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Sunday, July 29, 2012

Policy Changes Designed With The Incumbent In Mind



What do you do when you are an elected member of the school board  faced with losing your job to not one, but three challengers?   Do you run on your record and conduct a clean campaign, or, do  adopt a policy that threatens the career of the spouse of your strongest opponent ?

Thanks to Russell at  Geek Pavaler  who downloaded and read,  the new Huntsville City Schools Policy Manual , we know it's the later.

Russell describes this attempt to subvert the democratic process and control who runs for school board, but I believe it's more insidious than that.  I believe it's an attempt by the status quo to control who represents the interest of  black/brown/poor people on the school board.

Civil Action filed in 1988 by former State Representative George Grayson, etc.  forced the move from an appointed school board to an elected school board, and the creation of  minority districts, ensuring at least one African American served as a member of  the  City School Board, City Council,  The County Commission, and in the State Legislature.

Prior to McCaulley's election in 2008, the lone African-American seat on the school board was held by the late Dr. James I. Dawson.  When Dawson's health declined, his wife Gloria was appointed to fill his term until it expired. 

The facts are clear, the superintendent recommended a policy, adopted by the board, of which Ms. McCaulley is a member, that directly benefits her.  I submit this was done to ensure she will continue to represent the interest of black/brown/poor people on the school board. 

I say let the voters who live in District 1 decide who represents them in a fair and free election, where the candidate with the most votes wins.  If this new policy is legal and ethical, which I doubt, it should be rescinded immediately.  

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Imagine if Dr. Dawson's daughter, a teacher, had had to quit her job before her dad could take the seat to which he had been elected.

I looked at just the first thing that pops up when you click on "nepotism" in Russ's article, and it gets you to the case of whether someone's brother had to resign his job upon his sibling's election to a public position. Court said no.

You know, you'd think that the law firm Huntsville taxpayers hand over $60,000 a month to might bother to do a little research BEFORE the suits start. Oh, wait, the school board's attorney, Brooks, is a partner in the firm we keep writing 60K checks to. How dumb of me.

Redeye said...

I'm pretty sure they checked with the law firm prior to instituting this policy, they don't pass gas without asking the law firm if it's OK.