MPS board members speak about possible system takeover
MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - The Montgomery County Board of Education has been fairly quiet about a possible takeover, until Thursday. President Robert Porterfield was taking questions at Thursday's press conference and saying he supports what he calls a collaborative effort with the state.
"We're hopeful that we can reduce class sizes. We're hopeful that we can place the tools and supplies that children need in order to be successful in place. Hopefully, we are looking for an outcome that will be in the best interest of our children," Porterfield said.
The board president said a potential intervention could help provide quality education all children deserve.
"I often say education is like water and air, colorless, odorless, tasteless, yet essential for life. It doesn't matter. What we try to do is give all we can in order to meet the needs of these children hoping that we can help them meet their maximum potential," he explained.
But not everyone is convinced. It did get a bit heated at times during the press conference. Several local pastors were in attendance and questioned why the state needed to takeover and how the Montgomery Public Schools system was even chosen.
"This is the last thing that blacks control, and so now we give up this and it says are we incompetent," said Rev. Charles Thomas of New Life Baptist Church. "Can we run it? We can run it. We can have a good school system. We have shown it in the successful schools. We just need to put the money in there to make the system work and run right, but I think they need to talk to the public first before they make the plan or takeover."
Those who oppose also argue the public needs input and more of an explanation of what is happening.
"We don't know what the plan really is," Thomas urged. "I tried in the meeting to ask them to give us a glimpse of the plan. I'm always leery of you making laws for me or regulations and then telling me later. Tell me before what's going to happen."
Porterfield, however, reiterated this is just the first step.
"I say we just wait on [Superintendent Michael Sentance], see what he presents to us, and then we'll have an opportunity to respond to him as it relates to the direction we're headed. This is just preliminary so let's not overshoot the runway," said Porterfield.
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