Mississippi
Mississippi court overturns firing of educator terminated for reading children’s book
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) – After nearly four years of waiting, checking court websites repeatedly for a decision that never seemed to come, Toby Price finally got the answer he was searching for: vindication.
The Mississippi Court of Appeals has overturned the firing of the former Gary Road Elementary School assistant principal, who was terminated in March 2022 for reading “I Need a New Butt!” to a group of second graders during Read Across America Day.
The court’s decision came down Jan. 27, marking a major victory for Price after multiple hearings sided with the Hinds County School District’s decision to fire him.
“I didn’t believe it at first, because I sat at the computer like some kind of nerd each week, reloading the pages to see if there’s a decision, reload, reload, reload,” Price said in an exclusive interview with 3 On Your Side. “And then one morning I got on and reload, and there was something there. My wife had texted me and I said, ‘I think we won.’ And she called me on the phone and she was crying.”
The appeals court found the school district had no substantive reason to terminate Price. Judges noted there were no parent complaints on file, no student complaints, and only vague criticism from teachers who said they “wouldn’t have picked that book.”
More significantly, the court found the school library contained books with similar or worse content than the book Price read — a finding the judges called “whimsical” decision-making on the part of the school board.
“They went through the book itself, they were able to see that there are so many other books in the library that have similar content and or worse content in some cases that are apparently okay. And it was very inconsistent,” Price said.
The court wrote in its decision: “There is nothing concrete in the record demonstrating that the second-grade class was subjected to ‘unnecessary embarrassment.’ No child or group of children was singled out during the reading, and Price acknowledged the outlandish nature of the book’s premise.”
This ruling reversed a 2024 Chancery Court decision that upheld his firing and came after oral arguments before the Mississippi Court of Appeals in September 2025.
Yet even with the court’s vindication, four years of public scrutiny have left their mark on Price and his family. The visibility of the case — which drew national attention — has followed him into everyday life.
A year ago, Price said a stranger in a Walmart checkout line recognized him and hurled a slur at him, calling him a pedophile while his children were present.
“It was all I could do not to break down because I’m not going to break down in front of somebody like that,” Price said. “But it still hurts.”
The incident was witnessed by a checkout clerk who had known Price and his family for years. She defended him publicly in that moment, telling the man, “I’ve been checking you and your family out at this door for years, since they were babies. And there are a lot of things I could call you. But that ain’t it.”
Still, Price said the damage to his reputation persists despite the legal victory.
“So, yes, we get vindicated by the decision, but the visibility like that doesn’t go away,” he said. “And the narrative that they tried to spin is really hard to make that wash off.”
This reality stands in stark contrast to when Price first spoke out about his firing in 2023, expressing hope that the legal process would clear his name.
The appeals court’s decision means Price is eligible for reinstatement and four years of back pay. However, Price said he is uncertain whether he will return to the Hinds County School District — the same district that fired him.
His position was filled four years ago, and Price expressed concerns about returning to work for the same school board members who terminated him, citing fears of potential retaliation.
“My goal is to find a way that I can still help kids and parents and students but not take away from the mission of schools,” Price said. “I don’t know what that’s going to look like yet. But we will find out.”
During the four years away from education, Price pivoted to writing. He has authored children’s books in “The Almost True Adventures of Titus the Monkey” series, which focuses on autism awareness. He is currently finishing a third book in the series and working on a non-fiction memoir about his family and his experiences.
“I love telling stories, and that I could spread some autism awareness, make kids laugh at the same time,” Price said.
Price’s attorney will meet with the Hinds County School District to negotiate details of reinstatement and back pay. A Chancery Court hearing is expected to occur within approximately 30 days to finalize the settlement package.
Despite the uncertainty, Price said he is choosing to move forward with faith.
“When you have a lot of what you kind of base your identity on stripped away or taken away from you, there’s nothing left. So you got to have faith that tomorrow is just going to be okay,” he said. “I don’t know what the answers are going to be tomorrow. I don’t know what tomorrow is going to look like, but I’m gonna be okay.”
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Mississippi
NCAA appeals to Mississippi Supreme Court, seeking to bar Trinidad Chambliss from playing in 2026
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The NCAA has filed an appeal in the eligibility case of Mississippi quarterback Trinidad Chambliss.
In the appeal, filed Thursday with the Mississippi Supreme Court, the NCAA argues that Chambliss has “exhausted his eligibility” to play Division I football because he has already played four seasons in a five-year period, the maximum allowed under NCAA rules.
