Read the following and then post what you think can/should be done to force the issue with the Board of Education and the Alabama Open Meetings Law...
 
http://www.al.com/birminghamnews/stories/index.ssf?/base/community/1180513540774 40.xml&coll=2
 
I, for one, am sick (insert "angry" here if you want) about the Hoover Board of Education making decisions with no explanation!!  
 
My children are a part of this school system and I want it to be a good one!!!

I think that the best way to fix the problem is to have the School Board be directly responsible to the voters.  It's not likely to happen with the current Mayor and Council, who like to exert control over everything that happens in Hoover, especially with the school system (remember the fact that they slashed the amount of money the city contributes to the school system in order to put pressure on the Board to fire Connie Williams).
 
This administration has been a disaster as far as I can see.  Remember the hope we all had when these guys were elected.  What have they done?
 
1.  Cut funding for our kids' education.  How many on the council have kids in the system?
 
2.  Created a Department of Homeland Security in the city for the sole purpose of putting their man into the Police Chief's office.
 
3.  Bought (or leased) an entire fleet of new police SUVs, getting rid of brand new police cars that were being used.
 
4.  Through their School Board appointees, allowed MTV access to Hoover High School.  Twice.
 
5.  Bought a police mobile command unit (whatever the heck that is).
 
6.  Gave a business license to a store that sells pornographic movies and sex toys.  
 
Also, remember how they (as candidates) were appalled at the number of illegals in Hoover.  All you have to do is drive down Lorna Road and see if you think that there's more or less now.

Quote from bpresident on 06/07/07 at 1:33pm:

 
I have no idea who has kids in the system and who doesn't.  But, why can't we complain about the funding issue and how that was used force Connie Williams out?
 
I sure lay the blame for that situation at the feet of the Mayor and City Council.  From where I sit, it appears (in a nutshell) that the Mayor and City Council cut (without notice to former Superintendent Williams - well unless you consider 3 pm the day of the Council meeteing "notice") education funding by a HUGE amount.  They then proceeded to promise Dr. Williams that they would work to restore funding if the 1 cent sales tax money did not come through.  Let me stop to say that I know people will argue now that the sales tax money has come through that the Council was right to not restore funding, but AT THE TIME, the sales tax money had NOT come through.  Dr. Williams waited patiently for AN ENTIRE YEAR and through multiple promises to meet and discuss with her only to have those promises broken by the cancellation of said meetings by city officials.
 
After the Mayor and City Council got embarrassed at Institute (the first day for teachers - when they all the BOE employees gather together at the beginning of the year) and then had to fight with concerned citizens, teachers and parents that bombarded them with questions and comments, they made sure to appoint people to the Board of Education that would oust Dr. Williams.  For the love all that is good, she had (just as Jan Dennis had) good evaluations up to the point of their dismissal -- it just doesn't make sense.
 
So, yes, I lay the blame for all of that with the current Mayor and Council and I will fight like crazy to elect people of integrity to the next administration.

I agree with BPRESIDENT that we'll most likely not vote out the current administration, but we should.  Your statement that this administration is better than the last is confusing to me.  Yes, the last Mayor/Council certainly had it's issues, they also (in my opinion) moved Hoover forward.  Aldridge Gardens, Moss Rock Preserve, R'chase Elementary, Galleria Flyover, Patton Creek, Lee Branch, Ross Bridge, Spain Park High, The Preseve, and yes, the Hoover Public Safety Center were all done by them.  Also, the money given to the schools increased every year under the lst administration.
 
The current administration, while they do seem to get along with each other, hasn't done much.  I do give them credit for the Senior Center, but not much more.  Remember the words of the Mayor when he met with BP resident about the crime problem.  He said that if the landlord of the shopping center hadn't given the city a discount on the rent, they would not have opened a substation here.  Doesn't sound like someone that cares a great deal about BP folks.
 
And no, I don't have kids at HHS.  My kids are at BP Elementary and Simmons Middle.  My oldest will be at HHS next year, unless the School Board rezones again.  Still in all, I don't believe that the MTV creates the optimum environment for learning

So, aubie, let me make sure I understand you and the others who don't like the current administration.  You like the fact that they are getting along but they are not as good as the previous administration, who did a lot for Hoover.  If I'm not mistaken, though, many of the things you listed, including the Galleria Flyover, were planned by adminstrations prior to the last one, with the last one just being in "power" when they came to be.  I read a letter to the editor last week in the Birmingham News where a Hoover resident wanted to name the Public Safety center after Frank Skinner since he had done so much for the city, including the idea for the flyover.  Imagine that.
 
But here's what I'm perceiving:  It's a little like Univ. of Alabama football - nobody is ever going to be good enough to be the head football coach.  It seems that no matter who is in office in Hoover, they are never going to be good enough.  I remember when the previous administration was running.  Russ and Dee, who were (are) Hoover residents were all over them, how great they were and how everyone should vote for them.  Four year later, they said nothing but bad things about everyone of them, telling the voters to vote them out, which they did.
 
Why can't we find the right people for the job?  And what would make them the right people for the job?  It just seems that nobody is ever happy.
 
And regarding the HHS situation:  I've had children in all three schools, at times all at once (one at BP, one at SMS and one at HHS).  SMS is nothing like BP and HHS is nothing like SMS.  Each one is progressively worse than the previous one, so you're in for a treat next year, if you've never had a child at HHS.  The analogy I like to use with the teachers and administrators at each school is the following:
 
When a parent walks into BPES, they are greeted with "Hello!  How are you?  We're so glad you're here!"
 
When a parent walks into SMS, they are greeted with "Can we help you?"
 When a parent walks into HHS, they are greeted with "What do you want?"
 
 
All things being equal, though, they are all three great schools.  Each one is just different from the previous one and if you have not experienced it, it seems like such a drastic change.
 

Anyhow.  It's good to have a site where these issues can be discussed.  Thanks to the administrator for the forum.
 
The only people you have to thank are those that post on this board, including yourself.  Keep the debate clean and to the point and we'll keep the forum going.  That's what it is here for.  And don't forget to thank the sponsors of the site by shopping with them because they make it happen.  You can see a list of them on the main page of the web site http://www.bluffparkal.org

We have multiple problems in this area.  Once the city council appoints a new School Board member they cry "We know nothing!" when the Board acts poorly as it has done in the past.  The Board just says nothing.  They don't answer to the council or the citizens.  Holding them accountable to the Alabama Open Meetings Law is a must.  Showing up at board meetings is also a must.  The one thing to keep in mind about an elected school board is this:  there are only 3 school boards in our state that are elected.  When you have an elected school board, you are automatically inviting Paul Hubbert and the AEA into your community to start running the show.  Right now, the school board is "answerable" to the city and the residents.  When elected with lots of cash from Paul Hubbert (who will make sure that his candidates win those elections) they are only answerable to him.  Choosing the lesser of two evils is what you are forced to consider.  For me and my family, keeping Paul Hubbert out of Hoover as much as possible is the lesser evil.
 
MtnMom
 
Quote from BP on 06/05/07 at 1:02pm: