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Interview with Blaine Galliher on Religion in Public Schools
The First Amendment says “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” But does that mean public schools can give credit to students for creationism classes? What if they’re off campus and privately funded? A bill in the state Legislature would authorize school boards to set up such “release time” programs. Dan Carsen speaks with its sponsor, House Rules Committee Chairman Blaine Galliher.
Carsen and Ott EduChat
It’s week two of the 2012 legislative session in Alabama and job creation and budget shortfalls continue to take center stage. Officials predict a budget gap in the many hundreds of millions of dollars – meaning cutbacks, possible layoffs, and other belt-tightening measures. WBHM’s Dan Carsen of the Southern Education Desk tells Tanya Ott that the budget crisis in non-education departments could pit the Education Trust Fund against everything else.
Girl Scout Cookie Terrorists
If you're running errands this weekend, possibly doing some grocery shopping, you may run across some very young, but very persistent sales people. Funny Lady Francesca Rosko prefers to call them terrorists...
Alabama’s Prison Problem
Alabama faces a potential $400 million shortfall in the general fund budget this year. And that could leave the state’s already-strapped prison system at a tipping point -- so overcrowded Alabama could face the possibility of a federal lawsuit. As WBHM’s Andrew Yeager reports lawmakers are searching for ways to fix a system bursting at the seams.
Local Government with John Archibald
John's take on the first week of the 2012 legislative session. There's already a standoff over the budget and charter schools.
Interview with Education Reformer Michelle Rhee
Michelle Rhee is an education reformer known for making controversial moves. After closing schools in Washington D.C., she was featured on the cover of Time magazine holding a broom. Her group StudentsFirst is in Alabama pushing for charter schools and new ways to evaluate teachers, among other things. She spoke with Southern Education Desk reporter Dan Carsen, who asked her about what her group's goals mean for people around here.
How Much Do You Know About Charter Schools?
Alabama Governor Robert Bentley says charter school legislation will pass in the 2012 legislative session. Bentley outlined his education priorities in his State of the State address last night. The head of the Alabama Education Association vehemently opposes bringing charter schools to Alabama, calling them experimental and untested. Proponents say the taxpayer-funded schools that operate outside some of the rules that affect public schools offer more flexibility and accountability. Who's right?
Legislature Considers Immigration Law Tweaks
The Alabama Legislature begins its regular session today and one of the big issues lawmakers will consider is changing the state’s immigration law. That law, HB56, is considered the nation’s toughest crackdown on illegal immigrants. When it passed last year it got very little attention from Alabama’s business community, but as WBHM's Tanya Ott reports, business leaders are driving the latest efforts to modify the law.
State Lawmakers Consider Education Reforms
When lawmakers return to Montgomery today for the beginning of the 2012 legislative session, they'll have a lot of meaty issues to deal with, from tweaks to the state's immigration law to a potential $400 million budget shortfall. They'll also tackle several education reform initiatives. The Southern Education Desk's Dan Carsen fills us in.
Carsen and Ott EduChat
When lawmakers returned to Montgomery for the beginning of the 2012 legislative session, they had a lot of meaty issues to deal with, from tweaks to the state's immigration law to a potential $400 million budget shortfall. They're also tackling several education reform initiatives, and as the Southern Education Desk's Dan Carsen told WBHM's Tanya Ott, this year looks to be a lot like last year, with plenty of controversial issues on the table.
The Jefferson County Sound
Gospel music has long been a fixture in African American churches around Birmingham. A new documentary film looks at the revolution of a style of gospel music called the Jefferson County Sound. Greg Bass takes a closer look for WBHM’s Tapestry.
Local Government with John Archibald
John previews the 2012 legislative session and controversial comments by one lawmaker who says teachers shouldn't get a pay raise, but legislators definitely needed one to keep them free from corruption.
Light Skits
After going through some tough times with the death of his father, Light Skits founding member Sam Goodwin needed to express himself creatively. He says the resulting album, Nooks & Crannies, lets listeners inside his mind. With diverse song structures, complex math-pop riffs and screamo vocals, Light Skits lets you rock loud and hard.
The January 2012 Tornado
Residents along the north side of Birmingham are digging out after a line of storms rumbled across the state early Monday morning. A tornado killed at least two people in Jefferson County. And as WBHM’s Andrew Yeager reports, the damage is a reminder of the killer tornados which struck the state just last spring.
Local Government with John Archibald
John Archibald thinks Shelby County residents share the blame for a long-time teacher who's admitted molesting young girls and why Birmingham is the kick-off of a federal campaign against pay day loan operations.
