7. AHSAA refuses to accommodate Christian high school
- Oakwood Adventist Academy High School Varsity Boys Basketball Team had to forfeit a playoff game because the body overseeing the game refused to move the game three hours to accommodate their religious beliefs. The Alabama High School Athletic Association issued one statement on the matter, which read, “All games at each regional are expected to be played as scheduled. This is the AHSAA’s only statement.” The statement made it clear they had no interest in a reasonable accommodation for the students even though their website states, “All game days and times are subject to change.”
- U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) and Lt. Governor Will Ainsworth both weighed in on this issue and stated that the accommodations should have been made. Brooks called it “disgraceful” and added, “Punishing kids because of their religious beliefs goes against everything we stand for in Alabama.”
6. Truck convoy protests would be illegal in Alabama if anti-riot legislation passes
- State Representative Allen Treadaway (R-Morris) has claimed that if the anti-rioting legislation being considered by the Alabama Legislature were to become law, then the truckers’ protest in Canada would be illegal if the same thing happened in the state.
- Treadaway said, “If you’re shutting down an interstate under this law, or a main throughway – a state highway, it will be illegal. I don’t care what the cause is. It would be illegal. Do not shut them down.” The bill has already been heavily criticized with accusations that it’s unconstitutional.
5. Smitherman: Not delaying the Literacy Act is ‘cruel and unusual’
- The Alabama Literacy Act could potentially get delayed, as it would require third graders to read at grade level before advancing to the fourth grade. State Senator Roger Smitherman (D-Birmingham) is advocating for a delay, claiming it’s necessary due to the impact the pandemic has had on education.
- Smitherman said, “[I]t would be cruel and unusual to flunk them when we haven’t prepared them not to be flunked,” adding that it’s not the fault of the students. He argued, “They didn’t create the pandemic. They don’t decide how much tutoring they get. They can’t decide whether a teacher is going to be there. They can’t decide whether a school is going to be open.”
4. Russia is prepping to invade Ukraine, Biden may meet Putin
- While U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said that the United States will not place sanctions on Russia until they actually take action in Ukraine, NATO Secretary-General Jen Stoltenberg has indicated that an invasion could be coming soon. The Biden administration is suggesting President Joe Biden would meet with Vladimir Putin if he does not invade Ukraine.
- Stoltenberg said, “Russia is preparing for an invasion of Ukraine.” Despite their promise to “step back,” she stated, “Russia is stepping up with more troops and higher and even closer to the Ukrainian border.” Stoltenberg added that this is the beginning of “a new normal in European security.”
3. Senate candidates speak at winter meeting
- The Alabama Republican Party had their winter meeting in Birmingham, where each U.S. Senate candidate was able to speak for a few minutes each, including U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville), Katie Britt and Mike Durant.
- Britt confirmed that she met with former President Donald Trump recently, saying, “[W]e got to have a great conversation.” She added they were able to “update him on the race.” During her speaking time, she commended Trump highly for his strengthening of the United States on the global stage. Brooks commented that he wants voters to not just trust statements from candidates but “look at my voting record in particular.” Durant spoke some about his background and aligned himself with Trump and U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) as “outsiders.” He added, “[W]e know what’s right for America based on our experiences. We care about this country, we want to make a difference.”
2. Lawsuit against Brooks will be dropped
- The January 6-related lawsuit brought by U.S. Representative Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) against U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (R-Huntsville) is to be dismissed by U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta once the motion is filed, writing that the statements made by Brooks are “protected by the First Amendment for which he cannot be subject to liability.”
- In the decision, Brooks, Rudy Giuliani and Donald Trump, Jr. were all dismissed from the lawsuit that claimed their statements played a part in the U.S. Capitol riot. However, the lawsuit against President Donald Trump will continue.
1. School choice proposition could be changed
- The Parents’ Choice Act by State Senator Del Marsh (R-Anniston) would allow parents to send their children to private schools or homeschool them and receive some funds from the state to assist that change, but the legislation is now being sent to a study group for potential changes after receiving opposition.
- The Alabama Education Association has said the legislation “is nothing but a shell game of a voucher program to divert funding from our community schools. Alabama’s students and educators cannot afford to take almost a half a billion dollar hit from public education.” There’s skepticism that the bill will be considered, but Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Greg Reed (R-Jasper) has said “negotiations are moving forward.”
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