Author

Larry Lee

The irony of Amendment One

Alabama voters will go to the polls next March 3 to decide the fate of amendment one. At the heart of this amendment is an attempt to deny all citizens the right to vote to elect their state school board members. The irony of this vote is that 55 years and four days earlier, black … Continued

Larry Lee

December 25, 2019

Opinion

Perry County Schools threatened by charter schools

They stand as silent sentinels of a time gone by. Watch towers on the past. “They” are sturdy concrete silos, rising 40-50 feet above Perry County’s black prairie land. Head south out of Marion on Highway 5 and you’ll spy one every few miles. Each a reminder a dairy was once there and those silos … Continued

Larry Lee

December 12, 2019

Opinion

George Wallace was right

For some of us who are long in the tooth, we can recall that when George Wallace ran for president as a third-party candidate, he often said “there was not a dime’s worth of difference between Democrats and Republicans. And looking at Alabama today, it’s hard to argue with what he said. For all intent … Continued

Larry Lee

November 18, 2019

Opinion

Rebuttal to Phil Williams

Former state senator Phil Williams of Gadsden is Director of Policy Strategy for the Alabama Policy Institute. He recently sent an article to state media pounding his chest about how Alabama has fallen behind Mississippi on National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) test scores. Unfortunately, most of what he said was fiction, rather than fact. … Continued

Larry Lee

November 8, 2019

Opinion

Once again, Del Marsh shows how little he knows about education

Bless his heart, Senate Majority Leader Del Marsh just can’t stop talking to reporters and proving that he is clueless about our public education system. You can read his latest examples of just plain dumb statements in this article. As expected, Marsh tries to explain why he wants Alabama voters to give up their right … Continued

Larry Lee

November 1, 2019

Opinion

Education matters

It was September 30 and only 25 feet away stood Soner Tarim, the wizard of charter schools, from Houston, TX (even though he said that day he lives in Montgomery). It was a meeting of the state charter school commission and Tarim was there to tell us how wonderful things are at LEAD Academy charter in … Continued

Larry Lee

October 14, 2019

Opinion

Charter Commission grills Woodland Prep

The newly re-constituted state charter school commission met in Montgomery on Sept 30 and one thing is quite clear. There is a new sheriff in town. The state school board replaced four incumbent commission members on Aug. 8, one of whom was chairman Mac Buttram. When Woodland Prep came before the commission on June 7 … Continued

Larry Lee

October 2, 2019

Opinion

Do you really want Marsh to hand pick State School Board?

Let’s cut right to the chase. If the voters of Alabama approve a constitutional amendment next March that switches us from an elected to an appointed state school board, Senate majority leader Del Marsh will be in total control of the board. To date, most discussion of the amendment has virtually ignored the fact that … Continued

Larry Lee

September 19, 2019

Opinion

Del Marsh tips his hand

Senate majority leader Del Marsh wants to control public education in Alabama. Yep, the same guy who has shown us repeatedly that he is clueless about how schools really work, what their challenges are and how best to address them, now wants to handpick the members of the state school board. On March 3, 2020, … Continued

Larry Lee

August 12, 2019

Opinion

Did the Legislature paint themselves into a corner?

There were hosannas and smiles all over Goat Hill when the Legislature recently passed a bill calling for a vote on a constitutional amendment next March as to whether Alabama should have an elected state school board or one appointed by the governor and confirmed by the state senate. The fact it passed the senate … Continued

Larry Lee

July 22, 2019