I don't know what the academic backgrounds of any of the 3 new candidates are, or what side of town they are from for that matter. But, in my opinion, it's ridiculous to consider putting uneducated people on a Board of Education. Part of the BOE's job is to ensure our children are prepped for college. How can you do that if you have no frame of reference?!?

Quote from hibousage on 04/11/10 at 9:52am:

 
Mrs. Baker, as a school board member, was under the impression that all of the children who attended our high schools went on to college.  When I spoke to her about it in 2007, she was completely floored that not everyone did.  This made no sense to her.
 
BucStopsHere, you and I agree on many things, but this is not one of them.  "Uneducated" is a very disparaging term to use on someone who did not receive a college degree.  
 
I know many people with a four and six-year degree who are currently either unemployed or doing things that their degrees did not prepare them for...like waiting tables.
 
In 1981 the dean of a very prestigious university said during the commencement of the graduating class (and I paraphrase) "You will now all find out why it's called a BS degree".
 
In not way should you interpret my comments here to indicate that a degree is not important, however, a degree does not measure whether or not a person is "educated" or not.
 
In my three years of observing the Hoover Board of Education I was fully aware that Mrs. Frazier did not have a college degree.  Frankly, at times she ran circles around those that did.  Sometimes common sense trumps a "formal education".
 
Knowing three of the four candidates personally, I can assure you that the college degree part is not, and shouldn't be, a determining factor in choosing the next member.
 
 
 

Quote from BucStopsHere on 04/11/10 at 5:22pm:

 
I assume your sentence "It all starts w/ the BOE, who they hire to administer the schools, and the academic curriculum they approve.".  means "Who the BoE hires to administer the schools, and who they hire to approve the curriculum." and not "The BoE is hired to administer the schools and to approve the academic curriculum."?
 
I would have to say it's preposterous to assume that someone who did not spend 4+ years in college has "no clue what it takes to succeed at that level of education...".  Going to college is not a spectacular achievement.  Actually there are many who graduate from college who don't know how to put complete sentences together.  75% of the NFL players come to mind.
 
Let's now look at some people out there who don't have a college degree who know a thing or two about business:
 
Mary Kay Ash
Richard Branson
Michael Dell
Walt Disney (high school drop-out)
Henry Ford (high school drop-out)
Bill Gates
Milton Hershey
Steve Jobs
Ty Warner
Frank Lloyd Wright
 
Here's a 100 more.
 
I once attended a banquet with a number of very prominent, famous people.  A majority of them were in the athletic field and they were there to honor one of their own.  Before the main event began, one of these invited participants, a graduate of one of our state universities (I won't reveal the name, but suffice it to say they have more national championship than their main rival), leaned over to me and asked me to read the menu to him.  The man couldn't read!  And he had a degree!
 
Some jobs require a degree.  I wouldn't want a doctor working on me who didn't attend med school.  I wouldn't want my prescription filled by a person who didn't attend pharmacy school.  I wouldn't want to be represented in court by someone who didn't attend law school.  But I'll take Steve Jobs to run my company over those who ran GM and Chrysler into the ground any day of the week.  And I'd rather have Bill Gates run my IT department over anyone with a college degree, or two or five.
 
Our Board of Education is there to set policy, not to administer the schools.  That's why we hire those with master's degrees as principals.  Do I think the entire Central Office staff should have degrees in education?  Absolutely.  Do I think that the Board members need one also?  Not at all.  Donna Frazier does not have a degree.  She runs a successful business.  Arnold Singer does not have a degree.  He ran a successful company.  Terry Young does not have a degree.  He runs a successful business.  Barry Thomas has a degree.  He is the CFO of a company.  They are not out of business and I've dealt with them for four years, so I'll assume his company is successful.  
 
Now let me take you back three years.  Some very bad financial decisions were made during that time.  Any idea who spearheaded them?  I'll give you a clue.  They had a college degree.
 
Finally, let's look at some local school background of these candidates.
 
Terry Young -  Loves Spain Park HS.  Two years ago he wanted to give a Mercedes Benz to the student with the highest GPA at SP.  He wrote a letter to Billy Broadway explaining his motivation behind the move.  Luckily it was shot down by Mr. Sweeney, who felt it would send the wrong message to the public.
 
Donna Frazier - Loves Spain Park HS.  Mrs. Frazier supported Mr. Young's "donation" and considers him one of her "closest friends".
 
Arnold Singer - Has no relatives in any Hoover school.  No bias, no allegiance.
 
Barry Thomas - Treasurer of the Hoover HS Band Boosters.  Of course this might explain hhsoutlaw's support of him, and perhaps yours also, BSH.  Boosters tend to stick together.  Unfortunately that type of thinking got us in trouble a few years ago.
 
You know what I really liked about the last two appointments?  There was no perceived school affiliation, just a City of Hoover affiliation.  In order to get back to a neutral school board, we need to stop with the rah-rah of "my high school is better than yours" and appoint people who care more about all of the kids in our school system than if Hoover beat SP or if SP beat Hoover.  Only one candidate can bring that type of thinking to the table.  Only one.    
  
 

From the "Where Are They Now" department:
 
http://blog.al.com/businessnews/2011/07/former_cfo_of_central_leasing.html
 
Well, at least he's got a college degree