Doug Bachuss announces candidacy for State School Board, District 7

The current Vice President of the Decatur City School Board, Doug Bachuss, has announced he’s running for the Alabama State Board of Education District 7 seat. The position is up for grabs after current representative, Belinda McRae, decided to not seek another term.

Bacchus explained his personal reasoning and investment for jumping into the statewide race.

“My wife and I have raised our three children in public schools, with our oldest graduating from Decatur High School and our youngest two children still attending Decatur City Schools, which has introduced us to school systems across the State of Alabama,” said Bachuss.

“I have seen first hand what is at stake and how important it is now, more than ever, to have someone on the school board that experiences what goes on in the classroom as our children have attended from elementary to high school.”

“We have some very big issues to address in the upcoming school years,” he said.

Bachuss also discussed his approach to the position if elected.

“Whether it’s financial literacy, how we continue to address the Covid impact on our schools, school choice, safety, or teacher recruitment, I want to make sure we are prepared for the future while making sure that our teachers have the support and resources to teach our children,” he stated. “In addition, I look forward to listening to parents, teachers, students, and stakeholders to hear what issues are important to them in the years to come.”

Bachuss is a partner at the Nowlin, Bachuss & Gray Law Firm. He’s also a member of the Alabama State Bar and a member and President of the Morgan County Bar.

His community involvement is extensive. Bachuss is a Past Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Decatur-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce and assisted in directing the Leadership programs for the Chamber for over twelve years.

He was inducted into the Morgan County Schools Foundation Leadership Hall of Fame in 2022. Doug is a Past Chairman of the Decatur Downtown Redevelopment Authority and current legal counsel of the Authority, which earned him the 2023 Main Street Alabama Decatur Hero Award.

He emphasized the role that Alabama companies play in growing the quality of education within the state.

“Further, we are blessed to have colleges in our area that offer opportunities for dual enrollment. With great companies making Alabama home, we have a great opportunity to encourage students to seek workforce programs so that they are career ready when they graduate high school if they are not pursuing a four-year degree of higher education,” continued Bachuss.

“I also want to develop more career tech opportunities and emphasize the offerings of the Career Academies and Centers to our students and businesses and encourage workforce development. Our students and teachers deserve to have their positive achievements shared, and I will work to highlight these successes to our communities and to our State.”

“We all know that our schools are the heart of our communities, and I want to make sure we have the best schools possible. Our children deserve the best education.”

The Alabama Republican Primary election will be held March 5th, 2024.

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.