Educational Committee To Seek Special Council Meeting

Fairhope, Alabama

TO REPORT ITS FINDINGS

The Educational Advisory Committee has decided to request that a special city council meeting be called, possibly as early as mid July,  where it can present its findings to the mayor, council and general public.  Earlier this year, the council charged the committee with investigating the needs of local schools and it was thought a special meeting would be the proper venue to report back.

Committee Chairman Karen Mullins: "The initial presentation will explain what we're doing as a group ... what we have done ... what we've seen ... to get our message out to the community."

Member Henry Clark: "We need to make people in our community aware ... our schools have a lot of needs ... they need to hear what shape they're in."

Member Julia Sumerlin: "We were appointed by the entire council ... they may have questions ... we owe them the courtesy ... to discuss this ... and let them know what we found."

The educational committee also plans to make presentations to the city's financial committees later this summer -- where it will ask that $750,000 be earmarked from next year's budget for schools.

Comments

Anonymous said…
More money from a city that is supposedly "strapped"
Anonymous said…
Who will these teachers be accountable to? The city of Fairhope who is paying their salary? Or the BCBOE who is responsible for educating our children?

Is the city in a financial position to sustain a commitment like this for the long term or is it a temporary fix?

Will the city be able to get highly qualified teachers on a year to year contract basis?
Anonymous said…
Good questions. Here are some more: How can the city of Fairhope provide funding for a school outside it's city limits (Newton School)? Would two teachers at each school be proportional to student population at the respective schools? For this amount of money, will the impact be significant enough in terms of affecting class sizes? Even though class size is one of the big problems in the schools, this committee could have come up with something better - something that could have more impact and that would be more likely to get the support of the city council and the public.
Anonymous said…
Would Dr./Mr. Warner be named the Super of schools or the super of the casino? The pirate class would be taught by the ripper....
Anonymous said…
Why stop at $750k...give the teacher's union $1mil.
Anonymous said…
Fairhope is falling apart at the seams...pieced together with super glue and duct tape...as a reminder of two huge problems: we also hold over $6 million in unsecured debt for employee benefits and pensions in addition to owing millions in legal fees...guess when all is said and done, there will be teachers and city employees with huge salaries and pensions, along with sewer backed up in homes without electricity.

People need to give up their toys, club memberships, expensive trips, etc., and either start or pay for private school. We did and are doing the same with our grandchildren without placing the taxpayer more heavily in debt. What these people want is private school paid by the public. Sorry, I will never support any such endeavor. Of course what ever gets votes will be on the menu, so look out, folks. I can see the money rolling out, without benefit of a referendum. Can also see the sales tax increasing, when after it was rammed down our throats, we had almost $1 million in reserves before Fairhope collected one dime. If people want a private school, pay for it, not at my expense. I pay enough for my own children and grandchildren. Public schools are horrible, no question, but if Fairhope gets involved, they will still be "government" schools and screwed up just like everything else they touch.
Anonymous said…
Quality public schools are an important part of any community. If you believe your children are getting a better education in a private school - you are easily fooled.

There is no question the public schools need our help. They need help without an "agenda" of a few well-connected parents who want "local control".

Fairhope is falling apart due to a lack of leadership from the mayor and the city council. The blame for that falls on the shoulders of the citizens who elected this group of people.

VOTE THEM OUT.
Anonymous said…
Why does anyone think the government can educate children better than a private school? Where is the evidence that government does anything well?
Anonymous said…
Bob Riggs has been very outspoken about not raising taxes. Where does he propose this money come from?
Anonymous said…
"Why does anyone think the government can educate children better than a private school? Where is the evidence that government does anything well?"

So you're a fan of anarchy?

Roads, the military, libraries, police and fire protection...just to name a few things.

Geez...Do they not teach civics in private school?
Anonymous said…
The federal government passed a nearly $1 trillion stimulus package, supposedly for shovel ready jobs such as roads...nothing done.

While we still have the finest military in the world, politics prevent us from fighting wars as they should.

Libraries are funded on private contributions as well as mine and your tax $$$, even though there isn't much of a need for them anymore.

Most fire departments in this country are all or mostly volunteer and rely heavily on private contributions.

Police are funded by tax payers and revenue they collect from tickets, etc...

Most people have no problem with their tax dollars funding the basic operations of the government, but many are like me and feel the government has no business in indoctrination, I mean education. Get rid of public sector unions and we'll talk further about this...

P.S. I am a product of government schools but choose to take interest in my child's education by PAYING for her's, as well as your child to get free lunch, free bus, free snack, free after school care, etc...
Anonymous said…
OK - how about clean water and sewers?

I guess you have an issue with that too.
**insert eye roll here**
Anonymous said…
My grandfather once told me to never argue with an idiot because anyone watching would not be able to tell the difference...that would be you, Obama voter. Don't worry though, I will keep being a producer in this economy so you can maintain your government dependent lifestyle.

This conversation is over...
Anonymous said…
Just for the record, I am gainfully employed in a professional field, my husband owns his own business, we are both products of a public school systems and are both college graduates.
Anonymous said…
The 750K is not just for one year. It would be an annual payment and likely to increase due to COLAs. The citizens would be paying for ten teachers. After three years a teacher gets tenure. Not likely we could stop paying. In effect paying for teachers twice; through property taxes and again thru whatever taxes the city would impose on us to keep paying this amount. And why should we fund services when 40 percent of students do not live within Fairhope limits and therefore their parents would not be paying. This applies to the police and fire services that also service areas outside the city limits.