MONTGOMERY, Ala. – On the heels of interim State Superintendent Dr. Ed Richardson’s address in December outlining the dire state of Montgomery Public Schools, the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce conducted a public opinion poll that reveals 7 out of 10 people believe Montgomery Public Schools are in crisis and blame that crisis on the leadership at the top.
“We were very aware of the consensus of the business community as it relates to our public school system, but wanted to learn the opinion of the community at large,” explained Montgomery Chamber Board Chairman Judge Charles Price.
The results of the poll show:
- Nearly 75% of those surveyed rated the overall quality of MPS and the job performance of the Montgomery Board of Education as Fair to Poor.
- Nearly 75% of those surveyed laid the blame for MPS’s financial problems and low test scores on the Montgomery Board of Education.
- More than half (55%) of those surveyed favor replacing the Montgomery School Board Members when they come up for re-election.
“Strong leadership is needed to transform our schools, and the Montgomery Chamber, joined by young professionals and families of Montgomery and the Mayor along with a host of other community leaders, are calling upon the community to identify and support candidates who recognize the purpose of education to prepare students to continue their development through certification programs, two and four year colleges, military service and beyond. It is imperative that this be done to ensure Montgomery’s economic future, safety and quality of life,” Price said.
Districts 1,2,3,5 and 6 are up for election on June 5th, 2018. Any Montgomery County resident interested in running for the Montgomery School Board is encouraged to visit www.educatemgm.com to learn more about how to qualify. Qualifying ends on February 9th at 5 p.m.
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