Fourth Graders Witness History as Bentley Exits
When Alabama fourth graders study state history, it’s not uncommon for classes to take field trips to the state capitol building. But it’s not every day those students are a witness to history.
That’s what happened to Cheryl Parr’s class. She’s a fourth-grade teacher at Coosa Christian School in Gadsden and she was leading her class on a field trip Monday afternoon as word spread that Gov. Robert Bentley would resign.
“We didn’t realize anything was happening until we saw a bunch of reporters,” says Parr.
She says their tour guide at the capitol told them it could be a historic day, but nobody there would talk specifically about the expected resignation.
“Then headlines were popping up on our phones about what was going to happen and so you kind of put two and two together,” Parr says.
She says while some students didn’t understand what was going on, others had heard about Bentley’s scandal from their parents. Some students overheard the adults talking about the situation and wanted to know more.
She says they talked later about the day and Alabama’s new governor, Kay Ivey. Parr says the adults didn’t share everything with the kids since Bentley’s resignation involved an alleged sexual affair with a former aide.
“[We] told them he made some bad choices and he was paying the consequences for it,” Parr says.
Parr has taken students on this trip before, but she says this year’s class will have a unique story.
“It’ll just be something they can share with their family or, if they get older, with their kids,” says Parr. “I think it’ll just be one of those moments that they remember for a long time.”
Workers at Alabama’s Mercedes plants vote against joining a union
The workers voted 56% against the union, according to tallies released by the National Labor Relations Board, which ran the election.
Taylor Hunnicutt is championing her home state with debut album ‘Alabama Sound’
Alabama offers a diverse symphony of swampy rock, swaggering blues, murky country, and bone-rattling soul. It’s a sound singer-songwriter Taylor Hunnicutt recently reimagined on her debut album, Alabama Sound, which is out now.
UAB building among Alabama’s first to feature ‘bird safe’ glass
Advocates hope the new glass will prevent window collisions, a leading causes of bird mortality.
Researchers look into community health impact of wood pellet production in rural Mississippi
Brown University and Tougaloo College students are testing for potential air and noise pollution near the Drax wood pellet plant in Gloster, Mississippi.
Alabama coal company sued for a home explosion is delinquent on dozens of penalties
Crimson Oak Grove Resources has been cited for 204 safety violations since the March 8 blast, many involving “significant and substantial” safety violations.
The United Auto Workers faces a key test in the South with upcoming vote at Alabama Mercedes plant
The United Auto Workers is aiming for a key victory at Mercedes-Benz in Alabama. More than 5,000 workers at the facility in Vance and nearby battery plant will vote this week on whether to join the UAW.
