Political experience: Ran for Birmingham Board of Education, 2017
Professional experience: Project management for Alagasco for 26 years
Education: Bachelor’s degree, computer information system, Alabama State University
Civic experience: Bethel Baptist Church, Pratt City; student/parent advocate, Birmingham Education Foundation Board, 25 years; received 2017 City of Birmingham’s Youth Service Award; over 100 volunteer hours for Birmingham City Schools; deacon/Sunday school superintendent; project management professional; Birmingham Council of PTA; vice president of Huffman High PTSA; Alabama PTA field representative: Phillips Academy PTA President; volunteer Birmingham school crossing guard; BCS Committees for Parent Advisory, Textbook, Career Academies and Calendar
Significant endorsements: None
Top contributors: L. Adams, $50; Sandra Woodward, $50; Cheryl Thomas, $50
Main issues: Give parents, students, community and stakeholders a seat at the table; increase third-grade reading and math proficiency levels; add vocational courses in all middle and high schools; hire an adequate number of teaches aides; add social workers in each school; work to eliminate bullying; add foreign language at all schools; make career academies available for all students; sell or lease vacant school properties to the communities; construct new Huffman and Smith Middle schools; build a new Ramsay High stadium and add major expansion/renovation there; capital improvement plan developed with community input; foster a culture and climate of academic excellence, accountability and transparency; no mandatory registration fees
Polls are here to stay, but do people – or even the media – understand them? UA instructor of news media Tom Arenberg discusses what to take into consideration. Read more.
Solomon Crenshaw Jr., a regular writer for BirminghamWatch, recently won a third-place award and honorable mention in the National Federation of Press Women’s Communicator’s Awards for two of his BirminghamWatch pieces, along with a first-place award for a story published by the Bending the Arc Project. Read more.