1999 LX is stuck in 5th gear--made a screeching sound first.

[donnabass8]

My 1999 Ford Escort Lx made a screeching sound in 5th and won't go into any gear now.

[denisond3]

I think we will need more info to be able to start really guessing....
How many miles are on the car, how long have you had it, and have you ever had the transmission fluid level checked?

Then; can you move the shift lever into other gear positions, or is it stuck in the 'forward and to the right' position where 5th gear is?
Can you hold the clutch down and start the car? And what happens when you then begin to let the clutch out? Normally the car would either stall, or try to move forward slightly (if the ground is level).

The first thing that occurred to me was that your transmission is very low on fluid (lubricant) and the gears are stuck in position. My Escorts are 2nd gens, but I think its the same arrangement on the 3rd gens Escorts. Its really an annoying job to try checking the trans fluid level, since you have to remove the Vehicle Speed Sensor, which is located at the rear of the transmission, and is commonly stuck tight in the case due to corrosion.

[AzTumbleweed]

With the little info you provide I would be thinking it might be a clutch problem.