Parents Threaten to Sue Over Magnet School Changes
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A group of Montgomery parents say they may sue the Montgomery County School Board over changes made to the magnet program. It’s a story you’ll see only here on Alabama News Network.
A group of parents upset and frustrated with the recent changes to the magnet program met with state Senator Dick Brewbaker for advice on what they should do to fight those changes. Now, they’re willing to take this to court if they have to.
Tiffany-Ann Geier and Joy Scott both have children in Montgomery Public Schools’ magnet program. They say changes being made to the system are both unnecessary and unfair.
“We represent a large group of parents,” Scott says. “It’s not just the two of us sitting here saying we’re unhappy.”
Scott says that group of parents is frustrated that school officials are doing away with the magnet program’s ranking system. Instead a random lottery will be used to fill slots once a student meets minimum requirements.
“If certain changes are implemented, we are going to take legal action if necessary,” Geier says.
Superintendent Margaret Allen says a 2010 review of the magnet program found problems in the way students were selected. It suggests black students are left out. But Scott, Geier and others believe there may be reverse discrimination going on.
“She tells us it’s not about race and the superintendent is saying that there is a despair amount of African Americans and the process isn’t fair,” Scott says. “But if you look at the students that are in the schools, that are already in the magnet programs, the statistics don’t lie.”
The statistics Alabama News Network received from MPS are from 2010, so it’s unclear what percentage of black students are in the magnet programs today. But Geier says there are other problems with the changes.
“It’s somewhat, and I’m not a legal expert, but somewhat of a breach of contract that we’ve signed.”
Each year, magnet school parents and students sign an agreement, that Scott says will be broken under the new changes.
“Every year you’re signing saying ‘I will maintain this and I will be able to move forward.'”
They say it’s the uncertainty that’s really bothering them.
“2015-2016 school system is set,” Scott says. “For 2016-17, there is absolutely nothing set for the magnet system. No conduct standards. No testing.”
Which is why they may take Senator Dick Brewbaker’s advice.
“He said you might want to carefully consider hiring an attorney,” Geier says.
We spoke with Montgomery Public Schools spokesperson Tom Salter regarding this issue.
He says this issue is not at all about race.
Salter also says he doesn’t believe the agreements made each year between students, parents and the school are considered contracts.
The ladies in the story have started a new facebook page called “save Montgomery Magnet Schools” for parents and students to share updates and news about the magnet application process. So far, there are over 1-thousand likes.
