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Many thanks for the updates, and all the links. Nice to see the GOP thinking "damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead."

A few questions, if I may, which I didn't see addressed in the articles:

1. Are many, if not a majority of Democrat state legislators black?

2. Are many of the failing schools in the state primarily black in enrollment?

This forces the Dems to directly decide what's more important to them: their own children, or their union constituents.

Answers: 1. Are many, if not a majority of Democrat state legislators black? From this photo ('Senate Dem caucus'), it appears so:

Balance of power in the Senate is now 22 Republicans; 11 Dems., 1 vacancy, 1 alleged "independent".

2. Are many of the failing schools in the state primarily black in enrollment? That seems to be the belief, though I have yet to see a formal list. One of the legislators was quoted as saying that this bill could be a "life-changing event" for many kids.

Frankly? I think the "will" to improve still has to be with the parent(s), and unless that's pursued, then nothing will change. But now you cannot say that the opportunity isn't available.

Additional point: I do not know (yet) if transportation support has been included in the bill. Clearly, it is expensive to take your kids to school these days - especially one out of your own area. I don't believe this is the responsibility of the government to fund that, but I'm pretty sure it will be cited as a "barrier" to this legislation's implementation.

We'll see: as I say, a good first step. Should at least put some pressure on schools to improve.

Oh yeah - you said: " This forces the Dems to directly decide what's more important to them: their own children, or their union constituents. "

That choice to sell their souls to the unions occurred long ago. And everything - yes, literally everything up to and including casino gaming 'rights' - that is wrong with their lives is blamed on a civil rights struggle that is still being fought.

Here’s the secret to this entire story. In Bama...schools that qualify as “failing”....are almost all in urban city areas (Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, Mobile, etc). So this is mostly all aimed at the counties with urban populations. You don’t like your urban mess? You move the kid. Now, so far, no one has said that you are now limited by county lines...so you could actually take the kid out of the urban city area....cross countylines, and force the new county to accept kid, without any tax contribution.

You can sense some trouble here if two thousand folks cross county lines, and force another school district to accept their kids.