Schools Receiving Checks From County Tax

One thing I've learned - schools like it when you bring them money!

With Crestline Elementary Principal Laurie King

I had the opportunity this week to deliver funds raised from Jefferson County's 1% sales tax alongside County Commissioner David Carrington, Senator Jabo Waggoner, and Representative Jim Carnes. We visited school systems in my district including Homewood, Vestavia, and Mountain Brook.

These funds will help to continue and improve upon the level of success of our surrounding school systems. This is one of those great times when our taxes raised go to areas that will truly lead to a better tomorrow for our State. And I can't think of a better way of doing that than supporting our educators and our educational system.

Education has been and will continue to be one of my top priorities.

The Law Does What We Need It To

You may have seen in the news that there's been a challenge to the law regarding (what I would deem inappropriate) teacher/student relationships. There's one trial judge who has held the law unconstitutional, and an appeal has now been taken by a former teacher who was found guilty of having an inappropriate sexual relationship with a student and is now in prison as a result.

The article from ABC 33/40 reporter Lauren Walsh does a pretty good job of summarizing the situation - and how the law is currently in the hands of the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals - you can read it here.

I DO understand the position the judge and attorney are taking on this. I don't agree with them, but as an attorney, I understand the argument made saying teachers should not be singled out.

BUT - we simply cannot allow nor tolerate teachers having inappropriate sexual relationships with students, even if consensual. A line should - and has to be - drawn in our high schools, and parents need to have the assurance their kids will be protected. Such relationships will not be allowed, and teachers who engage in such relationships with students will be prosecuted. So, as I was quoted in the article, while I understand the constitutionality argument, the priority is keeping our children from being taken advantage of in these kinds of situations.

I want the current law to be upheld - I think the law does what we need it to do. However, if the law is held to be unconstitutional, then we'll just have to work on adjusting another area of the law and our school policies here in Alabama to achieve the same result, or even better protection for our students.