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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dr. Gregory Graves, Associate Executive Secretary, AEA


(334) 834-9790
October 8, 2014
AEA Statement Regarding the Resignation of Birmingham City
Schools Superintendent
MONTGOMERY The Alabama Education Association (AEA) supports the
decision by Craig Witherspoon, Superintendent of the Birmingham City
Schools to retire. It was Witherspoon who, faced with his imminent
termination by the former members of the board, took actions to ensure a
state take-over to save his own job costing hundreds of rank-and-file
employees to lose their jobs or suffer significant reductions in pay.
It was also Witherspoon who many believe was responsible for bringing
Tisha Nguyen to Birmingham for the purpose of aiding in the
implementation of transitional charter schools. Why he recommended
Nguyen and her compatriot, Vanessa Peterson, individuals with no real
public school experience and who were unable or unwilling to gain
Alabama certification, for high level administrative positions is still a
mystery.
Witherspoons departure does not resolve many of the lingering issues that
will remain long after he is gone. The Birmingham City School Board still
owes the parents, taxpayers, and citizens of Birmingham a detailed and
thorough investigation and explanation of everything that has happened in
Birmingham in the past few months.
AEA Associate Executive Secretary Dr. Gregory T. Graves said, While I
appreciate the boards decision to appear harmonious with Dr. Witherspoon
throughout his tenure, the facts clearly show that the Birmingham City
Board neglected the checks and balances process. Time and time again,
the board appeared to serve as a rubber stamp to Craig Witherspoon and
his initiatives. This passive approach allowed him to hire obviously
unqualified individuals as senior administrators. It was recently discovered
that these employees were given pay increases that were not board
approved. There are also documented accusations that these
administrators were allowed, with knowledge, to spend Title I money for
illegal purposes, and to benefit the friends and former employers of those
individuals. The Board then accepted what appeared to be a plan for a
cover-up using outside funds without demanding a forensic audit and a
thorough investigation. Information will be brought forth in the coming
weeks regarding the actions of individual board members and the board as
a whole. Graves further added, answers will be given either voluntarily or
though the legal process.
AEA calls on the Birmingham Board of Education to use the three months
that Witherspoon is still in office to conduct a thorough and intensive
investigation of how Tisha Nguyen and Vanessa Peterson were hired in
Birmingham, what they have done while they were here, and if any laws
were violated by their conduct. Its encouraging that the community has
shown great interest in finding out how and where the Title 1 funds were
improperly spent; however, the Boards lack of concern is disheartening.
Graves went on to caution, Witherspoons opponents in the community
should not celebrate. Instead, they must turn their focus to the board to
demand accountability and an open and inclusive search for a new leader.
They cannot afford another hand-picked individual selected by the business
community. It was the Birmingham board of education that recently gave
Witherspoon a contract extension. The same lack of due diligence that led
to those actions led to the hiring of Nguyen and Peterson, and the
misappropriation of funds.
Graves will be meeting with concerned parents in Birmingham on Friday,
October 10. While AEA is still in litigation against the Birmingham City
Schools over the illegally-conducted RIF that occurred during the state
takeover, and on behalf of numerous members who were mistreated by
Nguyen, Graves maintained that the meeting Friday does not concern legal
matters. It is a meeting established by members of the community that are
dissatisfied with the recent activities that have taken place in the school
system.

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