Martha Roby: Local insight must lead in our classrooms
As a mother of two young children, I know how important it is that we get it right when it comes to education. I believe decisions about education are best made locally, so throughout my time in Congress, I have worked to implement policies that give local teachers and parents more control over making needed improvements to education for our children. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos recently testified before the Labor, Health and Human Services, Education Appropriations Subcommittee, on which I am proud to serve. During the hearing, I had the opportunity to ask Secretary DeVos whether, under her leadership, the Department of Education acknowledges that the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) expressly forbids the coercion of states to adopt certain federal education standards, including Common Core. Secretary DeVos assured me that she does acknowledge this and that the Department will continue to follow the letter and spirit of the law. I have championed these anti-coercion measures for several years, and I’m glad to now have a partner leading the Department of Education who will work with us to ensure that Washington won’t force policy agendas into Alabama classrooms. I appreciate Secretary DeVos for taking the time to review the Department’s priorities with our subcommittee, and I was particularly pleased to hear her response to my question. You know as well as I do that when the federal government manipulates education policy and standards, it ties the hands of school administrators, teachers, and parents in a way that is detrimental to the education of our children. We saw this firsthand in our country when No Child Left Behind (NCLB) was the law of the land and federal officials had too much control over our classrooms. During the subcommittee hearing, I was also glad to have the opportunity to talk with Secretary DeVos about the importance of Career Technical Education (CTE) programs and ways we can continue to strengthen and improve them. In Alabama, we are fortunate to have a strong network of these programs. As of last year, Alabama’s Community College System had more than 79,000 students enrolled in CTE programs, and 70 Alabama high schools offer CTE courses with nearly 184,960 students enrolled. As our state’s economy continues to grow and add jobs, it is imperative that our students have access to programs that will prepare them to be competitive in our workforce. It goes without saying that CTE is hugely significant to our state, and I’m pleased Secretary DeVos reaffirmed the Trump Administration’s commitment to supporting these programs all over the country. I am proud to work with the Administration to strengthen CTE, and I will continue to fight to improve our education laws with policies that are more conservative and state-centered. I am confident that local teachers and parents know how to educate the children in their communities better than bureaucrats in Washington, and I will do everything I can in Congress to empower them to be the driving force in our schools. ••• Martha Roby represents Alabama’s Second Congressional District. She lives in Montgomery, Alabama with her husband Riley and their two children.
Alabama education budget moves one step closer to Kay Ivey’s desk
Alabama legislators moved one step closer to sending the Education Trust Fund budget to Gov. Kay Ivey’s desk on Tuesday. Lawmakers in the State House gave final approval to the conference committee report on HB175, a $6.6 billion education budget for Fiscal Year 2019, which starts October 1 on a 98 to 0 vote. It is the largest education budget for Alabama’s schools since the great recession of 2008. The funding includes a 2.5 percent pay raise for teachers. The measure now moves to the State Senate for final approval, before it could be sent to Ivey’s desk to be signed into law.
Tommy Tuberville endorses gubernatorial candidate Tommy Battle
Former Auburn Head Football Coach Tommy Tuberville on Tuesday announced his endorsement of Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle to be Alabama’s next governor. “I think we need something different in Montgomery; We need somebody that’s outside the Montgomery rim… I think Tommy Battle is gonna be the guy that people should look at,” said Tuberville. Tuberville made the endorsement on the Auburn-Opelika This Morning show on the WANI station in Auburn, Ala. He came very close to running for governor himself, but announced in April of 2017 that he decided not to run. Tuberville applauded Battle’s success of recruiting 24,000 jobs to Alabama since 2010. He also praised Battle’s efforts in putting together the right team to carry out his plan and vision. Being Governor is “kind of like being a a head football coach,” said Tuberville. “You put together staffs, you know people who can help you make decisions, give you advice, and he’s [Battle] has done that in Huntsville. A lot of people from Birmingham, South, Mobile, Dothan, Auburn they don’t know a lot about Tommy Battle but Huntsville is one of the most growing parts of the country, not just the state of Alabama.” Battle was thrilled to hear Tuberville’s comments and honored to receive the important endorsement. “We may be on different sidelines when Alabama and Auburn play each other, but Coach Tuberville and I are on the same team when it comes to moving our great state forward,” said Battle. “I want to thank him for his support. I can’t wait to see Coach Tuberville on the campaign trail.” Battle will face incumbent Gov. Kay Ivey, Bill Hightower, Scott Dawson and Michael McAllister in the June 5 Republican primary.
