Parklane Academy

Parklane Academy is a private Christian school from grades K4 through 12th grade located in McComb, Mississippi. It was founded in 1970 as a segregation academy. Parklane is a member of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools (MAIS).

History

The school was founded in 1970 in reaction to the desegregation of the McComb, Mississippi public schooling system. Originally new students were required to have the sponsorship of two families whose children attended the academy and no black students were invited. Asked about the lack of African-American students in 1994 Kathy Miller, administrative assistant at Parklane, told the Austin American-Statesman that "[w]e have a couple of black students. Well, we have a couple of students named Black."

By 2002 Parklane had tax-exempt status and therefore, according to school official Billy Swindle, followed a required non-discrimination policy. In a city that was 58.40% African-American as of the 2000 census, no African-American children had attended Parklane Academy as of 2005. However, according to Swindle, "Parklane does have some Asian pupils [in 2002]" noted that "its annual tuition of $2,600 could be an impediment."

Athletics

In 2001 The Mississippi Private School Association (MPSA) piloted a program which allowed member schools to participate in athletic matches against public schools. The Mississippi High School Athletic Association that their member schools would only be allowed to play private schools which met accreditation standards set by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). Sixty nine of the MPSA's member schools, among them Parklane Academy, failed to meet SACS standards at that time. School administrator Billy Swindle told the local McComb newspaper that "Parklane has no plans to compete against public schools in athletics. In my opinion, not many of the private schools will. It's strictly a choice between the two schools involved. It's an autonomy question. Each school has to decide on their own."

Notable alumni

• Jeff Calhoun, former Major League Baseball pitcher
• Paul Ott Carruth a former running back for the Green Bay Packers and the University of Alabama.
• Ted Jackson, photojournalist
• William W. Parsons, Center Director, John F. Kennedy Space Center
• Britney Spears attended Parklane until ninth grade
• Bryan Spears, Film producer
• Jamie Lynn Spears completed tenth grade at Parklane

External links

• Official website
• Private Schools Report

• The Last Stand of Massive Resistance: Mississippi Public School Integration, 1970
• Parklane Academy Students by Race - privateschoolsreport.com