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May 09, 2008 Governor Riley Vetoes House Bill 222 MONTGOMERY - Governor Bob Riley vetoed a bill Thursday that would put unnecessary mandates on school boards when they hire superintendents and the chancellor of the two-year college system. The mandates in the bill would also apply to the hiring of two-year college presidents. According to a newsletter from the Alabama Education Association, the bill was introduced in response to the state school board’s hiring of Bradley Byrne as chancellor of the two-year college system last year. “The people behind this bill are the same folks who want double dipping to continue,” said Jeff Emerson, the Governor’s communications director. “Chancellor Byrne, Governor Riley and the state school board have taken the proper course of action to clean up the system. Those who benefited from the old system don’t like it and are fighting change with bills like this one.” “I believe local school boards are in a better position to know what’s best for their school systems than the Legislature. Legislators shouldn’t try to supplant school boards when it comes to hiring decisions,” said Governor Riley. In his veto message of House Bill 222, the Governor wrote that “it is totally unreasonable for the Legislature to tie the hands of these boards of education…by setting arbitrary requirements that may be unnecessary or which may be detrimental to their hiring processes.” “Depending on the existing circumstances, these boards of education may well choose to not only publicly post a notice of vacancy, but to post it for longer periods of time and in more locations” than the bill would set, Governor Riley said. “On the other hand, oftentimes circumstances might well dictate that the most reasonable course of action is to select and appoint the new superintendent very quickly after a vacancy occurs. Oftentimes these board of education members may determine, very reasonably, that a prompt and speedy appointment is in the best interest of the school system and their local community. “There is no reason to limit or restrict their judgment and reasoning in such an important respect.” A copy of Governor Riley’s veto message is attached. | |
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