Alabama goes teal to raise awareness of sexual violence
According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization, every 98 seconds, another American is sexually assaulted. 1 in 6 American women and 1 in 33 American men have been the victim of an attempted or completed rape. What’s worse is approximately two out of three sexual assaults are not even reported to police. Sexual violence is a devastating national and statewide problem that impacts the lives of many women, men, and children each year. In Alabama, 5.4 rapes are reported daily. Which is why the Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) is partnering with the Alabama Coalition Against Rape (ACAR) to unveil “Alabama Goes Teal.” In conjunction with the national Sexual Assault Awareness Month, “Alabama Goes Teal,” will endeavor to increase statewide awareness about sexual violence and to engage the general public regarding prevention options and victim services. On April 13, employees of ADPH and other Alabamians are invited to wear teal in observance of “Alabama Goes Teal.” “The observance is a great way to raise awareness, provide resources for help, and educate the community,” Kimberly Love, executive director of ACAR, said. “’Alabama Goes Teal” will be a reminder to victim survivors that they are not alone and a clarion call to the community that we must eradicate sexual violence in Alabama.” Help is available for victims of sexual violence. In addition to contacting a law enforcement agency and seeking help at a hospital, victims can contact one of the rape crisis centers in their area or call 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE) to be connected to the nearest center.
Women of Influence: State Board of Education member Jackie Zeigler
Jackie Zeigler has been a loyal servant of the public education system and the state of Alabama for over three decades. Born in Cleveland she moved to Mobile, Ala. and earned her Bachelors of Science and Master of Arts degrees in elementary education from the University of South Alabama in 1985, and went on to obtain an Administration and Supervision certificate from the same school. Jackie then began what would become a long and prominent career in the Mobile County School system as a school teacher at Dauphin Island’s Little Red School House in 1980 and later served as acting principal there. Zeigler then moved to Maryvale Elementary School in 1986 where she was a classroom teacher and Title One Coordinator. She then became Assistant Principal at O’Rourke Elementary School in the summer of 1996, and was also an adjunct professor of education at Springhill College where she taught curriculum. Jackie spent the next 14 years of her career as the principal at Mary B. Austin Elementary, during which time the school earned the National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence, before she finally retired. In 2016, Zeigler ran for the State Board of Education, District 1, against incumbent Matthew Brown who had been appointed to the position by former governor Robert Bentley, despite the fact he had very little experience in the education. Needless to say Zeigler’s 37 years of experience in education spoke for itself. She was sworn in on Jan. 24, 2017. “My hands-on experiences within the school setting that incorporated all the intricacies of curriculum, management, financial accountability, communication with all stakeholders (students, faculty and staff, parents, community) along with a myriad of other daily, fluid responsibilities cements my ability to bring a working knowledge to the SBOE table.” “I am a firm believer, and my open door policy during my school experience authenticated this belief, of maintaining lines of communication that are a two way street with the vital component of listening as the main focus. Listening is the most important aspect in any communication along with keeping an open mind to be a life long learner,” Zeigler told Alabama School Connection. If the name Zeigler sound familiar, thats because she’s married to Alabama’s current State Auditor Jim Zeigler. They have two children, James Baldwin, a graduate of Baker High School, and Mary Magdalene, a senior at Baker High School. Zeigler is a knowledgable woman, with many years of experience in the professional world, and was kind enough to answer some of Alabama Today’s questions about her life, work and influences: How have other women influenced your success? My mother was an excellent role model who showed me that hard work, determination, strong morals and work ethic along with a vision and focus would allow one to make a success in home life and career. My principal mentor who guided me by allowing hands-on experience in leadership roles. She challenged me to think outside the box and gave me opportunities to make a true difference in the lives of students. Her trust in me and my capabilities gave forth to a career that lasted 38 years resulting in a National Blue Ribbon award. Other educators with whom I came in to daily contact were my support team as well as my biggest critics. I quickly learned that everything one does in the school setting must have a positive impact on the students. Take “me” out of any equation or scenario. If what I am determined to do doesn’t have the best interests of the students first and foremost, then step back and punt. Your