WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.Editorial: Community Conversations

Editorial: Community Conversations

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By John Shryock - bio | email

  • Editorials

  • Friday, May 18 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-18 23:20:53 GMT
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident. The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are
    If you text and drive it's a matter of WHEN and not IF you will be involved in an accident.  The odds are stacked against you when your eyes and hands are more focused on your cell phone than they are the other motorists on the roadways.

  • Tuesday, May 15 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-15 23:20:31 GMT
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments: "If the budget is passed at this severely cut rate, the shortage of physicians, hospitals, and clinics
    On our editorial suggesting that the governor raise taxes to fund Medicaid, we received these comments:

  • Tuesday, May 1 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-05-01 23:20:35 GMT
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"
    If your commute includes I-85 in the mornings I'm sure you've noticed men alongside the roadways picking up trash and road debris and thought to yourself "who would want to do that?"

  • Friday, April 20 2012 7:20 PM EDT2012-04-20 23:20:42 GMT
    For the next sixty seconds I want you to give yourself permission to push pause on whatever you are doing and listen and reflect for a moment. I did this recently after reading an article titled "Top five

  • Wednesday, April 18 2012 7:27 PM EDT2012-04-18 23:27:31 GMT
    Representative Christopher John England (Tuscaloosa) has sponsored a bill in the Alabama legislature that would allow convicted felons of drug crimes to receive food stamps under certain circumstances.

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - Montgomery Public Schools have lost 32 million dollars the past two years due to funding cuts.  

Montgomery's population has shifted with a majority of people now residing in the East but there are only 24 schools in the East part of town compared to 34 schools in the west part of town. 

Because of the funding cuts and population shifts, the school board is considering closing several schools that have 2,500 empty seats between them. 

The new zoning plans aim to have students travel no more than two and a half miles to school. 

The plan also involves adding a new high school in the East Side of town to prevent losing students to other parts of the region or to private schools, and adding slots and improving facilities to meet the growing demand for magnet school education. 

To do nothing is not an option and to do what is proposed requires plenty of strong will.

Key to executing the plan or changing it is community input.   There are two more public hearings prior to the scheduled February 15th board vote. 

 In addition, there are several community conversation meetings being set up over the next two months by the Montgomery Education Foundation to engage the community in determining the focus, direction and priorities for the school system moving forward.       

Similar community conversations have already taken place in Mobile, Birmingham and Dothan.  One thousand students have come back into the public school system in Dothan after their community conversations two years ago and Mobile's schools are showing marked improvement since their conversations. 

We encourage community input into what is clearly the most important aspect of our community: educating our citizens the best way possible.