Coldwater High School set to close next year, officials say

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A North Mississippi high school is set to close after a ruling from a federal judge.

Tate County School District was notified Dec. 12 of the ruling that granted full closure of Coldwater High School, officials said.

The court ruling affects students in grades 7-12.

The Tate County School Board voted to make the closure effective for the 2023-24 school year, officials said.

FOX13 learned that many living in the community said closing Coldwater High School is not going to be good for Coldwater.

A lot of people here said that the closure is going to have a tough impact on the community.

Charles Mack of Coldwater said that he just doesn’t get it.

He said that more resources should have been put into Coldwater High School and that because they weren’t, the student population has dwindled along with the size of the community.

”I have never understood with Coldwater High School being the central location in this county, why would it even be in a conversation that you would shut your central school down?” Mack said.

The shutdown of the high school would be put into effect by the school system as of the 2023-2024 school year.

Census numbers show Coldwater as being 80 percent African American.

According to a federal judge’s ruling, the 180 students in grades 7-12 would go to either Strayhorn High or Independence High schools or to one of Senatobia’s high schools if they live closer to Senatobia.

Wayne King said that’s going to hurt.

”I think it is a sad situation that there will not be a high school in this town and Coldwater has always been a good town for people to live in and a good municipality,” King said.

Gabriel King said that he just doesn’t get it as he calls the school an inspiration for the community.

”When I was going there, everything was up and running good,” he said. “Computer labs were working and science labs were up and math, and everything was going good.”

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