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Larry Lee

Larry Lee

Hidden Agenda. Part Two.

By Larry Lee Earlier this week we asked if there is a hidden agenda to the state school board’s hiring of non-educator Mike Sentance of Boston to be our state school superintendent.  This concentrated on the actual education of students. However, there is another part of this picture that few have considered and that may … Continued
August 30, 2016

Separating Fact From Fantasy

Education Matters By Larry Lee Ever since the state board of education decided on Aug. 11 to hire Michael Sentance of Massachusetts to be state school superintendent, we have heard over and over about what a great school system Massachusetts has. The implication being that someone from Massachusetts can magically turn Alabama into their southern … Continued
August 22, 2016

Did The Tea Party Get Beat At Their Own Game?

Education Matters By Larry Lee My friends involved with Tea Party politics in Alabama decidedly favored either Michael Sentance of Massachusetts or Bill Evers of California as the next school superintendent. The reason? They said both were against Common Core standards. Sentance was selected. On Aug. 10 board member Matt Brown sent an email across … Continued
August 16, 2016

Accountability Act Transfers Over $73 Million for 4000 Students

By Larry Lee The most recent quarterly reports from scholarship granting organizations participating in the Alabama Accountability Act are now posted on the web site of the Alabama Department of Revenue. These cover the period from April 1, 2016 to June 30, 2016. While there are currently six SGOs approved to operate in the state, … Continued
August 3, 2016

Terri Collins Just Gonna Meddle

By Larry Lee Education Matters In a strange twist of logic, apparently the chair of the House Education policy committee thinks it a crime for someone to speak out in support of public schools and said so in an email to some members of the State Board of Education. Rep. Terri Collins of Decatur chairs … Continued
June 20, 2016

In Remembrance of Vernon Ingram

By Larry Lee Not a soul moved as the plaintive notes of Taps hung over this little spit of south Alabama that was now wrapping its earthy arms around one of its own. It was late April when Vernon Ingram made his last trip to the Oakey Streak Methodist Church which he joined as a … Continued
May 9, 2016

Inequality and Inequity, Where’s the Outrage

Education Matters By Larry Lee The middle school principal is concerned about the sickness in his/her school and calls for a doctor and team of nurses to figure out what is going on.  After a through exam of 300 students, they learn that 40 of them definitely have the flu. But the doctor does not … Continued
April 25, 2016

Is It Really Students First?

Education Matters By Larry Lee Once upon a time a young girl in Ohio graduated from a private high school, then got degrees from Cornell and Harvard, neither of them in the field of education. She then joined Teach for America which means she had a five week crash course before becoming a teacher at … Continued
March 22, 2016

Does Marsh Practice What He Preaches?

Education Matters By Larry Lee After months of revisions and discussions, Senate Pro Tem Del Marsh has introduced his RAISE Act which morphed into the Preparing and Rewarding Educational Professionals (PREP) Act of 2016. Here is some language in the bill: “This bill would provide a procedure for observing and evaluating teachers, principals, and assistant principals on … Continued
March 7, 2016

Lawmakers Fail to Listen to Teachers

Education Matters By Larry Lee As everyone knows, Montgomery is a magnet for groups when the Legislature is in session.  Group after group descends on the Capital City to walk the halls of the Statehouse.  And yellow school buses by the dozen unload students to come see how laws are made. Thursday, Feb. 11th, was … Continued
February 15, 2016