Charter Schools: None in Alabama, but May Change Soon
In a national ranking on charter schools, Alabama did not even come in last. That's because the state is one of only nine that doesn't have charter schools, but that could change, and soon. Dan Carsen has more for the Southern Education Desk at WBHM:
Gordon Lightfoot
Over his 50+ year career, singer/songwriter Gordon Lightfoot has produced a string of hits. His songs have been recorded by Peter, Paul and Mary, Bob Dylan, even Elvis. He's mostly remembered in this country for his hits from the 1970s and the occasional public TV fundraiser. But Gordon Lightfoot is nothing short of a national treasure in his native Canada. At the tender age of 73 he still spends a lot of time on the road and this Sunday evening his t our bus stops at the Alabama Theatre . Greg Bass talked to Gordon Lightfoot.
John Archibald
Birmingham Mayor William Bell uses consent agenda to get $500M in funding for a McDonald Restaurant and Nick Saban schedules a press conference and doesn't say what it's about.
Bards of Birmingham
When schools cut their budgets, arts and theater programs are often the first to go. But in Birmingham, a youth acting group is still teaching lessons to any kid with the chops to get on stage. It's also pushing boundaries in a way that might make some theater traditionalists and parents uncomfortable. From the Southern Education Desk at WBHM, Dan Carsen reports.
Local Government with John Archibald
Birmingham News columnist John Archibald reviews the top local news stories from 2011 and looks forward to 2012.
Remembering UAB Legend Gene Bartow
The man referred to as the father of UAB athletics has died. Gene Bartow passed away Tuesday after a two-year battle with stomach cancer. He was 81. The hall of fame coach lead teams at six universities, but it was at UAB where he really made his mark as the first mens basketball coach and first athletic director. WBHM’s Andrew Yeager has this remembrance.
Home Energy Efficiency
It's cold outside... and maybe inside, if your house isn't properly insulated. Home energy efficiency is a big issue and a new study gives Alabama high marks - and low marks - for how the state handles it. WBHM's Tanya Ott has our story.
Farm Guest Workers
Alabama farmers are wondering where they'll find workers for next year's growing season. They say the state’s tough immigration law has driven away much of the migrant labor they rely on. One option is for farmers to hire foreign guest workers. And as WBHM’s Andrew Yeager reports, a number of private companies stand to benefit.
Officers Pepper-Spraying Birmingham Students
Depending on the details, recent images of police pepper-spraying protesters have triggered varying levels of outrage. But here in Birmingham, police are regularly pepper-spraying students while they're in school. Dan Carsen has more from the Southern Education Desk at W-B-H-M.
Mo Rocca: A Life on Stage
You may know him from the Daily Show with John Stewart or from NPR's quiz show Wait Wait Don't Tell Me. But Mo Rocca has had an incredibly varied career. He'll talk about that and more when he takes the state at Birmingham's Alys Stephens Center Friday night. He may even talk about his early start in musical theatre...
Despite Successful Fundraising, Imagination Library Still On Hold
Though the United Way of Central Alabama surpassed its 2011 fundraising goal, a popular early literacy program is still on hold in Jefferson County. Dan Carsen has more from the Southern Education Desk in this web-exclusive report.
Imagination Library Cut in JeffCo
A literacy program that brought free books to young Jefferson County children has been suspended due to lack of funds. Dan Carsen has more in this web-exclusive report from the Southern Education Desk.
The Reconstruction of Asa Carter
In 1976, The Education of Little Tree was published as the autobiography of a little known southern author, Forest Carter. Carter's earlier novel, Josey Wales, had been turned into a successful film by actor Clint Eastwood. Little Tree was the story of Carter's childhood as an Indian boy who grew up on a reservation. He was orphaned, then taken away from his grandparents and raised by missionary types. He got through it, though, and got through it well. But the Education of Little Tree wasn't what it seemed. It wasn't even an autobiography, but a work of fiction, by one of the Alabama's most notorious Klan leaders.
John Archibald
Our weekly segment features The Birmingham News columnist John Archibald, discussing the city politic (and county and state politic too). Instead of being unplugged as he is in the newspaper, we offer him a bullhorn. Sort of.
Icelanders in the Magic City
A new report shows more than 700,000 foreign students are studying at American universities this year. About 6,300 are in Birmingham. Some students may be fleeing political oppression. Others are simply looking for better opportunities. But for one group of Icelandic students in Birmingham, their attraction to Magic City is soccer - as WBHM intern Kenan Le Parc reports.
Bring Your Own Parts
AAA estimates more than 42 million people will travel this Thanksgiving holiday, with most of them taking cars. Of course before you hit the road, you'll want to make sure the car's working properly. A new shop in Birmingham is offering an unusual way to fix your vehicle. You bring your own parts. WBHM’s Andrew Yeager takes a look at the potential for this business model.
The Private Eye Program
What's common to all academic subjects? Well..thinking. "Critical thinking" is a buzzword for a reason, regardless of whether educators think today's students do it well enough: it's basic to what students are meant to do in school. But can you actually teach thinking? From the Southern Education Desk at WBHM, Dan Carsen reports on an innovative program trying to do just that.
