Paul DeMarco: Alabama Association of School Boards makes right decision to leave national organization
A recent announcement in Alabama is a good sign for education in Alabama. The Alabama Association of School Boards did not renew their membership with their federal partner recently after the national group termed some parents “domestic terrorists” and asked President Joe Biden to get involved in local school boards. The furor across the Nation brought criticism and even hearings before Congress. Alabama is one of seventeen state associations that have left the national association and one of the reasons is that parents in our state have become vocal and more active to protect their kids. The state group also had long-standing concerns with the National School Board Association and their commitment to local control of school board decisions, which is particularly important to parents in Alabama. Families in Alabama are looking to take back school systems from liberals in academia who are trying to push their agendas on vulnerable students. We have seen parents becoming more active in their local systems recently and expect that to continue into 2022. Leaving the national organization will give the Alabama association credibility when they advocate for school board request before state representatives and senators. Alabama’s School Board Association rightly left the national board and reflects the will of parents and local school boards in the state. While K-12 schools in our state are seeing more involvement by parents to ensure schools are focused on education, what the state now needs is parents and state leaders to look at Alabama universities and colleges. A number of our state institutions of higher learning and their faculty appear to be more focused on progressive issues and not academics. Alabama leaders are seeing this and hearing from their constituents. Thus, you will see lawmakers in the upcoming legislative session address some of these issues going on in higher education. The real question is this a blip on the radar or is this part of a bigger trend in the state to reign in those who want to put ideology above educating state students. Time will tell. Paul DeMarco is a former member of the Alabama House of Representatives.
Yes, corporal punishment is still legal in most Alabama schools
A school in neighboring Georgia has gained the national spotlight after announcing it is bringing back a controversial form of corporal punishment for students who misbehave: paddling. “There was a time when corporal punishment was kind of the norm in school and you didn’t have the problems you have (now),” said the superintendent at the Georgia School for Innovation and the Classics in Hephzibah where paddled has just been given the green-light once more, Jody Boulineau. What many Alabamians may not know is that paddling is legal in their state too. In 1995, the state Legislature passed a law — found in Section 16-1-24.1 of the Alabama Code that permits the use of corporal punishment in public schools, but directs local school boards to adopt their own codes of conduct and disciplinary procedures. The statute, however, is pretty vague but it does prohibit any “excessive force or cruel and unusual punishment.” (g) Except in the case of excessive force or cruel and unusual punishment, no certified or non-certified employee of the State Board of Education or any local board of education shall be civilly liable for any action carried out in conformity with state law and system or school rules regarding the control, discipline, suspension, and expulsion of students. According to the most recent available data from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights in Sept. 2016, 107 out of 133 school districts in Alabama exercised physical force on its students during the 2013-2014 school year. The translated to nearly 19,000 Alabama students being paddled that year. Examples of corporal punishment policies in Alabama Alexander City Schools: shall consist of no more than three (3) licks administered to the buttocks with a smooth surface paddle free of holes and/or cracks. Autagua County School System: shall not be administered in the presence of other students and shall not include more than three (3) licks to the buttocks. Refusal to be paddled can result in suspension or expulsion. Dothan City Schools: The principal of a school is vested by the Code of Alabama with the authority to administer corporal punishment in conformance with the policy of the Dothan City Board of Education. But just because it’s still allowed doesn’t mean everyone is still on board with it. Mobile County Public Schools, Mountain Brook Schools, and Talladega City Schools. are among a few school systems who have outright banned the practice in their districts. Further, following the release of statistics of the U.S. Department of Education, the Alabama Association of School Boards voted to change the group’s position from “discouraging” paddling of students to “prohibiting” the act in in December 2016. Nevertheless, the vote doesn’t have any teeth to it – it was merely an official position statement that is not legally enforceable, and the issue has not been a legislative priority of the state legislature.
