Virginia Martin, Author at BirminghamWatch - Page 435 of 480
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Virginia Martin

Hoover BOE Settles Discrimination Lawsuit That Described Turmoil at Trace Crossings

The Hoover Board of Education this week settled a gender discrimination lawsuit filed by a former Trace Crossings Elementary School principal, the Hoover Sun reported. The lawsuit filed by Robin Litaker not only alleged gender discrimination, court documents and testimony given in the case also gave the public a glimpse into the school’s dysfunctional culture at a time when parents were withdrawing their children, leaving the school with a poorer and blacker student body than it otherwise would have had. Teachers bickered among themselves, refused to follow administrative direction and were not following the state-mandated curriculum, according to statements made in the case. Children were assigned to classes based on whether they lived in houses or apartments and whether they lived in single- or two-parent families. At times, the students were assigned to classes by race, BirminghamWatch reported in a story last year. Litaker, a former Alabama Teacher of the Year, was removed from her post as principal after she had been in the job for two years because the school did not meet annual yearly progress standards. Litaker contended in her suit that male school administrators in similar situations were given time to remedy the problems at their schools. The board this week agreed to pay Litaker $97,000, equal to a year’s salary, plus legal fees in the settlement of the federal lawsuit, the Hoover Sun reported. She is no longer working for the system. Read the full BirminghamWatch story about the situation at the school.

by Virginia Martin

Jones Doubles Moore’s Campaign Warchest With Help of Democratic Fundraising Group

Democrat Doug Jones raised about twice as much money for his winning U.S. Senate campaign as his Republican opponent collected, with the vast majority of the money flowing through an organization that helps Democratic candidates raise funds. Jones’ final report to the Federal Election Commission showed contributions totaling $11.71 million during 2017. Roy Moore, the Republican candidate and former Alabama chief justice, raised $5,152,464. The vast majority of the money collected by Jones – $9.57 million – was funneled into his campaign through ActBlue. The organization, which allows contributors to make donations to specific candidates via its website, helped all of the Democrats who ran for the Senate in 2016 raise money and has funneled $1.95 billion to Democratic and progressive candidates since 2004. Read more.

by Glenn Stephens

Birmingham City Councilor Calls for Changes to Alabama Open Meetings Act

Dec. 19, 2017 — One Birmingham city councilor called Tuesday for a reevaluation of the Alabama Open Meetings Act, the state law requiring governmental meetings to be accessible to the public. John Hilliard, the newly elected councilor for District 9, made his remarks at the council’s regularly scheduled meeting during discussion of an item that would allow members of council committees to appoint proxies when they are unable to attend a committee meeting. The text of the resolution was not made available even to members of the council, and its sponsor, Councilor Lashunda Scales, was absent from Tuesday’s meeting. But before the council voted to delay the item, it became the springboard for a freewheeling discussion about the legalities involved with committee meetings. Read more.

by Sam Prickett

IB School and More Money Are Good News for Birmingham School Board

The good news kept coming at Wednesday night’s Birmingham City Schools Board of Education meeting. In addition to a city elementary school earning International Baccalaureate status and the system receiving more money in the city’s just-approved budget, Superintendent Lisa Herring and board members also enthused about new partnerships among Birmingham schools and businesses and nonprofits, and an “importance of education” tour by a high-achieving Woodlawn High School graduate. Read more.

by Jackie Romine Walburn

A Walk Across the Park: Birmingham’s New Mayor Meets with JeffCo Commission

Dec. 14, 2017 – The Jefferson County Commission received a visit from a neighbor Thursday morning – Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin. “It’s 100 percent important,” Woodfin said. “Birmingham is the largest city in our county, so city and county should work together. … “We can’t be in a space where we’re operating in silos.” Commissioner Sandra Little Brown, a former Birmingham City Council member, acknowledged that the lines of communication haven’t always been open from the two governmental sides of Linn Park. “We represent the same people that you do,” Brown said. “I hope we can get the message to the council members.” Read more.

by Solomon Crenshaw Jr.

Family and Friends Nationwide Want to Know: What Do Alabamians Think About the Jones-Moore Campaign

As the voting numbers started to come in Tuesday night, so did calls, texts, and social media posts to Alabama residents from their out-of-state friends, family and acquaintances. The fervor of the race between Doug Jones and Roy Moore in the special Senate election had captured the attention of the entire country. Alabamians found themselves cast in the role of political analysts even before election night. Early in the race, buzz seemed to be about the race’s effect on the balance of power in the U.S. Senate and candidates’ controversial statements. The national conversation exploded after the Washington Post published a story alleging sexual misconduct on the part of Republican candidate Roy Moore. National and international news outlets flocked to Alabama to cover the candidates. Just as it happens when a big football game is played or a tornado touches down, everyday people became the micro-level information headquarters for their friends and family. Read more. Beware the Stampede! News Media From Across the Globe Flocked to Alabama for Special Senate Election.

by Cheryl Slocum

Rick Journey and Chanda Temple Joining Woodfin’s Staff

Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin has tapped television news reporter Rick Journey to serve as his director of communications. Former Birmingham City Schools spokeswoman Chanda Temple also has taken the position of public information officer. “Our administration’s focus on servant leadership by putting people first starts with transparency and providing a clear message to our citizens and our employees that we will serve with the public’s best interest at the core of our work,” Woodfin said in a statement. "I am pleased to have Rick and Chanda be part of providing that clear message and joining an administration committed to core values of transparency, efficiency, effectiveness, accountability and customer service.'' Read more.

by Sam Prickett

Federal Court of Appeals Judges Grill Attorneys for Gardendale, NAACP in Hearing

ATLANTA — Both sides in the Gardendale school separation court case faced a panel of three federal judges at the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday, and those judges weren’t always buying what the attorneys were selling. The oral arguments were part of the latest step in the legal process of Gardendale’s proposed separation from the Jefferson County School System, which would result in a municipally operated system with four schools. The plan is opposed by JefCoEd and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. Both fear the separation would harm the county system’s efforts to achieve full and final legal racial desegregation and end federal court supervision that began in the 1970s. Last April, U.S. District Judge Madeline Haikala ruled that Gardendale could go on with the formation of its system but could take control of only two elementary schools at first and would gain complete control when she was satisfied that desegregation issues had made sufficient progress. She also found that the reason the city wanted to separate was racially motivated. That partial decision didn’t satisfy either party. Gardendale appealed to the 11th Circuit, asking that they rule in favor of a full takeover right away. The NAACP wasn’t happy, either, arguing in their cross-appeal that the racial-motivation finding should have disqualified the city from breaking away. The three-judge panel peppered attorney Aaron Gavin McLeod, representing Gardendale, with numerous questions about how the split would affect not only JefCoEd’s efforts to achieve complete desegregation, but also its finances. Justice William Pryor, in particular, seemed visibly dismayed at why Haikala’s “split decision” came to be. “What law empowers a district judge to impose a partial separation that no party asked for?” he asked McLeod. Read more.

by Robert Carter
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