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Monday, December 27, 2010

The sad sorry state of the Huntsville City School System and Alabama public schools in general

If you're thinking of moving to Huntsville, or the State of Alabama, I hope you don't have any k-12 school children. If you are not affluent enough to live in a neighborhood with the best public schools your tax dollars can buy, or afford to send your student to private schools, your children are tough out of luck, thanks to the sad, sorry state of separate and unequal education in Alabama.  Fifty years after Brown v. Board ordered schools to integrate Alabama is still the state of segregation today, segregation tomorrow, and it looks like segregation forever.
I want to assure every child that this State government is not afraid to invest in their future through education, so that they will not be handicapped on every threshold of their lives.

Today I have stood, where once Jefferson Davis stood, and took an oath to my people. It is very appropriate then that from this Cradle of the Confederacy, this very Heart of the Great Anglo-Saxon Southland, that today we sound the drum for freedom as have our generations of forebears before us done, time and time again through history. Let us rise to the call of freedom-loving blood that is in us and send our answer to the tyranny that clanks its chains upon the South. In the name of the greatest people that have ever trod this earth, I draw the line in the dust and toss the gauntlet before the feet of tyranny . . . and I say . . . segregation today . . . segregation tomorrow . . . segregation forever.
In an Opinion piece in the Sunday's Huntsville Times, Huntsville City School Chief Dr. Ann Roy Moore says (paraquoting) don't blame me for the sad, sorry, state of separate and unequal education, blame the people who elected the people who hired and enabled me to maintain the status quo, because we were all sitting around the table together.
For clarity it must also be understood that copies of the monthly financials (Certification of Expenditures) are always included in the regular board meeting agenda packet. A negative ending fund balance (general fund) was reflected in the past five monthly financial reports approved by the Huntsville City Board of Education. Since 1997, prior to each regular board meeting, the superintendent and CFO always meet with the two board members that serve on the Finance-Audit Committee to discuss the report that will be voted on at the upcoming board meeting.
See what I mean? As long as the budgetary goals include paying clueless consultants while laying off teachers, paying support personnel slave wages, building new schools while other schools suffer, not making sure every child in Huntsville has access to a quality public education regardless of their zip code, board members who operate in back rooms and not in public, and hire temporary workers to get around tenure laws I can't, strike that, I won't support your *ahem* budgetary goals.

You see the problem with Huntsville City Schools is they don't realize there is no right (pun intended) way to do the wrong thing. If they weren't hell bent on maintaining a separate and unequal school system they wouldn't be in this mess. It's expensive to operate a dual educational system.
Herbert Wheeler, Huntsville City Schools' chief financial officer, comments, "I can't say with any degree of accuracy that we won't have a reduction in force" (The Huntsville Times, April 7, 2009). Additionally, Craig Pouncey, assistant state superintendent of finance , emphasized (The Huntsville Times July 14, 2010), "When the Legislature understands things that must be done, like transporting kids to school or fixing leaky roofs...schools have to pay for it through local funds. That's what has driven school systems into the ditch." In August, "Wheeler was predicting that the system would be in the red either this month or next" (The Huntsville Times, Aug. 20, 2009). In September, State Superintendent Joe Morton predicted a second year of proration. Superintendent Moore says (The Huntsville Times 9/30/09), "it's likely the system will have to reduce staff."
If you think the democratic majority Alabama state legislature didn't understand the problems facing public school systems , what do you think the newly elected anti public education, red, republican, legislature is going to do? Here's a hint.
Now that the red state, republicans have control of the Alabama government expect a big push for new ideas like Charter Schools with the fake concern about poor, black children being forced to attend them there failing public schools. meababs urges folks to use caution before jumping on the charter school bandwagon and I agree.
So here we are, reducing staff (laying off teachers) while the number of school age children increase all because the Huntsville City School system, and the state of Alabama in general is hell bent on doing the wrong thing. Taxpayers would be willing to support the school system's budget if they saw it benefiting their children and not to maintain the status quo.
The first major RIF in the Huntsville City School system in recent history was implemented this past spring and was done in preparation for starting a movement toward a positive outcome at the end of this fiscal year. If everyone supports the budgetary goals based on projections, staffing and other budgetary strategies, the system's financial status will improve over time.

It will take the concerted effort and the support of all board members along with the superintendent to make this happen.
Good luck with that.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Didn't your husband get convicted for threatening a bunch of cheerleaders? Is that why you have such a chip on your shoulder with the HSV schools?

Redeye said...

No and No.

Anonymous said...

http://www.leagle.com/xmlResult.aspx?xmldoc=20031338865So2d473_11330.xml&docbase=CSLWAR2-1986-2006

Be honest, Eddgra!

Redeye said...

Anonymous,
Thank you for posting this. The world needs to see the end result of parental involvement when it comes to African Americans who stand up for their children and their rights in HCS system. There are no bowed heads in this circle, but shame on the bastards who tried to legally lynch a decent and honest person who would not accept an offer by the Judge of a $1.00 fine for a guilty plea.

Now run tell THAT Homeboy!

Nice try trying to hijack my thread.

Dale Jackson said...

This is awesome...

I bet you guys whined about racism when your girls didn't make the squad.

Just awesome.

Redeye said...

Don't you have some voter suppression with the state seal of approval to get to? This thread is about the sad sorry state of public education in Huntsville and Alabama in general.

Dale Jackson said...

How nice,

Let me go over the differences with you...

Who is the criminal, me or your husband? Your husband.

Who has a conviction, me or your husband? Your husband.

Who actually broke the law, me or your husband.