Women of Influence: State Board of Education member Mary Scott Hunter
“Be prepared and know that you want to serve, don’t overthink it. Go for it. You will be glad you did.” Mary Scott Hunter has been an incredible influence in the state of Alabama, raised on the Alabama Gulf Coast, she attended Fairhope High School, obtained her bachelors degree from the University of Alabama, and proceeded to the university’s school of law. She received her Master’s in Business Administration in 2017 from the university as well. After graduating from law school in 1998, she was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the United Sates Air Force, where she served as an Air Force Judge Advocate General for ten years. After her active duty service, Hunter served in the Reserves, and the Alabama Air National Guard, rising to the rank of Major. She was deployed to Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait in 2001, and experienced two overseas tours in Korea and Germany. She has been awarded several military honors; the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Overseas Short Tour Ribbon, and a Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon. Hunter strongly believes that a good education can make a real difference in the lives of those who seek it, and currently serves on many education centered boards throughout the state. Including: the Alabama Community College System Board of Trustees, Board of Directors of the Alabama Association of School Boards, National Association of School Boards, US Space and Rocket Center Education Committee, Association for Corporate Counsel – Alabama Chapter Board of Directors, and has previously served The Boys and Girls Clubs of North Alabama and Athens State University Board of Trustees. “The women I’ve served with on the Alabama State Board of Education have all had a positive influence on me. Of course, we’ve had disagreements over the years, sometimes strenuous disagreements! I’ve served with Stephanie Bell, Bettie Peters, Yvette Richardson, Ella Bell and Gov. Kay Ivey, Tracy Roberts, Cynthia McCarty, and Jackie Zeigler as well. Each of them is very strong in their own way and have specific areas of focus and expertise. I’ve learned so much from them,” said Hunter. In 2016 Hunter was named among Alabama Media Group’s “Women Who Shape the State” as a woman who has helped change Alabama for the better. She has also been awarded for her leadership, her community service activities, and her economic development efforts. Hunter is also a small business owner. She and her husband Jon own a small technology company, Torel Technology, LLC, and she joined the Intuitive Research and Technology Corporation in 2012. There she leads the company’s business interests in Compliance, Ethics, and Risk. Hunter is a hard-working, self-made woman. She has influenced many aspects of education throughout the state, and has served our country well through the armed services. In spite of her busy schedule, Hunter made time to answer some of Alabama Today’s questions on her life, work, and influences: How have other women influenced your success? Southern women are called “Steel Magnolias,” and it’s such a great description. I’ve been influenced by many, my mother, my Aunt Sally and Aunt Sandy, Sunday school teachers, school teachers, my mother’s friends. These women taught me more lessons than I can count, but one that I carry forward into my talks with young professional women is to carry yourself with class and confidence. Stand up straight with shoulders back. Dress appropriately. Use proper grammar and diction. Be punctual because it is respectful of others. These are some of the things that go into carrying yourself with class and confidence, and it works in every situation. I must also say a word about my mother, Deborah Hunter. Like many Southern women born in the late 40s, career options were limited. Mom had two careers, one in retail and one as a realtor. When she worked at Gayfers Department Store, I thought it was the most glamorous job, and she was the most beautiful of all mothers. Later, as a realtor, I saw how she translated her love of hearth and home into sales and taking good care of her customers. Lots of lessons there, one particular lesson I learned from her when I was 15. She was kidnapped, and she evaded her kidnapper by jumping out of a moving car, running across four lanes of traffic and flagging down on oncoming car. After a poor response from law enforcement, she went to work to get a new sheriff elected in our county which she was successful doing. There’s a lot of steel in that Magnolia! What shaped your desire to serve our country through the armed forces? I joined the Air Force after law school. It was a calling. Like any calling, you get the idea in your head, and you just can’t put it down. I’ve always been most fulfilled when I’m fighting for a cause. The Air Force was the right choice. As an Air Force JAG [Judge Advocate General] I could jump right into the courtroom and try cases immediately. Most of my lawyer friends who went to firms were still carrying the files for older lawyers. To this day, I can prosecute a bar fight or DUI in my sleep! What advice would you give young women considering careers in the military or politics? Look, these opportunities are generally open to people who have something to offer and a desire to serve. But remember it’s both – it’s what you offer and your desire to serve others. The desire to serve is straightforward, you either have it or you don’t. Regarding what you offer, I would tell young women or really anyone to prepare yourself. Be intentional about preparation. Get a solid education. A diploma is a powerful thing for the doors it opens and for the knowledge it represents. Be as healthy as you can because it slows you down when you aren’t well. If you have children, set up support systems and backup plans so you aren’t scrambling
