Not a good start to 2026 for Jackson Academy

[615dawg]

1. That lawsuit by the Yates Construction family for kicking out the grand kid because the dad complained about the recruiting does not look good for JA. Then JA tried to paint the mom as a racist and it backfired on them when the entire email was released instead of the edited snippet.

2. Shay Hodge, who allegedly has been at the center of the recruiting at JA, was let go last week.

3. One of their prized recruits was just killed breaking into an apartment at 2:30 a.m.

Latest story: https://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2026/02/ex-jackson-academy-player-killed-in-apt.html

 

[aTotal360]

1. hate to see a kid lose his life over something that was likely dumb
2. don't care about JA
3. need shay hodge employed somewhere so he's not constantly heppin' our HS croots

 

[Willow Grove Dawg]

***Shocking that Shay Hodge is still involved ALLEGEDLY in unscrupulous activities***

 

[WranglerofDawgs]

That's just insane....just zero parenting in lots of areas of the state, more specifically the metro area. How do you not know where your 15 year old is at 2:30 in the morning? Just sad more than anything.

I want to feel sorry for the kid, then the thought of him going in someone else's house at 2:30am sends some other thoughts along....just a bad deal no matter how you look at it. And yet so avoidable. Prayers to the families.

 

[vhdawg]

2. Shay Hodge, who allegedly has been at the center of the recruiting at JA, was let go last week.

That's former Hillcrest Christian head coach Shay Hodge to you, sir.

 

[dudehead]

I am sick and tired of hearing a criminal behavior being described as a "bad choice."

 

[jethreauxdawg]

Sad

 

[OG Goat Holder]

This is what happens when you put sports over education in a private school.

 

[patdog]

1. hate to see a kid lose his life over something that was likely dumb

I have zero sympathy for him. These are the apartments right next to JA's campus. Probably where they put this kid and his family up when they recruited him.

 

[PrimeDog]

Why was Shay Shay fired? They going to make him the fall guy for all the crootin?

 

[The Peeper]

Why was Shay Shay fired? They going to make him the fall guy for all the crootin?

 

[johnson86-1]

I am sick and tired of hearing a criminal behavior being described as a "bad choice."

Describing it as a bad choice is perfecly fine and accurate, it's just the context people use it that is mind numbingly dumb and annoying. Yes, criminal behavior is virtually always a bad choice. Bad choices routinely get people killed, whether the person making the choice or someone else, adn bad choices routinely get people sent to jail for a long time and that's a good thing as it saves the lives of the victims of the bad choices they will likely make in the future. A 15 year old made a really bad choice and unfortunately for him, it got him killed. Not a good circumstance and in a perfect, fantasy world, 15 year olds wouldn't have to pay for bad choices with their lives. But while it's sad, it's a much better circumstance than him getting somebody else killed, which can easily happen when you start breaking into people's houses at night.

 

[patdog]

Describing it as a bad choice is perfecly fine and accurate, it's just the context people use it that is mind numbingly dumb and annoying. Yes, criminal behavior is virtually always a bad choice. Bad choices routinely get people killed, whether the person making the choice or someone else, adn bad choices routinely get people sent to jail for a long time and that's a good thing as it saves the lives of the victims of the bad choices they will likely make in the future. A 15 year old made a really bad choice and unfortunately for him, it got him killed. Not a good circumstance and in a perfect, fantasy world, 15 year olds wouldn't have to pay for bad choices with their lives. But while it's sad, it's a much better circumstance than him getting somebody else killed, which can easily happen when you start breaking into people's houses at night.

Bull. Breaking into someone’s home isn’t a “bad choice.” It’s a serious moral and character defect. It’s a choice made by a bad person.

 

[johnson86-1]

Bull. Breaking into someone’s home isn’t a “bad choice.” It’s a serious moral and character defect. It’s a choice made by a bad person.

Charles Manson choosing to wipe off the toilet seat before taking a **** in a gas station restaurant is a choice made by a bad person. That doesn’t tell you whether it’s a good or bad choice.

it’s literally a bad choice. It’s just odd to use that fact as some sort of mitigating factor as opposed to the exact thing that caused the consequences.

