{{Short description|Public secondary school in Selma, Alabama, United States}} {{about|the Alabama school|the California school|Selma High School (Selma, California)}} {{more citations needed|date=July 2009}} {{Use American English|date=September 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}} {{Infobox school | address = 2180 Broad Street | city = Selma, Alabama | zipcode = 36701 | country = United States | former_names = A.G. Parrish High School and R.B. Hudson High School | established = {{start date and age|1970|p=1}} | district = Selma City School System | ceeb = 012430 | teaching_staff = 40.50 {{FTE}}<ref name=NCES/> | faculty = | enrollment = 687 (2023-2024)<ref name=NCES>{{cite web|url=https://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_detail.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=0102970&ID=010297001160|title=Selma High School|publisher=National Center for Education Statistics|access-date=March 28, 2025}}</ref> | ratio = 16.96<ref name=NCES/> | colors = Columbia blue and gold <br> {{Color box|#9BDDFF|border=silver}}{{Color box|gold|border=silver}} | team_name = Saints | yearbook = Magnet | website = {{URL|https://www.selmacityschools.org/selmahighschool_home.aspx}} }} '''Selma High School''' is a public secondary school in Selma, Alabama. It is the only public high school in the Selma City School System.
==History== Selma High School was formed in 1970 in response to court-ordered integration, merging the former white A.G. Parrish High School and the former black R.B. Hudson High School. The school was housed in the building of Parrish High, which was constructed in 1939. R.B. Hudson's building was converted to Westside Junior High School, was renamed Selma Middle CHAT Academy and, in 2012, became known as R.B. Hudson Middle School. The high school building was demolished in 2011<ref name=AL/> and replaced with a new building that opened in August 2012; the former main entrance has been preserved as one wall of the media center.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.selmatimesjournal.com/2012/08/08/new-selma-high-unveiled-to-community/ |title=New Selma High School unveiled to community |newspaper=Selma Times-Journal |date=August 8, 2012 |accessdate=May 12, 2017 }}</ref>
In 1990, Selma High received national attention for a series of protests addressing the school's tracking procedures, which based students' class choices on "ability grouping" tracks. Ethnic minority students formed a larger percentage of the lower tracks, while the most advanced curriculum had primarily white students. In 1990, a group of students, led by Rose Sanders, a local activist and the wife of the local state senator, led protests at the high school against this policy and the dismissal of the system's first black superintendent, Norward Roussell. The protests were successful in removing the tracking programs at Selma High and in drawing larger attention to the racial disparities in these programs.<ref>{{cite news |first=Ronald |last=Smothers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/11/us/25-years-later-racial-tensions-revive-in-selma.html |title=25 Years Later, Racial Tensions Revive in Selma |newspaper=The New York Times |date=February 11, 1990 |accessdate=May 12, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |first=Christina |last=Matthews |url=http://southernchanges.digitalscholarship.emory.edu/sc13-4_1204/sc13-4_005/ |title=Selma: What Has Changed? |journal=Southern Changes |volume=13 |issue=4 |year=1991 |pages=12–15 |accessdate=May 12, 2017}}</ref>
During the 1989–1990 academic year an incident occurred on school grounds that resulted in one student being shot. In response, the then governor Guy Hunt ordered the National Guard and state troopers to the high school.<ref name=AL/> As a result of the protests and the school shooting, many white parents withdrew their children to attend county or private schools. This led to increasing segregation in the school system, as of April 2011, Selma High had only five white students and enrollment had shrunk from approximately 1,500 to below 1,000.<ref name=AL/>
==Athletics== Selma High's sports teams compete in the Alabama High School Athletics Association's 6A classification. As of 2014, the school fielded teams in American football, basketball, baseball, wrestling, track and field, volleyball and softball.
