Meet your candidates: District 1 board of education

Along with Birmingham’s upcoming mayoral race and election for city council, Birmingham City Schools is also holding elections for new Board of Education members. This year, there are 32 candidates in the running for a total of nine seats.

Of the current nine board members, four are seeking re-election: District 4 representative Daagye Hendricks, District 6 representative Cheri Gardner, District 7 representative Wardine Alexander and District 9 representative Sandra Brown. District 5 representative Randall Woodfin is not seeking re-election but instead running for the mayor’s seat.

District 1 includes Huffman Academy, Sun Valley Elementary School, Smith Middle School and Huffman High School. Elections are on Aug. 22.

Bennie Holmes

Currently, Bennie Holmes is a member of the Black Star Academy school board as a school board trustee handling fiduciary duties and is involved in the history of Alabama political science and school governance. He attended Birmingham schools through high school and has children and grandchildren in the school system.

Now, he’s running to represent District 1 on the Birmingham Board of Education.

A self-described strong active support and adversary of the school system, Holmes decided to run for election when he was “very dissatisfied with the inability of the school board members as well as other elected officials to address the core problem of failure of Birmingham schools,” he said.

Holmes said he has knowledge and understanding of the state of Alabama State Board of Education governance, which helps him understand the responsibilities of board members, the superintendent and education staff for the city.

With his past experiences as well as the ability to be transparent with the community, Holmes hopes to advocate for African culture-centered curriculums, hire culturally sensitive teachers and re-train staff and advocate to make schools the hub of activities. He would also like to revamp initiatives, training programs and professional development to better serve African-American children and community, and he will scrutinize projects, including for construction, transportation or vendors, from a professional perspective.

To learn more about Holmes and his campaign, find “Vote for Bennie Holmes District 1” on Facebook or email voteforbennieholmesdistrict1@gmail.com.

Douglas Ragland 

Douglas Ragland decided to run for school board because of his experience, success and passion in education.

Ragland grew up in the Birmingham City School system attending Welton and Wylam Elementary Schools and graduating from Ensley High School, and he later returned to work in the school system as a teacher, assistant principal, personnel coordinator and central office hearing officer from 1978 to 2004.

He was also selected to serve on state committees to enhance curriculum and served as the superintendent of both elected and appointed school boards in the Greene County School System and the Midfield City School System. While in those positions, Ragland said he reported to those school boards and was a member of the Alabama Association of School Boards. He is also school board certified in finance, student achievement, school board roles and responsibilities and ethical issues from Alabama Association of School Boards, Birmingham Business Alliance and the Birmingham Education Foundation.

Ragland said his past experiences with school boards would help him tremendously if elected, as they and his certifications have given him insight and practical experience of the roles and responsibilities of school board members. The school board also hires and evaluates a superintendent, a process he has had a first-hand experience in both as a school board member and as a superintendent.

“I believe that Birmingham needs leadership in the school district and serving on the school board will provide that leadership,” he said. “Also, I want to have our children prepared to compete against global competition, become productive citizens in life and have the quality of life they deserve.” By creating a global institution, Ragland said, “… we will in turn enhance economic development and be a better Birmingham for all.”

If elected to the school board, Ragland would like to achieve financial stability with a balanced budget and a minimum of five months’ reserves annually; hire professionally certified and highly qualified teachers for each school and subject area; ensure that every child graduates; become a world-class school system in all areas; provide transparent leadership; make decisions predicated on the best interest of children; be mindful of and avoid decisions that may cost the district millions; and maintain stability in leadership with the superintendent, in the schools and at the district level.

To learn more about Ragland’s campaign, visit drdouglasragland.com or view a video on bhamdebates.org.

Jerry Tate 

Candidate Jerry Tate has been active in the Birmingham City Schools system for 15 years, leading the campaign for a $54 million new Huffman High School, implementing the “Ready Day One” initiative, campaigning for additional uniform options and working to add electronic devices to all classrooms.

While he has not held an elected office before, Tate has approached city leaders to ask for a $1 million budget to fund a reading program, as well as requested increased funding for the schools and libraries in the city’s budget. He also fought for the system to be included as a Title 1 District, which helped students receive free breakfast and lunches, and promoted keeping after-school care at the local schools.