A Mississippi judge last month granted Chambliss a preliminary injunction against college athletics’ governing body, giving him an extra year of eligibility that would allow him to play in 2026. The NCAA had previously denied Chambliss’ request for a waiver.
Chambliss began his college career at Ferris State in 2021, redshirted his first season and did not play in 2022 because of medical issues. He played two more seasons at the Division II school in Michigan, leading the Bulldogs to a national championship before transferring to Ole Miss before the start of last season.
The 23-year-old Chambliss led the Rebels to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
“I’m proud of myself for the work I’ve put in. A lot of people say they want to do stuff but they don’t work on it, so I’m proud that I stuck to stuff like practicing at home. Even when I didn’t want to go to practice I went,” Johnson said. “This year since I was a captain I had to show my leadership skills and step up, especially with our shortage of players. Not every year is the best but you’ve got to make the best of what you’ve got and I’m proud that I’ve been able to adapt to the changes.”
Johnson joined a growing pipeline of Warren County players who are headed to East Mississippi. She’s the fourth player from the county to sign there in the past two years. Johnson said another Vicksburg native is to credit for that.
Ryan Theriot, a former St. Aloysius star, is an assistant coach at East Mississippi. He’s mined his hometown for talent, including recruiting Johnson.
“The assistant coach, Ryan (Theriot), is from Vicksburg so he saw me. He emailed me asking if I was interested in playing soccer, so I said yes, if I get the opportunity I would be happy to,” Johnson said. “It’s very surreal, because honestly I did not think I would be playing soccer at this level. It’s hard to get looked at for soccer, especially in Vicksburg. Sometimes Vicksburg gets overlooked.”
During her high school career Johnson has played nearly every position on the field at one time or another, including keeper. She wasn’t sure where she’d play at East Mississippi, and doesn’t really care as long as she’s in the lineup.
“One time I had to play striker, and the next midfield. One time I had to go to defense. It was stressful. But then I’m kind of happy because when I get to college we’ll have other people to play all these positions. It was good for me to be versatile,” Johnson said. “If I have to change positions to play I definitely will, because I do want to start by the end of my freshman year.”
More than anything, she just wants to play and continue to leave her mark.
“I’m really excited to play at this next level so I can tell my kids I played soccer in college,” Johnson said. “I just want to thank my teammates from soccer, softball and volleyball, my coaches, and my mom and grandmom. I love all of y’all very much.”
Odds of winning the Powerball and Mega Millions are NOT in your favor
Odds of hitting the jackpot in Mega Millions or Powerball are around 1-in-292 million. Here are things that you’re more likely to land than big bucks.
The Mississippi Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 7, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mississippi Match 5 numbers from March 7 drawing
08-11-15-23-24
Check Mississippi Match 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 3 numbers from March 7 drawing
Midday: 9-6-4, FB: 4
Evening: 4-5-1, FB: 0
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from March 7 drawing
Midday: 4-3-0-7, FB: 4
Evening: 2-2-0-8, FB: 0
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash Pop numbers from March 7 drawing
Midday: 06
Evening: 09
Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Story continues below gallery.
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
Winnings of $599 or less can be claimed at any authorized Mississippi Lottery retailer.
Prizes between $600 and $99,999, may be claimed at the Mississippi Lottery Headquarters or by mail. Mississippi Lottery Winner Claim form, proper identification (ID) and the original ticket must be provided for all claims of $600 or more. If mailing, send required documentation to:
Mississippi Lottery Corporation
P.O. Box 321462
Flowood, MS
39232
If your prize is $100,000 or more, the claim must be made in person at the Mississippi Lottery headquarters. Please bring identification, such as a government-issued photo ID and a Social Security card to verify your identity. Winners of large prizes may also have the option of setting up electronic funds transfer (EFT) for direct deposits into a bank account.
Mississippi Lottery Headquarters
1080 River Oaks Drive, Bldg. B-100
Flowood, MS
39232
Mississippi Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days of the drawing date. For detailed instructions and necessary forms, please visit the Mississippi Lottery claim page.
When are the Mississippi Lottery drawings held?
- Cash 3: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Cash 4: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
- Match 5: Daily at 9:30 p.m. CT.
- Cash Pop: Daily at 2:30 p.m. (Midday) and 9:30 p.m. (Evening).
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Mississippi editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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