Blacks boycott schools in South over promotion of white official

Black students in this northwest Mississippi town won't go to class until the school board appoints a black assistant superintendent, says a pastor leading the student boycott. About 500, or 95 percent, of Senatobia's black students boycotted three public schools on Tuesday, in the third such protest in Mississippi in a year.

James Jackson, a black school board member, said the three white board members had promised to reserve the position for a black.

But the white board members say they pledged only to consider qualified blacks, and none could be found.

Superintendent Mike Waldrop said he would try to contact boycott leaders for a meeting.