Editing Indianola, Mississippi (section)

==Education==
The [[Sunflower County Consolidated School District]], headquartered in Indianola, operates public schools serving the city. Residents are zoned to Lockard Elementary School (K-2), Carver Elementary School (3-6), Robert L. Merritt Junior High School (7-9), and [[Gentry High School (Mississippi)|Gentry High School]] (10-12). The district operates two other 10-12 schools in the city, Indianola Career and Technical Center and Indianola Academic Achievement Academy.<ref name="Schools">"[http://www.indianolaschools.org/page.php?pid=417 Schools] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723142415/http://www.indianolaschools.org/page.php?pid=417 |date=2011-07-23 }}." Indianola School District. Retrieved on August 17, 2010.</ref>

[[Indianola Academy]], a private school and former [[segregation academy]], is in Indianola. As of 2012 most white teenagers in Indianola attend Indianola Academy instead of the public high schools. Sarah Carr of ''[[The Atlantic]]'' explained that there are two explanations of why the private academies in Indianola and other towns still exist. One says that the public schools suffered from poor leadership and wrongdoing and that the private academies thrive because of the failings of the public schools, and the other says that the white leadership starved the public schools of resources after the academies were enacted, leading to the failings of the public schools.<ref>Carr, Sarah. "[https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/12/in-southern-towns-segregation-academies-are-still-going-strong/266207/ In Southern Towns, 'Segregation Academies' Are Still Going Strong] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200727063846/https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2012/12/in-southern-towns-segregation-academies-are-still-going-strong/266207/ |date=2020-07-27 }}." ''[[The Atlantic]]''. December 13, 2012. Retrieved on March 29, 2013.</ref>

The Sunflower County Library operates the Henry M. Seymour Library in Indianola, which houses its administrative headquarters.<ref>"[http://www.sunflower.lib.ms.us/sunflower/directory.asp Sunflower County Library Directory] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170816064852/http://www.sunflower.lib.ms.us/sunflower/directory.asp |date=2017-08-16 }}." Sunflower County Library. Retrieved on July 21, 2010.</ref>

===History of education===
Prior to the school district merger, the Sunflower County School District had its headquarters in the Sunflower County Courthouse in Indianola.<ref>[http://www.sunflower.k12.ms.us/ Home page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725163522/http://www.sunflower.k12.ms.us/ |date=2010-07-25 }}. Sunflower County School District. Retrieved on August 17, 2010. "200 Main Street / Courthouse
Indianola, Mississippi 38751"</ref><ref>"[http://www.sunflower.k12.ms.us/demograp.html Demographics for Sunflower County Schools] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309091451/http://www.sunflower.k12.ms.us/demograp.html |date=2012-03-09 }}." [[Sunflower County School District]]. Retrieved on August 17, 2010.</ref> The district's educational services building is along [[U.S. Route 49]] West in Indianola.<ref>"[http://www.sunflower.k12.ms.us/edservic2.html Educational Services Building] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120309091521/http://www.sunflower.k12.ms.us/edservic2.html |date=2012-03-09 }}." [[Sunflower County School District]]. Retrieved on August 17, 2010.</ref>

As of 1996, 90 per cent of students in the Indianola School District were black. Most of the white students who attend Indianola public schools transfer to private schools by junior high school.<ref>Sanchez, Rene. "[https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/21829616.html?dids=21829616:21829616&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+17%2C+1996&author=Rene+Sanchez&pub=The+Washington+Post+%28pre-1997+Fulltext%29&desc=Academies+Are+Final+Bastions+Of+Separateness+Series%3A+IN+SEARCH+OF+THE+SOUTH%3B+SURVIVORS+OF+THE+SIXTIES+Series+Number%3A+4%2F6&pqatl=google Academies Are Final Bastions Of Separateness Series: IN SEARCH OF THE SOUTH; SURVIVORS OF THE SIXTIES Series Number: 4/6] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103141414/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost/access/21829616.html?dids=21829616:21829616&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Jul+17,+1996&author=Rene+Sanchez&pub=The+Washington+Post+(pre-1997+Fulltext)&desc=Academies+Are+Final+Bastions+Of+Separateness+Series:+IN+SEARCH+OF+THE+SOUTH%3B+SURVIVORS+OF+THE+SIXTIES+Series+Number:+4%2F6&pqatl=google |date=2012-11-03 }}." ''[[The Washington Post]]''. July 17, 1996. A01. Retrieved on August 17, 2010. "There are five public schools. Nearly nine of 10 students enrolled in them are black. And the small number of whites who do send their children to public schools usually switch to the academy once they reach junior high."</ref>