8/2/2019 4-18-12 Bice Memo Re Bham Investigation
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Communication
April 18, 2012 334-242-9950
[email protected]
STATEMENT FROM STATE SUPERINTENDENT REGARDING BIRMINGHAM
CITY SCHOOLS INVESTIGATION
Today, State SuperintendentDr. Tommy Bice said, I want to
restate and clarify the
impetus for the Alabama State Board of Educations involvement
with the
Birmingham City Board of Education.
Last week, I was asked to attend a meeting of the Birmingham
City Board of
Education. At that meeting I watched as members of the
Birmingham City Board
made accusations regarding possible violations of the Ethics
laws and the Alabama
Open Meetings Act, as well as allegations of potential
mismanagement of public
contracts. The conduct of the Birmingham City Board members and
the way the
Board functioned, or failed to function, as a body was of great
concern to me,
especially given the significant district-wide challenges faced
by the system. It is
within my legal authority and, more importantly, responsibility
as State
Superintendent of Education to review those actions and orders
of boards of
education and their superintendents that relate to finance and
to other issues thatseriously affect the educational interests of
the district. It is my duty to investigate
those serious accusations and the Alabama State Board of
Education has directed
me to do so.
Let me be clearmy purpose is not to take over or dissolve the
Birmingham City
Board of Education. As we move forward my focus remains on what
is in the best
educational interest of all the students of the Birmingham City
Board of Education.
My staff and I have no preconceived assumptions about any
particular individual.
We will approach our inquiry with objectivity, firmness, and
resolve, but also with
diplomacy and respect. Our goal is to identify the barriers that
prevent this districtfrom providing appropriate educational
opportunities for its 25,000 students.
With that background in mind, our first step will be to conduct
a closed meeting
tomorrow afternoon with the members of the Birmingham City Board
of Education
and its superintendent. At that meeting I will report to them
our process for
conducting this investigation and formally introduce those who
will assist me in that
regard. I will also obtain relevant information from the
Birmingham City Board of
Education members. ###
Alabama StateBoard of Education
GovernorRobert Bentley
President
Randy McKinney, J.D.District I
Vice President
Betty PetersDistrict II
Stephanie BellDistrict III
Yvette M.Richardson, Ed.D.
District IV
Ella B. BellDistrict V
Charles E. Elliott, M.D.District VI
Gary WarrenDistrict VII
President Pro Tem
Mary Scott Hunter, J.D.District VIII
Thomas R. Bice, Ed.D.Secretary and
Executive Officer
STATE OF ALABAMA
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Thomas R. BiceState Superintendent
of Education
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]
