ALABAMA EDUCATION AND SCHOOLS NEWS

News on public, private and state schools and teachers

MOBILE, Ala. -- On the northeast side of the Dog River Bridge along Dauphin Island Parkway, phragmites (frag-mite-us) once grew more than 14 feet tall inside a small estuary that curves toward the bridge from the bay at Helen Wood Park. Full story »

MOBILE, Ala. -- Mobile County school board member Reginald Crenshaw said the district has taken a good "first step" recently in hiring local and minority contractors to build schools. Full story »

According to a police statement, investigators arrested Ronald Phillip Bae, 62, of Cottonwood, and charged him with felony first-degree sex abuse. Police said the charge was the result of an investigation involving inappropriate sexual contact. Full story »

As part of a $15 million renovation to Foster, the plaza will memorialize former Gov. George Wallace's "Stand in the Schoolhouse Door," a symbolic attempt to block two black students, Vivian Malone Jones of Mobile, Ala., and James Hood, from enrolling at UA in 1963. Full story »

Councilmen called Thursday's meeting to discuss the program in response to the Oct. 27 death of sixth-grader Tre'Juan Figures. Tre'Juan, who went by Trey, took his own life in his west Anniston home. Full story »

Students will be asked to sit with someone new at the cafeteria on Tuesday. The Southern Poverty Law Center launched the program, which is designed to get students to develop better relationships. Full story »

MADISON, AL - The City of Madison has scheduled five community meetings to let citizens ask questions about a proposed half-cent sales-tax increase. The money raised would be used to help pay for a second high school in the city, on County Line Road.  Full story »

The board accepted a bid from Atlanta-based Winter Construction. Nine other companies -- including four from Alabama -- bid on the project, but Winter bid the lowest. Full story »

An Atlanta-based company will likely build the new Lee High School for $35.3 million. The board may also vote to set aside $18 million for a new Blossomwood Elementary School. Full story »

Local high schools will compete in a district-level theater competition on Saturday.  Full story »

MOBILE, Ala. -- A former University of South Alabama professor was sentenced to 5 years and three months in prison today for attempting to send obscene material to a minor. Full story »

Here's an interesting twist in the nationwide struggle over drop outs. The American Civil Liberties Union is suing the state of Florida because too few students are graduating. According to the complaint, half to one-third of the 170,000 students in Palm Beach County's public schools don't graduate, depending on how you calculate the rate.  Full story »

MADISON, AL -- The City of Madison has scheduled five community forums on a proposed half-cent sales tax to support the Madison City Schools.  Full story »

The Wonder Walk ribbon-cutting ceremony scheduled for Saturday at Mill Creek Greenway in Madison has been postponed until next spring.  Full story »

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- About 100 members of the Save Alabama PACT group paraded up Montgomery's main street to the state Capitol to attend a meeting of the board that oversees Alabama's Prepaid College Tuition Plan. Full story »