Parents, educators react to potential state intervention

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - "We wouldn't exist if there weren't failing schools," said Abby Wallace, a teacher/tutor at Sylvan Learning Center in Montgomery.

Wallace says Sylvan operates because so many parents aren't happy with the schools in Montgomery.

"I think if more parents were actively involved with, why is this not happening, why is my child not learning this, backing up the teacher, then maybe our public schools wouldn't be in such disarray," said Wallace.

Wallace questions whether a state takeover will make a difference.

"Granted, it's a problem. We've got serious problems in our public schools, and something needs to be done, but putting authority further away I don't know if that helps," Wallace questioned.

Most parents and guardians we spoke with at Lee High school, a 'failing school', hadn't heard of the potential state intervention until we told them.

"I just pick them up every afternoon," said one grandparent. "I've got two kids in there, grandkids and they aint [sic] said nothing about it," he went on to say.

"She can go two, three weeks and not have a teacher to teach her class," said another mother.

"The only way I agree is if they're going to come in and do something positive to help the students and help the schools," said a woman who wanted to be identified as Jonnie.

Wallace, a 40-year tutoring veteran, says a lack of parental involvement in the schools is the biggest problem she sees when dealing with students.

"If they don't feel like they have to complete their homework or they have to complete their classwork and there's no consequences when they don't then there's only so much I can do," said Wallace.

The Sylvan tutor says most of the children she works with need assistance with math and science and she attributes the large number of homeschooled students and private schools in the area to the "severe problems" with our public schools.

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