This time of year always seems hectic for my family. On top of the normal things that December brings, I find myself purchasing snacks for class parties, ordering costumes for plays, sending donations for community service, chaperoning field trips and selecting teacher gifts. You, too, probably have a lot on your schedule. I’m grateful you’re taking the time to read our GivingNewsday email, and I hope you understand why contributing to our 501(c)(3) is more critical than ever.

Thanks to the Rural Partner Fund, the next $3,000 in donations are TRIPLE MATCHED.

During this time of year I also find myself spending more time with other parents. Standing in classroom hallways and outside museums during this holiday season, many conversations have turned to what is next for education. It would seem that moms with children in an elementary-school classroom would not already be discussing high-school graduation and college attendance, but we are. We all recognize that time is fleeting, and the cute babies we kiss each morning on their way out of the door will soon face major decisions about their education. We also know that this is a critical time for education. Parents are discussing the possible changes to the federal Department of Education, and teachers are wondering what books they would need to put away if Project 2025 is enacted. Education advocates are wondering if school choice will gain traction again in the coming legislative session, while school-district leaders are worried about having the budget to buy better buses. 

Count Me In. I want to support reporting like Torsheta’s for Mississippi and the nation.

These issues are deeply personal to all of us. The children of today will be the adults of tomorrow. They will be the doctors that heal our wounds, the mechanics that repair our cars and trucks and the journalists who tell our stories. Here at the Mississippi Free Press, we will follow the changes coming for our educational system and report on how those changes will specifically affect Mississippi’s children and families, understanding that as goes Mississippi so goes the nation. Our mission is to produce explanatory and investigative reporting—the type the typical news cycle misses. We take pride in this mission and continue to dedicate ourselves to growing Mississippi’s most inclusive newsroom.

As a nonprofit newsroom, we rely on our supporters to make this possible. Please consider making a gift to our 501(c)(3) today so that we can continue to bring you nuanced, free coverage for the issues that matter to you. 

We appreciate you,
Torsheta Jackson, Education Reporter

Torsheta Jackson is MFP's Systemic and Education Editor in partnership with Report for America. She is passionate about telling the unique and personal stories of the people, places and events in Mississippi. The Shuqualak, Miss., native holds a B.A. in Mass Communication from the University of Southern Mississippi and an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Mississippi. She has had bylines on Bash Brothers Media, Mississippi Scoreboard and in the Jackson Free Press. Torsheta lives in Richland, Miss., with her husband, Victor, and two of their four children.