Selma High School
Encyclopedia
Selma High School is a public secondary school
in Selma, Alabama
, part of the Selma City School System. It is the only public high school in the Selma City Schools System. It is also an eight-year accredited institution with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
In 1990, Selma High received national attention due to a series of protests addressing the school's tracking procedures. The school, like a number of other schools, had "ability grouping" tracks for students set their high school curriculum. However, minority students in these programs formed a larger percentage of the lower tracks, while the most advanced curriculum had primarily white students in it. In 1990, a group of students led protests at Selma High School against this policy and the dismissal of the system's superintendent, who was trying to address this program. The protests were successful in removing the tracking programs at Selma High and in drawing larger attention to the racial disparities in these programs.
, basketball
, baseball
, golf
, track and field
, volleyball
, and softball
.
The school won the 1946 AA, 1947 AA (as A.G. Parish High), 1977 4A, and 1994 6A state boys' basketball championship, as well as golf championships in 1949 and 1950 (as A.G. Parish High).
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
in Selma, Alabama
Selma, Alabama
Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, Alabama, United States, located on the banks of the Alabama River. The population was 20,512 at the 2000 census....
, part of the Selma City School System. It is the only public high school in the Selma City Schools System. It is also an eight-year accredited institution with the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
History
Selma High School formed in 1970 in response to court-ordered integration, merging A.G. Parrish High School and R.B. Hudson High School. The school is in the building of Parish High, which was constructed in 1939. R.B. Hudson's building was converted to Westside Junior High School, now the Selma Middle CHAT Academy.In 1990, Selma High received national attention due to a series of protests addressing the school's tracking procedures. The school, like a number of other schools, had "ability grouping" tracks for students set their high school curriculum. However, minority students in these programs formed a larger percentage of the lower tracks, while the most advanced curriculum had primarily white students in it. In 1990, a group of students led protests at Selma High School against this policy and the dismissal of the system's superintendent, who was trying to address this program. The protests were successful in removing the tracking programs at Selma High and in drawing larger attention to the racial disparities in these programs.
Athletics
Selma High competes in the Alabama High School Athletics Association and is classified in 5A sports. They currently field teams in footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
, basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
, volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, and softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
.
The school won the 1946 AA, 1947 AA (as A.G. Parish High), 1977 4A, and 1994 6A state boys' basketball championship, as well as golf championships in 1949 and 1950 (as A.G. Parish High).
Alumni
Notable alumni of Selma High School, and its two predecessors, include:- Otis Jones, former Air Force Academy basketball star and current US Air Force Pilot
- Ben ObomanuBen ObomanuBenjamin Ebenezer Obomanu is an American football wide receiver who was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the 7th round of the 2006 NFL Draft. Obomanu played college football for the Auburn Tigers.-High School years:...
, Wide Receiver for the Auburn TigersAuburn TigersAuburn Tigers is the name given to Auburn University athletic teams. The University is a member of the Southeastern Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 19 varsity teams in 13 sports:* Men's sports** Baseball** Basketball...
and Seattle SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
- James Perkins, former mayor of Selma. Perkins was the first African-American mayor of Selma.
- Ralph "Shug" Jordan, legendary Auburn University football coach (attended Parrish High)
- Julius "Doc" Robinson , former Auburn TigersAuburn TigersAuburn Tigers is the name given to Auburn University athletic teams. The University is a member of the Southeastern Conference and competes in NCAA Division I, fielding 19 varsity teams in 13 sports:* Men's sports** Baseball** Basketball...
basketball player - Jai Miller, Outfielder for the Kansas City RoyalsKansas City RoyalsThe Kansas City Royals are a Major League Baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals are a member of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From 1973 to the present, the Royals have played in Kauffman Stadium...