Remains a Factor in School Choice. 12. Newspapers.com.
  4. News: Nancy. Weaver. November 19, 1982. Clarion-Ledger. 1. Desegregation in Mississippi leaves public schools wanting. Newspapers.com.
  5. "About the School" (Archive). Wilkinson County Christian Academy. Retrieved on April 15, 2015.
  6. News: MAIS A-AA Championship: Wilkinson County Christian 8, Tri-County Academy 7. 2015-11-20. WJTV 12 News. 2018-01-11. en-US.