They couldn't even bring a charge against me because... I never broke the law.

Here is the follow up, how does a man who threatened children and school teachers get to work for Bob Harrison's shady non-progit?

Redeye said...

Must read letter to the editor of the Huntsville Times regarding the sad, sorry state of Huntsville City Schools

City school board

We all make mistakes; some are innocent; some are harmless. Some may even result in good. In my 24 years of elected service, as a legislator and later as a judge, I made my share of mistakes, but one of them overshadows all the others in its ultimate, time-proven harm.

So I now confess. In 1971, I was the author and sponsor of the legislation that resulted in Huntsville's elected Board of Education. Prior to that, the board was appointed by the City Council. While all the current members of the board are fine, well-qualified people, there can be no doubt that the Huntsville school system has become politicized to the point of serious damage.

Clearly, one of the main reasons for the present $20 million financial deficit in the system is that board members didn't want to lay people off or cut back on expenses, even though they knew a big problem was looming. That would cost them votes.

There is a high school that almost everyone agrees needs to be closed, but it won't be any time soon because that would cost one or more board members votes. All this proves that good politics is not necessarily good government.

It sort of reminds us of Congress.

Hartwell B. Lutz

Owens Cross Roads, 35763

Dale Jackson said...

Your silence is awesome and welcomed.

I hope your criminal husband doesn't get angry at people for bringing this up.

Redeye said...

DaleJackson,
Does your mother like you?

Dale Jackson said...

Very much, now try focusing on the crimes (your husband committed) at hand.

It's funny, I wonder what kind of post would be written if a GOP politician had this close contact with a guy convicted of threatening kids and teachers?

Redeye said...

Attention BRAC Parents: Huntsville City Schools vs CJ Grisham

http://www.flashpointblog.com/2009/11/18/attention-brac-parents-huntsville-city-schools-vs-cj-grisham/

Your involvement is welcome so say Huntsville City Schools

http://www.flashpointblog.com/2009/11/13/your-involvement-is-welcome/

CJ's speech to the Huntsville Board of Education

http://www.flashpointblog.com/2009/11/11/cjs-speech-to-the-huntsville-board-of-education/

Bringing the spirit of terror into school

http://www.flashpointblog.com/2009/11/20/bringing-the-spirit-of-terror-into-school/

Excerpt;
“Bringing the spirit of terror into school”.

That’s how one Williams Middle School parent described Master Sergeant CJ Grisham at tonight’s Huntsville City Schools Board of Education meeting. What was truly disturbing is that after admonishing people to “respect the good name and character of people”, Board President Doug Martinson allowed this comment to be made several times. Eventually the standing room only crowd objected so loudly that Martinson banged his gavel for order – but seemingly not to stop the speaker who had just accused a Gulf War veteran of “bringing the spirit of terror” – it was to quiet the audience.

Believe it or not, that is our school board, and I am outraged.

The school board may believe that this issue is about to blow over, but they’ll find that this is about to blow up.

Dale Jackson said...

No idea what your point is and sadly I doubt you know either.

Dale Jackson said...

Clearly there are no black cheerleaders in Huntsville. Thank God Redeye's husband threatened those children in order to get his way...

What is that called?

Oh, yeah... TERRORISM.

Redeye said...

What part of this thread is about the sad, sorry, state of public education in Huntsville and Alabama in general don't you understand?

Huntsville City/Madison County Schools fail to meet "Adequate yearly progress"
http://www.flashpointblog.com/2010/08/02/huntsville-city-madison-county-schools-fail-to-meet-adequate-yearly-progress-goals/

School Date shows chasim

http://www.flashpointblog.com/2010/08/01/schools-data-show-chasm/

We're going to fix this
http://www.flashpointblog.com/2010/08/03/were-going-to-fix-this/

Racism: The allegation one makes in the absence of critical thinking
http://www.flashpointblog.com/2010/06/12/racism-the-allegation-one-makes-in-the-absence-of-critical-thinking/

This is getting ugly
http://www.flashpointblog.com/2010/06/04/this-is-getting-ugly/

Dale Jackson said...

So Eddgra like holding people accountable but doesn't like being questioned.

Good to know Redeye is blind when it comes to looking at her terrorist husband.

Redeye said...

Letter to the Editor in The Huntsville Times regarding the sad,sorry state of The Huntsville City School System;

Huntsville schools fix

The schools end up with a $20 million deficit and the school board didn't know.

The main purpose of the Board is to maintain the financial status of the organization and to know exactly where funding stands. Lacking that knowledge, the board is not doing its jobs and should be removed.

There is an entire accounting staff who report to the superintendent and through her to the board. Board members should be able to get any information just by asking.

It seems to me that ignoring such things as proration and less sales tax revenue without taking immediate action to alleviate the effect of this reduction in funding caused the deficit. As for Mr.Blair and his opinion that a $20 million debt is nothing to be concerned with, is he going to pay it? Using next years budget to pay for a deficit will only make it worse.

I suggest: (1) Bring someone on the board who can add and subtract; (2) stop allowing the state to reduce the per-student funding share Huntsville receives so that other school systems can get more than their share; (3) make a realistic school budget that does not include increases in expected funding but make it conservative so that any extra funds give a surplus; (4) have the county commission raise the sales tax by the one-half percent that is allowed. Finally, take away the ability of the board to obtain loans without a vote of the public. That is how the situation can really get out of control as evidenced in Birmingham.

Melvin L. Price

Huntsville, 35802

http://blog.al.com/times-views/2011/01/letters_to_the_editor_huntsvil_308.html