The University of Pennsylvania wrote an article titled “Disproportionate Impact of K-12 School Suspension and Expulsion on Black Students in the Southern States.” The Mississippi School for Math and Science was listed as one of the highest offenders of this disproportionate discipline. The entire school — students, staff and administration — was outraged. The data that was taken for MSMS was on two students in the 2011-12 school year, and it was claimed that they were both of African-American descent.  In actuality, only one of the two students was African American. Regardless of that, the data was inaccurate due an unreliable comparison of data. 

“I was surprised that a university could make such a drastic error,” F.G. Hollis, an MSMS senior, said in reference to the first email from UPenn. Hollis said he felt upset that a university could use data that was not correctly backed up and, based only on a few students, felt that it was the incomplete.

Two students have created student responses to send to the authors of the article. Deldrick Adams and Timothy Spivey, both seniors, felt that the school was wronged by the article. “When I first read the email about the article, I felt disrespected because African American students, at this point, are looked at in various ways and under looked at in others. I felt disrespected that our school was only picked because it jumped up in ranking so much,” Timothy said. Timothy was inspired to write the letter because he felt that, as the population of students increases, the more diverse it will become. He also thinks that the students’ perspective should be heard and not forgotten.

In response to the article, the MSMS Executive Director Germain McConnell, wrote a letter detailing the facts. Dr. McConnell states the misnaming of the school and how the proper title includes Mathematics and Science and not the stated Math and Science. It is significant to the school because it signifies the growth and the improvement that has been made to make this school a better place.

In response to this letter, UPenn authors have sent an apologetic letter and removed MSMS from the list of the most offending schools. “I felt justice when I read about the apology. I feel the wrong has been righted,” Hollis. said. Spivey, on the other hand, had different beliefs. “I see a burden is lifted a bit, but we shouldn’t shy away from the problem. They might have taken some of it away, but it is still there. Until it is gone, I won’t stop gathering facts. I won’t stop asking for student opinions. I won’t stop until it is fixed,” Spivey says.

MSMS students have similar beliefs on the benefits that MSMS brings to the community and the effects that it has on the lives of its students. “MSMS is a wonderful place to be. You are challenged here, but the friends you make are lifelong friends. The family atmosphere is tremendous, much more than can be said about other schools in Mississippi,” Spivey said.