Miss. Middle School Bars Black Students From Running For Class President
Russell Goldman, ABC News | August 27, 2010

After 30 years of barring black students from running for class president, a Mississippi public middle school, reversed a Jim Crow era policy today and announced students of all races would be allowed to run for student government.

Students at Nettleton Middle School looking to run for class president, previously needed to maintain a B average, obtain 10 signatures from their classmates – and be white.

Rules issued last week outlined the school’s rules for seeking office. Students could run for president, vice president, secretary-treasurer and reporter, but some positions were off-limits depending on race.

In all three grades, only white students could run for president. In eighth grade black students could run for vice president and reporter. In seventh grade blacks could only run for secretary-treasurer, and in sixth grade only for reporter. (Read the full article)

**UPDATE** Since this story was covered, MSNBC reported that the Nettleton Middle School met in an emergency session and voted to repeal its policy to apportion student council positions by race.