The school won the 1946 AA, 1947 AA (as A.G. Parrish High), 1977 4A, and 1994 6A state boys' basketball championship,<ref name="basketball">{{citation |title=Basketball Past State Champions (Boys) |url=http://www.ahsaa.com/Sports/Basketball/History/BasketballPastStateChampionsBoys/tabid/1172/Default.aspx |publisher=Alabama High School Athletic Association |accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> as well as golf championships in 1949 and 1950 (as A.G. Parrish High).<ref name="golf">{{citation |title=Golf Past State Champions - Boys |url=http://www.ahsaa.com/Sports/Golf/History/GolfPastStateChampions/GolfPastStateChampionsBoys/tabid/2675/Default.aspx |publisher=Alabama High School Athletic Association |accessdate=July 3, 2009}}</ref> The school holds the record for most consecutive victories in basketball (73, including playoff games and 88 regular season games) and most state tournament appearances.
==Notable alumni== * Ralph "Shug" Jordan, former Auburn University football coach (attended Parrish High)<ref name=AL/> * Terry Leach, former baseball player<ref>{{cite web |title=Terry Leach |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/terry-leach/ |website=Society for American Baseball Research |accessdate=August 8, 2020}}</ref> * William Lehman, politician<ref>{{cite web |title=Lehmna, William (1913-2005) |url=https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=L000226 |website=Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress |accessdate=August 8, 2020}}</ref> * Darrio Melton, politician<ref>{{cite web |last1=Deshazo |first1=Alaina |title=20 Under 40: Melton takes leap of faith to run for mayor of his hometown |url=https://www.selmatimesjournal.com/2017/07/21/20-under-40-melton-takes-leap-of-faith-to-run-for-mayor-of-his-hometown/ |website=Selma Times-Journal}}</ref> * Jai Miller, former baseball player<ref>{{cite web |title=Jai Miller enrolls at Alabama, set to join Crimson Tide football |url=https://www.selmatimesjournal.com/2013/01/04/jai-miller-will-go-to-alabama/ |website=Selma Times-Journal |accessdate=August 8, 2020 |date=January 4, 2013}}</ref> * Ben Obomanu, wide receiver<ref name=AL>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |url=http://blog.al.com/wire/2011/04/selma_hopes_new_high_school_ca.html |title=Selma hopes new high school can bridge divides |website=Alabama.com |publisher=Alabama Media Group |date=April 14, 2011 |accessdate=May 12, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.selmatimesjournal.com/2011/05/21/obomanu-discusses-life-in-lockout/ |title=Obomanu discusses life in lockout |newspaper=Selma Times-Journal |date=May 21, 2011 |accessdate=May 12, 2017 }}</ref> * James Perkins Jr., first African-American mayor of Selma<ref name=AL/><ref>{{cite news |first=Jeffrey |last=Gettleman |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-oct-22-mn-40286-story.html |title=To Mayor, It's Selma's Statue of Limitations |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=October 22, 2000 |access-date=May 12, 2017 }}</ref> * Terri Sewell, U.S. Congressperson for Alabama's 7th District<ref name=AL/> * Lachavious Simmons, football player<ref>{{cite web |last1=McDonald |first1=George |title=Chicago Bears Pick Former Selma High Player in NFL Draft |url=https://www.alabamanews.net/2020/04/27/chicago-bears-pick-former-selma-high-player-in-nfl-draft/ |website=Alabama News Network |accessdate=August 8, 2020 |date=April 27, 2020}}</ref> * Jeremiah Wright, football player<ref>{{cite web |last1=Blum |first1=Sam |title=Auburn gets commitment from 2020 OT Jeremiah Wright |url=https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2019/07/auburn-gets-commitment-from-2020-ot-jeremiah-wright.html |website=AL.com |date=27 July 2019 |access-date=5 May 2025}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.selmacityschools.org/selmahighschool_home.aspx School website]
{{AHSAA Class 5A}}
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Category:Public high schools in Alabama Category:Education in Selma, Alabama Category:Educational institutions established in 1970 Category:Schools in Dallas County, Alabama Category:1970 establishments in Alabama