 

[jibaro]

That's former Hillcrest Christian head coach Shay Hodge to you, sir.

 

[MagnoliaHunter]

Usually people say he made a bad choice, implying that it was their first bad choice when 99% of the time it was not their first "bad choice", but just the first time that they got caught.

 

[patdog]

Follow up question about the whole JA situation. What would everyone's opinion be if you were paying $10,000 for your 15-year old daughter to attend JA?

 

[FreeDawg]

1.

Bull. Breaking into someone’s home isn’t a “bad choice.” It’s a serious moral and character defect. It’s a choice made by a bad person.

My take is all crime is a bad choice but there is nuance and levels to criminality. A lot of good kids make bad choices based on circumstances including drinking & driving, smoking/slangin pot, fighting, etc... Ski masking up at 230 am to arm rob an inhabited domicile means you're a bad person. Outside of killing someone there isn't much worse an action. You're only hope in life is to get arrested and get 15-20 years and get out mid 30s ready to give life a shot but the odds of that are very low with recidivism patterns. The statistical probability that, that kid ever amounted to anything are very low unfortunately.

 

[615dawg]

Follow up question about the whole JA situation. What would everyone's opinion be if you were paying $10,000 for your 15-year old daughter to attend JA?

There have been several families that have left JA over this whole situation. They appear to be okay with it. They continue to import public school kids that happen to be exceptional athletes. Germantown just lost one of their best volleyball players, a sophomore, to JA at the beginning of the spring.

JA has some major issues. The number of families with young children that live in NE Jackson has dropped significantly, so they aren't getting students in the elementary grades anymore. They have a board who believes the way to fix this is to win high school sports at all costs, and families will want to transfer there.

Its going to work in the short term (keeping them a float), but it will fail in the long term. Prep opening a lower school and CCS opening an upper school gave families in the area another good choice on both the Eastover and CCJ sides of JA.

 

[FreeDawg]

Follow up question about the whole JA situation. What would everyone's opinion be if you were paying $10,000 for your 15-year old daughter to attend JA?

That's the real question. The cost benefit analysis of a state title. If wealthy families are getting their kids in a more sanitized school environment, why send them to somewhere that isn't offering that (or the mere perception of not offering that)? Just send them to public school for free.

 

[patdog]

There have been several families that have left JA over this whole situation. They appear to be okay with it. They continue to import public school kids that happen to be exceptional athletes. Germantown just lost one of their best volleyball players, a sophomore, to JA at the beginning of the spring.

JA has some major issues. The number of families with young children that live in NE Jackson has dropped significantly, so they aren't getting students in the elementary grades anymore. They have a board who believes the way to fix this is to win high school sports at all costs, and families will want to transfer there.

Its going to work in the short term (keeping them a float), but it will fail in the long term. Prep opening a lower school and CCS opening an upper school gave families in the area another good choice on both the Eastover and CCJ sides of JA.

You could see a scenario where JA in 30 years is another Hillcrest.

 

[615dawg]

Here's a link to JA's latest 990: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/646012819/202521909349301117/full

$26.7 MM in revenue in 2022 to $22.8 last year. Expenses were $22.4. $16.1 million in debt.

The key to look at is in '22 they gave $1 million in scholarships, and in '23 and '24 they gave $3 million.

 

[Willow Grove Dawg]

Follow up question about the whole JA situation. What would everyone's opinion be if you were paying $10,000 for your 15-year old daughter to attend JA?

It looks like tuition for a 9th grader is $18,660 per chatgpt plus
Registration/Re-enrollment fee -$675 per unless you miss the early deadline then it is $825
Family Membership - one time $1500
Consolidate Fee (book, supplies) - $640 per year

It is at least $20K per year all-in for high school.
Jackson Prep appears to be a little higher maybe $21K per year & St Andrews is closer to $25K per year.

 

[615dawg]

You could see a scenario where JA in 30 years is another Hillcrest.

Man, Hillcrest has changed. Last week they had a parent come in and threaten to shoot up the school.

 

[vhdawg]

You could see a scenario where JA in 30 years is another Hillcrest.