primary career is as an educator, what piqued your interest in public education? I knew I would be an educator beginning in the third grade. I was blessed to have various educational experiences because my family moved all across our great nation on an average of every 3 years. Private schooling, parochial schooling and public schooling, beginning in k’g through twelfth grade, afforded me the working knowledge of how various school settings work. It cemented my resolve in high school that education was my career of choice and I never looked back. What advice would you give young women considering careers in education? Go for it! My experience as a classroom teacher, Title I facilitator, assistant principal, principal and adjunct college professor all gave me the richest of rewards by working daily with students and other educators. I would challenge one to apply for and accept those situations that are beyond the norm. Utilizing all of one’s talents and abilities in settings that appear the most difficult end up being those of greatest return. Continue to grow through readings, seminars, lectures…never rest on your laurels because the impact you may have on student lives are worth every effort you impart. For her 37 years of service to the Mobile County School systems, and her willingness to continue to serve her community and state throughout her retirement, Jackie Zeigler is clearly an Alabama woman of influence.
California county considers fighting state’s ‘sanctuary’ law
Leaders of Orange County, California, planned Tuesday to consider fighting a state law aimed at protecting immigrants from stepped-up deportations under the Trump administration. The backlash to the state’s so-called sanctuary law comes a week after the small city of Los Alamitos in Orange County voted to opt out of the policy. The all-Republican supervisors of the Southern California county of 3.2 million people were expected to discuss passing a resolution in support of Los Alamitos and whether to join the U.S. government’s lawsuit over the law, which bars police in many cases from turning over suspects to federal immigration agents for deportation. “This legislation prevents law enforcement from removing criminals from our community and is a threat to public safety,” said Supervisor Shawn Nelson, who has proposed joining the lawsuit by President Donald Trump’s administration or filing a new one. Orange County, which is home to Disneyland and wealthy beach communities where many people vacation, has a five-member board of supervisors, and all are Republican. While Republicans still outnumber Democrats in the county, Democrats have gained significant ground in recent years, and Hillary Clinton won more votes than Trump in Orange County in the 2016 presidential election. California, a liberal state that is home to more than 10 million immigrants, passed its sanctuary law last year to limit local police collaboration with U.S. immigration authorities. Supporters argue that the measure would encourage immigrants to report crime without fearing deportation, while critics say local police should provide more assistance to federal authorities. Officials in Los Alamitos, a community of about 12,000 people 20 miles (32 kilometers) southeast of downtown Los Angeles, raised constitutional concerns about the law and sent letters to other cities seeking their support. Legal experts and immigrant advocates have said cities can’t simply opt out of state law and will face lawsuits if they try. Sameer Ahmed, a staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said some cities appear to be discussing largely political resolutions, not local laws like Los Alamitos. But the idea that Orange County would consider taking such a stand is concerning to immigrant advocates, he said. “We definitely think it is wrong, and offensive as well, that these cities and the county are saying they would rather further the anti-immigrant agenda of the Trump administration than protect the rights of their own immigrant residents,” he said. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Fight fire with fire: opponents borrow from Donald Trump’s playbook
Looking to get ahead in President Donald Trump’s Washington? Borrow his media playbook. With suggestive statements, cryptic tweets, provocative lawsuits and must-see television interviews, Trump’s adversaries are using some of his own tactics to grab — and keep — the spotlight. From adult film star Stormy Daniels to former FBI Director James Comey, each has become a must-see supporting character in the president’s daily drama. At the moment, the most visible is Daniels, who received a $130,000 payment to stay silent about an alleged affair with Trump and is now seeking to invalidate a non-disclosure agreement. She and her attorney Michael Avenatti have teased out details of her relationship with Trump for weeks, with Avenatti giving explosive interviews almost daily and Daniels taunting the president on social media. Avenatti and Daniels have also hinted she might have proof of the affair. Avenatti tweeted a photo of a CD-Rom that purported to contain evidence. And when Daniels was asked on CBS’ “60 Minutes” if she had texts, images or other items, she replied: “I can’t answer that right now.” It was, of course, the kind of cliffhanger Trump has perfected. He mastered the art of