Public education activists in Birmingham are afraid that their school board is getting ready to appoint a Broadie–or worse–to be the next superintendent of schools. They fear that the plan is to deliberate this crucial decision in complete secrecy, then spring someone on the schools who wants to demolish them and turn them over to profit-driven, unaccountable charter schools. They are aware of what has happened in New Orleans, where academic gains–if any–are limited, segregation remains intact, and communities and are disempowered and silenced.
Read here to see the lengths the board will go to so as to shield their superintendent search from public view.
Diane Ravitch's blog 
The post won’t allow you to post a comment there. Birmingham should be on the lookout for Dallas Dance, current Superintendent of Baltimore County schools in MD. He just gave his resignation and June 30 will be his last day. No reason was given for his resignation and his contract with Balto Co was just renewed for 4 more years several months ago. He’s a lover of Ed-tech, started the STAT program and Lighthouse schools. Was found to sit on the board of the Ed-tech company that the county had a contract with. Put a tablet in the backpack of every child to the tune of over $370 million dollars. The kids now sit in classrooms Mario Kart Wii ing themselves an education. Badges, upon badges with embedded testing all the time. Just seems a little coincidental? I believe he is a Broadie but I don’t know how to find out that information.
Here is his “bio” as given on the district’s site:
https://www.bcps.org/offices/super/full_bio.html
He must be the most superduper, bestest adminimal ever.
As corrupt as ever receiving that 2nd paycheck from the ed-tech company while collecting his $225,000 a year salary (raised to $250,000?). Those bio’s on the school websites never state that they are graduates from Broad Academy….at least in MD. DD came at the same time that Lillian Lowry was hired to be state Superintendent…. Lillian left without warning also. She was a Broadie and was proud of it.
Here is the second part of the expose:
http://leftinalabama.com/the-fix-is-in/
DON’T MISS this devastating look at New Orleans from Enrique Baloyra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JMF4vtd1wk&feature=player_embedded
The meetings are “unofficial” to escape Alabama’s Sunshine lines. The executive search process for Superintendent should never be entirely closed from public view. Indeed candidates should be placed in a public forum to set forth their ideas on what education should be for, and what this district’s priorities should be.
Alabama FOIA Laws Alabama Open Meetings Law
Most states have their own version of the Freedom of Information Act, commonly referred to as Open Records, Open Meetings, Open Government or Sunshine laws.
In Alabama, freedom of information is provided under Al. Code §36-25A-1 et seq., which is called the Alabama Open Meetings Law. The Open Meetings Law guarantees that Alabama’s citizens have open access to agencies, boards, commissions, and other governmental bodies which conduct the people’s business.
Open Meetings Law Al. Code §36-12-40 et seq.
Closed: Attorney-client meetings; discussions where “character or good name” of a person is involved; and grand jury and juvenile proceedings.
Alabama Public Records Law
The Alabama Public Records Law under Al. Code §36-25A-1 et seq. grants citizens the right to inspect and copy public writings. Pursuant to the statute, every citizen has a right to inspect and take a copy of any public writing of the state, except as otherwise expressly provided by statute.
Public Records Law Al. Code §36-25A-1 et seq.
Exempt: Banking, juvenile court, hospital and probation reports; identity of Medicaid recipients; reports of suspected disease cases; tax and financial statements.
Visit, Alabama Sample FOIA Request, to view a sample FOIA request for the state. Printer-friendly version at http://www.nfoic.org/alabama-foia-laws
It seems as though the BOE is being secretive about a process that the public should have a right to know about. Birmingham is a about 73% black, and they may see the city as easy to turn over to charters. Parents should organize and get ready to resist, if they plan to defend their public schools.
For some reason, the corporate reformers believe that black children must be in no-excuses schools, so they can learn to blow bubbles instead of talk and learn to walk in silence in straight lines. Why do they always go after school districts that are majority black, like Birmingham, Kansas City, St. Louis, Detroit? Is it classism, or the sense that these districts are politically powerless?
I think the reasons are both the lack of political power and fact that busy parents are less likely to fight back. Also, if scores are low as in most schools with poor students, they can justify the need for a change. However, if they become entrenched, they will fabricate reasons to take over more schools.
I cannot speak for the other districts but here in Alabama, our legislators make every effort to limit Birmingham’s power and their control over their own city. I live in the 35206 area code and I’m up in Birmingham Schools on a regular basis, believe me, the communities are overwhelmingly against charter schools. Our system has successfully kept them at bay for two years. Because of this, there is now an amendment to our charter law aimed directly at Birmingham that will weaken our powers as a charter school authorizer. Isn’t it interesting how the reformers love ‘competition’ until the public schools rise up and actually provide some? They then run to their legislators crying, and of course, laws are changed so that the field is once again tilted to benefit the charters.
Terri Michal,
If I may add a little to your last thought:
“They then run WITH BAGS OF MONEY to their legislators crying, and of course, laws are changed so that the field is once again tilted to benefit the charters.
The Birmingham Board of Ed is also being sued because they spent taxpayer money flying these folks in, feeding them, and putting them up in a hotel without ever voting to spend the money. As a matter of fact, everyone was told they would be Skyping the first round of interviews. Imagine how surprised we were to find out the candidates were actually here in person! They then spent more money bringing the two finalists back, again, without a vote from the board to approve the expenditure. Only the Superintendent can spend money without approval of the board if it’s under a certain amount. Board members cannot ever spend money without approval.
Thank you, Dr. Ravitch, for shining a light on this corrupt process. Our children deserve better.