 

[TheDawg-Pound]

There have been several families that have left JA over this whole situation. They appear to be okay with it. They continue to import public school kids that happen to be exceptional athletes. Germantown just lost one of their best volleyball players, a sophomore, to JA at the beginning of the spring.

JA has some major issues. The number of families with young children that live in NE Jackson has dropped significantly, so they aren't getting students in the elementary grades anymore. They have a board who believes the way to fix this is to win high school sports at all costs, and families will want to transfer there.

Its going to work in the short term (keeping them a float), but it will fail in the long term. Prep opening a lower school and CCS opening an upper school gave families in the area another good choice on both the Eastover and CCJ sides of JA.

I get going somewhere good for sports in college but not high school.

 

[Maroon Eagle]

Here's a link to JA's latest 990: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/646012819/202521909349301117/full

$26.7 MM in revenue in 2022 to $22.8 last year. Expenses were $22.4. $16.1 million in debt.

But their debt went down $1.5 million from the previous year so….

The key to look at is in '22 they gave $1 million in scholarships, and in '23 and '24 they gave $3 million.

…a question could be: Is bringing down that debt and providing more scholarships sustainable?

 

[horshack.sixpack]

That's just insane....just zero parenting in lots of areas of the state, more specifically the metro area. How do you not know where your 15 year old is at 2:30 in the morning?

I understand this sentiment, but many of these kids don't have any parenting happening and never have. Large number don't know both, or many times either of their parents.

 

[paindonthurt]

This is what happens when you put sports over education in a private school.

What happens? I mean nothing has really happened to JA other than a lawsuit.

Some dumb kid did a really dumb thing. Happens at privates schools and public schools all over the country. Happens way more at public schools than private schools. Doesn't really have to do with sports though.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

1. That lawsuit by the Yates Construction family for kicking out the grand kid because the dad complained about the recruiting does not look good for JA. Then JA tried to paint the mom as a racist and it backfired on them when the entire email was released instead of the edited snippet.

2. Shay Hodge, who allegedly has been at the center of the recruiting at JA, was let go last week.

3. One of their prized recruits was just killed breaking into an apartment at 2:30 a.m.

Latest story: https://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2026/02/ex-jackson-academy-player-killed-in-apt.html

I can't tell by the way that is written if he (15yo) was breaking in or getting broken in on (and killed by the 18yo shooter)?

 

[Maroon Eagle]

I can't tell by the way that is written if he (15yo) was breaking in or getting broken in on (and killed by the 18yo shooter)?

I’m thinking it’s because the death resulted from a commission of a felony…

 

[paindonthurt]

I understand this sentiment, but many of these kids don't have any parenting happening and never have. Large number don't know both, or many times either of their parents.

So how do you help that? I know this is a little off topic but this goes back to government spending. No amount of welfare is going to change lack of parenting. Lack of parenting is always going to lead to bad outcomes. So lets all agree to quit pissing money away on the current "solutions" that never work.

 

[paindonthurt]

I’m thinking it’s because the death resulted from a commission of a felony…

Yeah seems ambiguous bout i think you are correct.

 

[horshack.sixpack]

So how do you help that? I know this is a little off topic but this goes back to government spending. No amount of welfare is going to change lack of parenting. Lack of parenting is always going to lead to bad outcomes. So lets all agree to quit pissing money away on the current "solutions" that never work.

No idea. There are no easy answers. I have helped individual kids that have come into my orbit in various ways over the years. One is successful working in a lab in VA and another is in prison in TX after briefly pulling his act together for about 3 years. It's disheartening because failures are more often than successes. I wish a magic bullet existed. I take the position that I can't help everyone but I can help someone.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Why the Headmaster of JA wants to get in a public back and forth with Yates Construction is beyond me. I realize in JA’s eyes, the Voyles started it, but still read the room.

One sticking point it that Mr Voyles wants an accounting of how the $25k/year they donate is spent

 

[johnson86-1]

What happens? I mean nothing has really happened to JA other than a lawsuit.

Some dumb kid did a really dumb thing. Happens at privates schools and public schools all over the country. Happens way more at public schools than private schools. Doesn't really have to do with sports though.

