The Judge Slams The Sham

Here we go again.

You know the drill.

Use the power of the press to marginalize and minimize legitimate concerns of people of color.

And yes, I'm going there.

 U.S. District Judge Madeline Hughes Haikala saw through the ruse,  and dropped the hammer on HCS board member Laurie McCaulley's  little "community conversations" masquerading as "a citizens workshop on unitary status" planned for Monday night.

Things in court grew tense as Haikala talked about a "citizens' workshop" that board member Laurie McCaulley has planned for Monday night at Butler High School. McCaulley earlier this week told AL.com that she had decided to host the event to help establish a "template" of the community's wishes for Superintendent Casey Wardynski to refer to during desegregation negotiations with the Justice Department.
In a scathing 107-page opinion she issued June 30, Haikala criticized the school board for a lack of communication with the public about its plans for redrawing school zone lines.
"These sorts of conversations at this juncture could cause problems down the line," Haikala said.

Unfortunately I can't say the same for  AL.com sports/opinion writer Mark McCarter, who once again took it upon himself to be a crusader for the status quo, and bash local NAACP President Alice Sams for saying she planned to attend, but other black leaders planned to boycott the sham, I mean, event.

"But to those who would cavalierly dismiss an opportunity like this to be heard, don't be surprised when people stop listening to you everywhere."

So let me see if I have this right (pun intended),  if the black leaders boycott the event, white people will  stop listening to them?  Sounds like a veiled threat and some racial code words to me.

Psst Mark McCarter!  White folks listening to black folk sound oxymoronic (sic).  Didn't you get the memo?  They certainly didn't listen to black elected officials and community leaders about the Johnson High School name change.  They certainly didn't listen to the J.O.Johnson Alumni Association's petition and march against the name change . They aren't listening to the valid concerns some people have about locating the new north high school less than half a mile from an active rock quarry , without conducting a health risk assessment.  

The education system in our city remains an area of great racial divide. The Huntsville City Schools have gone from an era of being ineptly managed to heavy handed leadership. By its nature, tough decisions that won't sit well with everyone must be made. It's a lightning rod for people with an agenda, often people who have no children involved.

Now where have I heard that Huntsville City Schools were ineptly managed under the former superintendent, and it's a lightning rod for people who have no children involved?  Oh I know.... right wing radio host Dale Jackson, Superintendent Casey Wardynski,  and Mayor Tommy Battle,  people who have no children involved.

The education system in our city remains an area of great racial divide by design,  hopefully we are coming to the end of an era, the tough decisions will be made, and Huntsville City Schools will be a shining example for others to follow again. 

I sure do miss the good old days when the media kept public officials from lying to us instead of enabling them to lie to us.

 Can you hear us now?