The Messenger

By Craig Ford

Republicans in Montgomery take one last jab at public education

For the past three years, the Alabama legislature, under the leadership of the Republican Supermajority, has waged a war on public education in Alabama.

It started with cutting educators’ take-home pay. Next, the Republicans “dropped the DROP program,” though they waited until they could get their payout from it first.

This year, it started with the Accountability Act. Plenty has been said

By Craig Ford

Another lost opportunity to debate Accountability Act

I learned a lot of values from my dad. He served in the state legislature for 26 years, and one of the most important values he practiced as a legislator and that he passed on to me is that our government should operate honestly and out in the open so that the taxpayers can see what they are getting for

By Craig Ford

Attempts to “fix” Accountability Act only serves to make a bad law worse

This week, the Alabama House of Representatives once again has to vote on legislation that is meant to “fix” a bill that was rushed through the process and not thought-out before it became law.

If there has been a theme for the past three years since the Republican Supermajority took control of the state legislature, it has been “unintended consequences.”

Unintended consequences

By Craig Ford

General Fund Budget is insufficient

It’s that time of year when the state legislature writes the budgets that will fund our schools and government services.

Last week, the Alabama House of Representatives passed the Education Trust Fund, which funds all things related to public education. This week, the House will turn its attention to the state’s General Fund budget, which funds all state departments, agencies, and

By State Rep. Craig Ford

Education budget a slap in the face

 It has been a rough year for public education in Alabama. In fact, for the past three years, the Republicans in the Alabama legislature have been waging a war on public education.
    And because of the education budget that passed the state House of Representatives last week, next year isn’t looking much better.
    Particularly, there are two proposals included in