Colleagues mourn Canton teacher who died in ghost train accident on highway

CANTON, Mississippi (WLBT) – A family and community are mourning the loss of a Canton teacher who was killed in a wrong-way driving accident on I-55 on Saturday.

Those who knew Tyra Small Jackson are still in shock. At Nichols Middle School, where Small Jackson taught, there is silence and sadness that has resonated with her students and colleagues.

“She wanted to change her title as Teacher of the Year, but was not given the opportunity,” said Yotunga Grant, assistant principal at Nichols Middle School.

On Monday, she returned to Tyra Small Jackson’s eighth-grade Cyber ​​Foundation class, still reeling from the news that the beloved educator would be gone in the fall. Grant had known the 2023-24 Teacher of the Year for more than 10 years.

“She has wholeheartedly earned every award she has received,” Grant said. “We will miss her very much.”

On Saturday, the 48-year-old was in a vehicle on I-55 near the Glückstadt exit when a woman driving the wrong way on the highway collided with her. A baby and another person were in the car with her and survived. The married mother of three children was from Canton and taught in the district for 23 years.

“Miss Jackson was a dynamic, intelligent and smart educator,” said the middle school principal. “We loved her here at Nichols. She was Nichols. She demonstrated her expertise in every way.”

Friends and colleagues are still overwhelmed by the sudden and tragic loss, which will be felt for years to come.

“The hallways of Nichols Middle School will simply never be the same,” Grant added.

Jordan Sullivan of Louisville is charged with drunk driving. The 32-year-old was hospitalized for her injuries. Her bail is set at $250,000.

Want more WLBT news in your inbox? Click here to subscribe to our newsletter.

Do you see a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please Click here to report on it and include the story headline in your email.

All rights reserved.