the tease, building suspense in the name of more attention, long before he ran for office. He’s employed similar tactics in the White House, bringing reality show stylings to the often mundane functions of government. “He does like to create some mystery around the great Oz behind the curtain,” said George Rush, former gossip columnist at the New York Daily News. As a Manhattan real estate developer, Trump dished out news scoops and gossip items — sometimes about his properties, sometimes about his personal life — in order to boost his own celebrity and interest in his buildings. He’d play one New York tabloid off the other to increase the buzz for his brand. He took it further as the star of “The Apprentice,” a reality TV show that portrayed Trump as America’s CEO, and built suspense by firing a cast member each week. Now in the White House, Trump plays every decision for maximum suspense. He paraded prospective Cabinet secretaries before a press pack at his private golf club and through the lobby of his Manhattan skyscraper. He’s dragged out global policy decisions, tossing out a “stay tuned” last fall when asked if he’d negotiate with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. And he has kept Washington guessing on how he would respond to the investigations of Russian election meddling, often employing the same suspenseful, and perhaps ominous, catchphrase: “We’ll see what happens.” “Trump helped create an atmosphere of media chaos,” said Jeffrey McCall, a communications professor at DePauw University. “Into that atmosphere you have any number of people wanting to show up.” Indeed, Daniels’ lawyer has become a daily presence on cable TV, seeming almost to taunt the president and daring Trump to respond. Her “60 Minutes” interview came just days after former Playboy model Karen McDougal tearfully told CNN about a monthslong affair with Trump that she described as a “real relationship.” McDougal has filed suit in Los Angeles seeking to invalidate a confidentiality agreement with American Media Inc., the company that owns the supermarket tabloid National Enquirer. A third woman is also taking Trump on in court. A New York City judge has ruled that a defamation lawsuit by Summer Zervos, a former contestant on “The Apprentice,” can move forward while the president is in office. Zervos has accused Trump of unwanted sexual contact in 2007 after she had appeared on the show with him, and sued after he dismissed the claims as made up. Her lawyers have said they want to depose Trump. Then there’s Comey, the former FBI director who was fired by Trump last year. Comey has an upcoming book, “A Higher Loyalty,” which has already topped Amazon.com’s best-seller list. He’s been keeping interest alive on Twitter and has a series of high-profile interviews set up. In February, Comey tweeted a picture of himself in a recording booth and said: “Lordy, this time there will be a tape. Audio book almost finished.” It was a reference to one of Trump’s teases — a tweet he sent out, saying Comey “better hope that there are no ‘tapes’ of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!” Eventually Trump acknowledged that he did not tape any conversations. “Comey, he hasn’t been just a flash in the pan,” said McCall. “Comey, he keeps surfacing, he disappears from the agenda and he finds a way to get back in.” Other Trump-land characters seeking the spotlight include former aide Omarosa Manigault Newman, who exited the White House recently and headed straight for “Celebrity Big Brother,” where she suggested she was thinking of writing a tell-all book. Offering a mantra for the Trump era, she said: “I have to tell my truth. I’m tired of being muted.” Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
State House to reconsider traffic stop racial profiling bill
Alabama lawmakers on Tuesday will debate highly controversial legislation that would require police officers to collect data about race and ethnicity at traffic stops. SB84, sponsored by Birmingham-Democrat state Sen. Rodger Smitherman, seeks to put an end to the racial profiling of Alabama drivers. It is on the proposed special order calendar. The legislation would require police agencies to record data about the race and ethnicity of stopped motorists including the nature of the alleged traffic violation that resulted in the stop and whether a warning or citation was issued, an arrest made, or a search conducted as a result of the stop. Law enforcement agencies would then report the information to the attorney general, who would compile a report and penalize police departments who are guilty of racial profiling in the form of withholding funds from the county or municipal police department until such time that the county or municipal police department completes appropriate training regarding racial profiling. The Alabama Senate unanimously approved the legislation in January, but the measure failed a procedural vote in the House last week when lawmakers refused to debate the bill. Supporters of SB84 believe records would reveal if there’s a pattern of police stopping drivers simply because they are African-American, which could help put an end to the alleged practice once and for all. Meanwhile, the Alabama Sheriff’s Association opposes the bill saying it creates an unnecessary burden on law enforcement to collect the information.
