FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Montgomery, Ala., September 26, 2024 – The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, alongside elected officials, community and business leaders, held a pivotal press conference to address the leadership crisis in Montgomery County Public Schools. The event emphasized the essential role of education in advancing the region’s economic development, workforce readiness, military mission, healthcare and overall quality of life. Caryn Hughes, Chairman of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, stressed the urgent need for unified action. "At the very heart of our region is a school system that serves some 26,000 students. It is a system that is the cornerstone of our regional workforce and is currently in a state of crisis."Hughes discussed community leadership’s unity in advocating for progress, referencing recent economic successes, including a significant $800 million investment showcasing the strength of partnerships between public and private entities. She emphasized that the future of the region’s prosperity is tied directly to the health and leadership of its school system. Community and business leaders expressed profound frustration over the resignation of Dr. Melvin Brown, the superintendent of Montgomery County Public Schools. Dr. Brown, a world-class leader, was recruited in 2022 following a historic tax referendum and the end of a state takeover of the school system. He has been credited with leading critical transformation efforts. However, his resignation, driven by the actions of four elected members of the Montgomery County Board of Education, has sparked widespread concern.
During today's Chamber Board of Directors meeting, the Chamber and its partners issued a resolution calling upon the Montgomery County Board of Education to reassess their conduct and the consequences of their actions. The resolution highlighted the following concerns: "We urge the four members of the Montgomery County Board of Education, who acted to accept Dr. Brown’s resignation last week, to reassess the serious setbacks their actions will inflict upon Montgomery Public School students and the ability of the district to retain or recruit future leadership. There is no evidence that the four members of the Board of Education responsible for this crisis of leadership have a plan, nor have they demonstrated they are open to collaboration with other community leaders to find a way forward."
Hughes emphasized the Chamber's commitment to staying deeply involved in establishing stable leadership for Montgomery Public Schools. "We are going to be fully engaged to ensure Montgomery—the state capital—doesn't lose momentum. Our focus remains on working with all partners to secure the best path forward." Recognizing the gravity of the situation, the resolution further called upon State Superintendent Dr. Eric Mackey and the Alabama State Department of Education to consider placing Montgomery Public Schools under state control until a clear path forward is established. The Chamber and its partners also expressed their appreciation for the sound leadership of Board Chairman Brenda Coleman, Vice Chairman Cassandra Brown and District 6 Board Member Claudia Mitchell, who have been working diligently to guide the school system in the right direction.
During the press conference, Dr. Eric Mackey, Alabama State Superintendent, voiced concerns on behalf of the Alabama State Department of Education. He commented on Montgomery Public Schools’ trajectory since its release from state intervention: “We have a lot of concerns at State Department [of Education], I have a lot of concerns right now because of what we see happening at MPS,” said Mackey. “When we released MPS from intervention, it was touted across the country as one of the most successful school system turnarounds anywhere, ever. I got calls from other states’ chiefs.” Montgomery didn’t lose the momentum that Mackey says many systems quickly experience “some of the old patterns” that “creep back in.” Mackey praised MPS’s hiring of Brown after intervention, saying he’s “done a great job” by making changes including to curriculum, personnel, schedules, and finances, “that are really propelling Montgomery forward.” Mackey said MPS “was essentially bankrupt when the state intervention started,” and added that, “I think that we’re going to have a hard time maintaining the academic momentum. We’re going to have a hard time maintaining also the momentum behind the new tax and behind the investment in this community without stable leadership.” The state superintendent said Brown’s decision to resign “sends the message to potential candidates out there that Montgomery’s one of those places, as it used to be and was for about 20 years, a place where after 18 to 24 months the Board’s going to get tired of you and you’re going to have to sell your house and you’re going to have to move on.”
Doug Singleton, Chairman of the Montgomery County Commission, encouraged the MPS Board to pause and come together during their upcoming board meeting. He urged them to work through the current challenges with effective communication, emphasizing that they must do what is right for the children. Caryn Hughes concluded by emphasizing the Chamber’s long-term vision, “We want outstanding public schools and opportunities for our students. We are united in that vision. Today, we ask the Montgomery County Board of Education to join in that vision and demonstrate real leadership in moving Montgomery Public Schools forward.”
Photos: https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjBJYqW
The full video will be available this afternoon: https://www.youtube.com/@Montgomerychamber
ABOUT THE MONTGOMERY AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
With a mission to drive economic prosperity and build a greater life for all in the capital region, the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce is a full-spectrum economic development public/private partnership representing 1,600 businesses and organizations with over 90,000 employees throughout Central Alabama.
With a mission to drive economic prosperity and build a greater life for all in the capital region, the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce is a full-spectrum economic development public/private partnership representing 1,600 businesses and organizations with over 90,000 employees throughout Central Alabama.
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