State Superintendent responds to Birmingham BOE lawsuit

State Superintendent Tommy Bice is speaking out about a federal lawsuit filed last week. The lawsuit says the state illegally intervened during its takeover of the Birmingham City School System.

Tommy Bice describes the lawsuit as another legal distraction that will hurt the state school board's efforts to bring financial accountability to Birmingham's school system. Bice wants to move forward implementing a financial recovery plan, saying a delay would harm Birmingham students.

In a released statement, Dr. Bice says in part:

"As a circuit court judge concluded in rejecting a separate legal challenge to state intervention in the Birmingham system.... our action in overriding the Birmingham Board likely prevented state and federal funds from being withheld from the Birmingham system and kept both students in school and the system's employees at work. I have every reason to believe that the court considering the most recently filed claim will take the same view regarding the necessity and legality of the actions at issue."

Dr. Bice also says if key stakeholders cooperate with the state, Birmingham can become a model for urban educational reform.

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