Board member Joe Hare said he cast his yes vote reluctantly, and Bonnie Miller added that her yes vote was “difficult.”
Chief Financial Officer Mabel Gunner said the system was facing proration of 8 to 10 and a half percent in the coming fiscal year, and added that some $2 million from the board’s reserve fund had already disappeared due to current proration and decreased sales taxes.
The board also took several questions from Charmelle Lewis, who is the district representative for the Alabama Education Association.
Lewis questioned why the salary schedule for an assistant maintenance supervisor, a new position, was equal to that of the transportation supervisor, if classroom size guidelines were being adhered to in the assignment of teacher units, whether all units were placed at the schools where they had been earned and why there was no full time physical education for all students at Northside Hal Henderson.
Regarding the first question, Interim Superintendent Doug Campbell said he would investigate the situation with Gunner and report back with a separate recommendation.
As to the second question, Gunner said the figures might be misleading since they include federal teacher units as well as earned teacher units. Campbell said he would provide Lewis with an update on this issue as soon as possible.
The discrepancy between earned teacher units per school and assignment of teacher units has to do with gifted and special education teachers, who are housed at one school (usually Graham Elementary, the Graham Annex or Zora Ellis Junior High School), but actually serve students at all the schools in the system.
Lewis pointed out that students in kindergarten through eighth grade are required to have 30 minutes of physical education per day. Gunner said she would be examining the numbers and would possibly be able to place another part time teacher unit there by the next board meeting. Henderson principal Alicia Laros explained that third through sixth graders do get daily PE, but kindergarten through second grade teachers simply take their own classes outside for 30 minutes per day.
A member of the audience pointed out that taking 44 5-year-olds outside at the same time could not possibly be a good idea.
Lewis also pointed out that she did not believe having the budget as an action item on Thursday’s agenda constituted a second budget hearing, as required by law.
During the same meeting, the board adjourned to executive session for about 10 minutes to discuss an issue of good name and character before voting to approve the agenda as submitted. The only item on Thursday’s agenda that could have possibly involved issues of good name and character were the personnel actions, which were approved unanimously.
Simmons-Sims also read two lengthy prepared statements into the record Thursday night, with the longer of the two dealing with the system’s failure to participate in a televised address by President Obama to the nation’s school children.
“God has entrusted us with our greatest resource—our children,” the statement read in part. “I’m very proud my constituents continue to find me as their number one choice as their voice to uphold the solemn oath I took to protect our children and provide every opportunity possible for them to be the best they can be with our guidance and giving them the privilege and opportunity to receive the best education possible so they may become concerned and contributing citizens to our city, state and nation of a blessed democracy. This democracy I speak of is what concerns me and troubles my soul when I see so many who want to deny our children of these God-given rights. Everyone’s freedom ends when it infringes on the rights of others, as was the case when we dropped the heavy ball of justice by not allowing our children the opportunity to watch the televised message by one who holds the highest office of respect—the President of the United States of America—President Barack Obama.”
She went on to say that not playing the president’s address taught children to disrespect authority, then pointed out several past presidents, including George W. Bush, who have been allowed to address school children previously.
“Because I know justice delayed is not justice denied,” she continued, “I want every child in this school system to again have the opportunity to hear that motivational and enthusiastic speech by our president of the United States of America immediately, Monday in an assembly at all schools. Those who fear damage to their children’s intelligence from participating will gladly be excused with only a note from home, or can take an unexcused absence that day if they so desire. God forbid such a demeaning act to ever be forced on our children of the Talladega City Board of Education again, in Jesus’ precious and holy name is my plea.”
Campbell said the speech had been downloaded into the system’s central server, and would be available as soon as parents were allowed enough time to opt out.
Also Thursday, the board:
• Received a thank-you card from the students and staff at C.L. Salter Elementary School, for renovations.
• Approved a five year capital improvement plan 3-1, with Simmons-Sims dissenting.
• Approved the resignation of Jonathan Minyard as precision machining instructor and the employment of Joseph Huss in the same position.
• Approved a medical leave of absence for Willie Jemison, custodian at R.L. Young.
• Approved the outdoor classroom project at Salter.
moran (sp) moron = idiot hmm just like eddie tucker and his close simmons-sims.
oh and by the way .. NO my child would not have been allowed to sit and listen to obamas own self-serving speech.
play the race card with your little buzz words and you get the vote. that is what is wrong with talladega. people like simons-sims and the little moran tucker are the reason no one wants to locate here.