Previously, Tate served as the PTA vice president at Huffman High School, was the vice president of the Birmingham Council of PTAs for the city’s school system served on the Alabama State PTA Board of Directors and was also on the Superintendent’s parent advisory committee, textbook committee and the student code of conduct committee. He is also an active volunteer in the community, serving over 100 hours each year in the school system and earning the Birmingham Department of Youth Services Hidden Hero Award.

“I’m at my daughter’s school almost every day, whether it be helping to direct traffic or helping to support our educators,” he said. “I think that one of the most critically important roles of a school board member is to remain connected with the people we’re elected to serve—parents, teachers, students and every citizen that wants to see our city succeed.”

Tate chose to run for a seat on the school board because he believes the system has the ability to be one of the best in the state, and now, his goal is to bring a parent’s perspective to the board, especially of one who is involved and knows what the students need.

“I’m going to work to bridge the gap between the community and our new superintendent and to restore the level of accountability and transparency that the citizens deserve,” he said. “I have a history of advocating for our students because it is the right thing to do. It’s not always the easiest thing, but it is always the right thing.”

If elected, Tate would like to complete a full evaluation of every aspect of the school district to identify areas for improvement in order to create a strategic plan as well as campaign for a budget that reflects the district’s priorities and puts students first. He wants to help empower all stakeholders while supporting smaller class sizes with more technology and collaborating with educators to address behavioral issues.

Tate also aims to provide incentives and professional development opportunities to help attract and retain top teachers and wants to encourage everyone to view the school system as an economic development agency in Birmingham.

“New companies are going to want to locate here if we have a good school system that prepares our graduating seniors to enter the 21st century workforce,” he said. “I’m going to fight to expand our ‘trade school’ and career education programs as well as our Pre-K program.”

To learn more about his campaign, visit electtate.com, follow “Elect Jerry Tate” on Facebook or email the campaign at electtate2017@gmail.com.

Keith Rice 

In addition to attending Birmingham City Schools himself, Keith Rice’s children did as well. He later earned his bachelor’s degree from Alabama State University and has served in various capacities with the Board of Education.

“I was one of only three people initially selected to serve on the Birmingham City Schools Task Force representing District 1,” he said. The task force was mainly responsible for attaining funding and plans for the new Huffman High School and Huffman Academy and generating community involvement in the project. In addition, the group helped revitalize the PTA, PTSA, PTO or PTSO for each school that previously had those organizations. Rice also served as a PTA president and is currently an activist and community liaison for the school system.

Rice served as a resident council president for the Cooper Greene Housing community as well, which is an elected position, and was elected as the first citywide president for all of the public housing communities in the Housing Authority of the Birmingham District.

“Having been a public servant prepares one for the challenges of helping to meet needs, solve problems, establish consensus building and monitor results,” he said, and he chose to run for the Board of Education because, “I am tired of seeing the political games being played with our young peoples future.”

If elected, Rice would like to re-establish the city’s school system as a “preeminent educational system where learning and teaching co-exist,” and where disciplined principals, accountable leadership, transparent decision making and community involvement help elevate minds and meet expectations.

Cedric Small

Cedric Small is the parent of a rising fourth grader in the Birmingham City School system and chose to run for the Birmingham Board of Education to create change.

“I am a concerned parent, not a practice politician,” he said. “I am experiencing the exact issues fellow parents in this school system face on a daily basis. However, I do not want to just talk about what we need to change, I will be the change we as parents want to see.”

Small, who believes in leading through service as an elected official, is a graduate of Samford University and is the senior pastor of New Mt. Zion Baptist Church. He said he has the temperament needed to perform as a board of education member and as a faith-based leader, he said he “will be fair and just in the position and able to work with the board members and superintendent to serve our students, parents and educators.”

If elected, Small would like to develop creative ways to engage students, keep parents informed and ensure educators are equipped with the resources they need. He would also like to create positive relationships within the community to ensure involvement and support for students.

“I am running to change the conversation as it pertains to Birmingham City Schools and bring the spotlight back to our students,” he said. “I believe that by planting small seeds in our students early on in their educational careers we will see a great change in the way they prioritize education, ensuring they are college and career ready.”

To learn more about Small and his campaign, find him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter @ElectCedricSmall or email him at electcedricsmall@gmail.com.

Editor’s note: This is an ongoing article that will be updated as more information becomes available.