At odds with John Bolton on North Korea, Jim Mattis appears isolated
Of the issues that divide Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and President Donald Trump’s incoming national security adviser, John Bolton, one stands out: North Korea. Bolton, who will replace Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster on April 9, has publicly advocated for overthrowing the North Korean government. Mattis, a retired Marine general who knows intimately the costs of war, favors diplomacy to rid the North of its nuclear weapons and has said war on the Korean peninsula would be “catastrophic.” On Iran, too, Mattis would seem at odds with Bolton, who has argued for abandoning the Obama-era nuclear deal. These and other matters of war and peace will test Mattis’ influence with Trump as his national security team is overhauled. Mattis was sometimes at odds with McMaster, but the arrival of the hawkish Bolton, combined with the firing of Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the uncertain status of John Kelly as White House chief of staff, appears to leave Mattis more isolated than at any time since he took over the Pentagon 15 months ago. Often described as a steadying or moderating influence on the impulsive Trump, Mattis has little previous relationship with Bolton. The North Korea issue is front-and-center: Trump has agreed to meet with North Korean President Kim Jong Un by May to discuss the North’s nuclear disarmament. The unprecedented summit could be a turning point in a decades-old U.S.-North Korean standoff that Trump himself has said could end in “fire and fury” – an American nuclear attack __ to stop the North from gaining the ability to strike the U.S. with a nuclear missile. “This is buckle-up time,” retired Navy Adm. James Stavridis, dean of the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, said last week on MSNBC. “For the military I have three words: Sharpen your swords. He (Bolton) is someone who is going to reach for the military instrument.” The changes in the White House and at the State Department, while significant for Mattis, are hardly heart-stopping. People close to him sense no change in his commitment to the job; some suggest that Trump’s decision to move former Republican congressman and current CIA director Mike Pompeo to State, replacing Tillerson, could benefit Mattis in the sense that he’ll have a partner at State who is better aligned with Trump. Publicly, Mattis has said little about the shakeup. He was in Afghanistan when Tillerson got the ax. When reporters asked his reaction a couple of days later, Mattis said he preferred not to comment on the details, although he went on to suggest that its importance was being exaggerated. He said that in all of his discussions abroad with foreign government officials and American troops, the matter was not brought up once. “I understand why you’re asking, but I’m just pointing out that in most parts of the world this is a Washington, D.C. story,” he said. Another Washington story is Mattis and his ability to forge a workable relationship with Trump despite differences on some issues like the Iran nuclear deal, which Mattis says is flawed but worth honoring as long as the Iranians do. Mattis also has differed with the president over Trump’s wish to bar all transgender people from serving in the military, and he helped sway Trump from his inclination last year to end U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan. The Mattis formula seems to be simple. Out of the spotlight, out of trouble. The less he says publicly, the less he risks losing influence with Trump. “Part of his success … is absolutely the fact that you don’t see him in the limelight terribly much,” says Loren Dejonge Schulman, a defense analyst at the Center for a New American Security who served in key national security positions in the White House and Pentagon under President Barack Obama. “That may be keeping him out of trouble with the White House but I think it’s setting an incredibly bad precedent in terms of Pentagon transparency.” If Mattis, who spent more than 40 years in uniform and is the first career military officer to lead the Pentagon since George C. Marshall in the early 1950s, isn’t the most experienced politician to run the military’s vast bureaucracy, he has shown a knack for staying out of trouble with his thin-skinned boss. Mattis has even broken Trump of his habit of calling the retired general “Mad Dog,” which Mattis insists was a media invention to begin with. Trump frequently has lunch and dinners with the defense secretary and speaks glowingly of him to outside advisers. White House officials have said that Trump sometimes repeats military historical anecdotes he heard from Mattis. Even Mattis’ few known stumbles have not dogged him. In August, for example, Mattis told sailors at a submarine base in his home state of Washington that the Navy would give them the worst and the best days of their lives, and then added, “That means you’re not some (expletive) sitting on the sidelines,” he said. “You know what I mean, kind of sitting there saying, ‘Well, I should have done something with my life.’” His language was quickly forgotten. The episode pointed to a man who has shaped the job and not let it shape him. So much so that perhaps the most poignant criticism of his tenure has been the secrecy with which the military has handled everything from troop deployment numbers to the details of its military strategies — things that often were made public under previous secretaries. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
