Posted on 01/17/2006 7:37:34 PM PST by Full Court
Federal Judge U.W. Clemon used the 20th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast to urge underachieving municipal school systems to merge with Jefferson County's system.
He said it would be unrealistic to expect respected systems such as those of Mountain Brook, Hoover and Vestavia Hills to merge with the county system.
"But it shouldn't be a problem for the predominantly black and demonstrably inferior school systems such as Fairfield, Midfield, Bessemer and Birmingham to consider merging into a countywide system," Clemon said. "The principal obstacle to such mergers ... seems to be the egos of the politicians and the self-interest of the administrators and the school boards," he said.
Clemon, chief judge in the Northern District of Alabama, received scattered applause from almost 3,500 who attended the breakfast. He spoke at the breakfast held at the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex's North Exhibit Hall.
Jefferson County Commission President Larry Langford said Clemon's school system idea is long overdue, but "I still don't think it's going to happen in my lifetime."
Other politicians and school board members in attendance doubted whether a regional system is realistic.
Mayor Bernard Kincaid said it is an idea worth exploring, but would need to be examined in-depth. He said one of the difficulties is that Birmingham spends much less than surrounding municipalities spend per pupil.
"Part of that is based on some of the municipalities taxing themselves," he said. "Would the areas he mentioned - Midfield, Bessemer in addition to Birmingham - be willing to tax themselves or are they able to tax themselves to provide more funding?"
Birmingham school board member Willie Maye Jr. said he would be supportive of any plan that's best for Birmingham's students.
Fairfield Alabama Mayor Michael Johnson said such an idea would threaten too many existing institutions and officials connected to those systems.
"All the superintendents would have to give up their jobs. All the school board members would have to give up their jobs, and that's not going to happen," Johnson said after a wreath-laying ceremony at Kelly Ingram Park. "There would be blood on the sidewalks."
In his keynote speech, Clemon also attacked the "conservative Christian" movement, saying the religious right doesn't have a monopoly on Jesus.
"They exert an exclusive copyright on Christ to tell us what God said. Some of us don't accept the copyright claim of Christian conservatives," he said.
Clemon said a conservative Christian revolution has shaped the political landscape the past 25 years and threatens civil rights gains.
The unity breakfast where Clemon spoke was one of several events commemorating the life of the slain civil rights leader, whose birthday was celebrated nationwide Monday.
E-mail: wsingleton@bhamnews.com
"He will never be removed. He is the darling of the white liberals in Birmingham."
Dear God. White liberals in Birmingham. How did that happen?
Hmmm...you have to wonder though, if schools that don't meet the "No Child Left Behind" standards will seek mergers...a possibly bad, possibly good side effect...not as good as vouchers though.
I don't know, but if you want to see or read them in Action, start here "Choosing Life in a Death Penalty State
The Birmingham News' editorial board explains why they no longer support the death penalty" http://www.al.com/opinion/birminghamnews/?choosinglife.html
I've been saying for decades that if we are to save ourselves, we must start by cleaning out the media and academia.
Clemons always was an ass.
I don't mean that in the nice sense of the word, either.
Yes, and he has always been bent on being king in a sense. He pretty much has free reign to do and say whatever he pleases.
We don't need a copyright. We just read the bible. If this guy wasn't so invested in protecting his own perversions maybe he could read it for himself too. Or would that make his head explode?
The mayor in Memphis has been trying to merge the failing City schools with the much more successful county schools for a long time.
Another affirmative action appointment, no doubt.
Or we could just switch over to school vouchers and let that happen on its own.
"Clemon said a conservative Christian revolution has shaped the political landscape the past 25 years and threatens civil rights gains."
I thought he was gonna say it was Bush's fault.
But, he's saying it's Christian Conservative's fault.
I didn't know I had so much power. ;o)
Having said that, combining the school systems won't help as
long as the NEA, the AEA, and teacher's unions are in charge.
It will end up being the same...only larger...and maybe worse.
I vote for vouchers...
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