Well, I think it has a little bit to do with sports, assuming he wouldn't hvae been there without being recruited and presumably offered incentives to transfer because he was an athlete.

As far as what happens, I think that's up in the air. You'd think parents wouldn't keep paying tuition like that just to have the school recruit over their kids. But that's basically the dynamic that has thrived at MRA for decades, so I don't think it's obvious it can't thrive at JA. On the other hand, I think MRA was always significantly cheaper (and I presume still is?) and I don't think ever pretended they were providing a premier educational opportunity. If you ask somebody why they are paying full tuition to have other students recruited over their child, I guess the answer would be it's still cheaper than they'd pay at Prep or JA, so public school where they also won't likely be playing, or Canton or Tri-County.

For JA, the question of why are you paying $20k a year to have the school recruit kids over your child and get discounted (or basically free) tuition, it's a lot harder to come up with a justification. If you want the education, St. Andrews offers a better reputation and prep offers the same.

I'm obviously in the minority, but it's crazy to me that giving out scholarships to a an expensive private high school to play sports isn't an obviously dumb idea. But it's apparently not and maybe it will actually help JA to start winning more championships, but I could give zero ***** about whether my kids' school is competitive in sports and would gladly have them suck if it took the number of their classmates that will attempt armed robbery from 1 to 0.

 

[TheBannerM]

Parents who send their kids to "academies" de

There have been several families that have left JA over this whole situation. They appear to be okay with it. They continue to import public school kids that happen to be exceptional athletes. Germantown just lost one of their best volleyball players, a sophomore, to JA at the beginning of the spring.

JA has some major issues. The number of families with young children that live in NE Jackson has dropped significantly, so they aren't getting students in the elementary grades anymore. They have a board who believes the way to fix this is to win high school sports at all costs, and families will want to transfer there.

Its going to work in the short term (keeping them a float), but it will fail in the long term. Prep opening a lower school and CCS opening an upper school gave families in the area another good choice on both the Eastover and CCJ sides of JA.

Imagine paying 20k a year to stay away from "public school kids" just for them to "bus" them in for free.

The only way to fix JA is for the city of Jackson to attract more white families.

 

[johnson86-1]

Why the Headmaster of JA wants to get in a public back and forth with Yates Construction is beyond me. I realize in JA’s eyes, the Voyles started it, but still read the room.

One sticking point it that Mr Voyles wants an accounting of how the $25k/year they donate is spent

Presumably the board is heavily involved in decisions like this but regardless, I don't know what they're thinking.

Not so subtly implying that Carolyn Yates is racist is certainly a choice. Especially in a motion to compel arbitration. Just make it about the arbitration issue without trying to escalate it. They've all but called her a racist; if they don't have something in their back pocket where she said something actually racist, they just antagonized her while simultaneously blowing their wad. Arguably she'll look worse if she backs down at this point because it will look like she's scared JA has actually bad stuff she said or wrote, so if that's it, they just incentivized her to double down.

 

[Willow Grove Dawg]

Presumably the board is heavily involved in decisions like this but regardless, I don't know what they're thinking.

I checked the JA Board online a couple of weeks ago. At least three of them have significant MSU connections.


Board of Trustees
Dr. Brad Williams, Chair
Jeffrey Lohmeier ’96, Vice Chair
Brad Reeves ’97, Treasurer
Mysti Chustz ’96, Secretary
McKie Edmonson ’94, Past Chair

Board Members
Rebekah Gregory
Angie Haraway ’96
Nic Henderson
Meredith Hogue
Frederick Salvo ’94
Morgan Samuels, JAA President

(From back, left) Brad Reeves ’97, Nic Henderson, Dr. Brad Williams, Mckie Edmonson ’94, Jeffrey Lohmeier ’96, Frederick Salvo ’94, (front, left) Rebekah Gregory, Morgan Samuels, Angie Haraway ’96, Mysti Chustz ’96, Meredith Hogue

 

[WranglerofDawgs]

I understand this sentiment, but many of these kids don't have any parenting happening and never have. Large number don't know both, or many times either of their parents.

You are correct. Just a sad deal no matter which angle you look at it from. Not sure what the answer is, but it's not getting better in its current trajectory.