New high school to be built in central Alabama
A new high school will be built in central Alabama. The new school in Fultondale is part of Jefferson County Board of Education’s $200 million capital outlay plan, Al.com reported. The school system announced in September plans to build new schools and conduct major renovations on nine others in the next three years. The new Fultondale High School will cost around $38.5 million. The site of the school has not been confirmed. Fultondale Mayor Jim Lowery says the high school is the oldest in the county. The school was built in 1967. “I feel very positive that all of the children that attend our school in Fultondale will be in a new facility,” he said. “That is very important to me. We are behind when it comes to technology and the type facilities that education is in now in other communities.” Jefferson County Board of Education President Oscar Mann says there is no intent to merge schools from Fultondale and Gardendale. The county is also considering renovating the current Fultondale High School for the International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme, which is currently housed at Pleasant Grove. The county’s plans were contingent on a U.S. 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling on whether Gardendale could form its own school system. The court denied Gardendale’s request on Feb. 13. Gardendale announced two weeks later that it would cease its efforts to start a school system. Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Craig Pouncey said if the plans for Fultondale are approved by the court, he didn’t know when construction could start. He said the first project to be built will be the expansion and renovation of the Grantswood Elementary School in the Irondale area. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Huntsville supporting Remington amid bankruptcy filing
An Alabama city has reiterated its support for a firearms manufacturer that filed for bankruptcy. Huntsville officials told AL.com in a statement Monday its economic development team will continue engagement with Remington. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Sunday. The statement also acknowledges Remington is behind on job-hiring obligations tied to financial incentives. A project development agreement between Huntsville and Remington was approved by the city council in February 2014. Remington promised to have 680 employees at its Huntsville facility by the end of “project year” 2017. The statement says Remington has approximately 500 local employees and contributes $30 million in annual payroll into the community. Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce CEO Chip Cherry says Remington met its other obligations: capital investment at the facility and overall wages paid. Republished with the permission of the Associated Press.
Mike Hubbard prosecutor endorses Alice Martin in Attorney General race
Van Davis, the acting attorney general in the prosecution of former Alabama House Speaker Mike Hubbard, endorsed former federal prosecutor Alice Martin for Attorney General on Monday. Martin, a conservative Republican with a record of fighting public corruption, was a member of Davis’ team that successfully convicted Hubbard. “Alice Martin is the one candidate in this race that I can trust to prosecute corrupt officials in Alabama,” said Davis. “While talking though on corruption is a talking point for many politicians, including many in this race, Alice is the only candidate to prove her commitment. Alice’s strong record clearly shows she goes after lawbreakers no matter what their political position. I am lucky enough to see first hand how passionate Alice is about sticking up for the average citizen in Alabama and I am proud to endorse her in this race.” Martin said she’s honored to receive Davis’ endorsement. “It is a great honor to receive Van Davis’ endorsement in this race,” said Martin. “Van is the prime example of someone who is willing to do whatever it takes in order to prosecute those who break the law. I had the pleasure of working with Van to prosecute former Speaker Mike Hubbard and I appreciate his support in this important race.” Martin is seeking to unseat current AG Steve Marshall, who was appointed by then Gov. Robert Bentley on Feb. 20, 2017 after Luther Strange was appointed to the U.S. Senate. The two will face off against former AG Troy King, Birmingham attorney Chess Bedsole in the June 5 Republican primary. The winner of that race will go on to face Democrat, Birmingham attorney Chris Christie, in the Nov. 6 general election. Watch the endorsement announcement below:
