Principal: Failing school list uses outdated information

More Jefferson County educators are complaining about a list made up "failing schools" in Alabama. More than 200 schools made the list statewide.

One of the schools in Jefferson County schools was the old Erwin High School which has now become Center Point High School. Principal Van Phillips questions the list.

"I thought it was completely disingenuous, downright disrespectful. It was totally disparaging to the school, to the teachers, staff and community who have worked hard to improve our schools," Phillips said.

The list was compiled by Republican lawmakers who are backing the Alabama Accountability Act. The information came from the Alabama Department of Education but the department did not put the list together.

"The State Department of Education has not returned information to the Republican Party to foster information so they are trying to help kids. But, actually they are trying to help some friends with kids attend private schools," Phillips contends the information was dated and many of the schools on the list have poor students and a lack of financial resources.

"All schools are not created equal. We are not Mountain Brook High school. We are not Vestavia Hills High School but we are compared to Mountain Brook and Vestavia Hills High School," Phillips said.

"I don't like the label failing schools," Dr. Craig Witherspoon, Birmingham School Superintendent, said.

There are 24 Birmingham schools on the failing list. Friday, Witherspoon said if parents take their children out of the system with the tax credit from the Accountability Act it will only hurt the system even more.

"Could there be an impact currently if we lose students to any other school system? That does have a financial impact," Witherspoon said.

Still Republican lawmakers and the Governor Bentley are standing by the act.

"There would be no tax credit if there were no failing schools," Bentley said.

Birmingham schools are awaiting to see the fate of the Accountability Act that Act, which right now is before the Alabama Supreme Court for review.

Copyright 2013 WBRC. All rights reserved.