I am standing in solidarity with the EDUCATION ASSOCIATION OF EAST Oktibbeha COUNTY SCHOOLS, a non-profit organization that has a collective body of alumni, a rich history at their historical high school, formally called B.L Moor High which is located in Starkville, MS in the rural southeastern Oktibbeha County Mississippi which closed on May 31, 2015.

This historical high school has a 55-year legacy that goes back to the 1960s during the Civil Rights Era. This collective body of alumni are aggrieved that they have developed educational proposals, and strategies for implementation with blueprints emailed, and mailed to the Superintendent of Education and the Board of Trustees, but has been ignored as many avenues have been exhausted in seeking resolution and formal acceptance through the Superintendent of Education in Starkville MS.

The people are very saddened and aggrieved in Starkville, MS, after dedicating six years, seeking opportunity through an educational proposal to the Starkville-Oktibbeha Superintendent of Education via emails, calls, letters, and media intervention, and to no avail have any offers of resolution have been initiated to even cast one single vote, nor allowed to sit at the table of decision-making planning and development. 

Further, we feel rendering this decision exhibits favoritism, bias, poor accountability, unethical, and discrimination towards a group of educated black alumni in a  systemic pattern of un-professionalism, bias, racism, and classism. We are heartbroken to see the decision-makers allowing Dominion Wildlife to desecrate our historical property rather than allowing the alumni to have a seat at the table to propose educational empowerment in our very own community. 

This organization’s voice has been trampled by the decision-makers or gatekeepers who would rather choose to make this ‘’historical school’’ a warehouse for trapping devices of wild hogs, buzzards, etc. This nonprofit’s organizational structure is solidified in creating education programs: continuing education, community health, park, and recreation, within the rural community as many alumni have excelled in their careers as doctors, healthcare professionals, teachers, builders, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship, and even celebrity lifestyles such as a notable NFL HALL OF FAMER Jerry Rice. 

  The proposal of this nonprofit organization has many plans laid out in blueprints which consist of methods that would be cost-effective efficient, full-time programming, operational skills, and would operate as an independent public agency.  

The collective body of alumni is making a declaration calling on any/all alumni groups within the State of Mississippi and outside the State to stand with us in solidarity to reclaim & sustain the historical significance of our 55-year legacy.

In closing, the door has been kept closed, we are simply demanding that the Oktibbeha County Board of Supervisors, Superintendent of Education, and the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District Trustees, take notice and rectify the matter immediately. Take notice that this petition is protected under the 1st Amendment to the United States Constitution, Equal Protection of Law, Bill of Rights, Discrimination Clause, State & Federal Regulations regarding Economical/Educational Standards. Contact: eaglesofmoor@yahoo.com