Schools and Safety

Schools are the backbone of any community, and we are no different. I am a huge supporter of education which is demonstrated by my record as a state legislator. While in the House of Representatives, I voted 100% of the time with public education teachers, built eight new schools in Etowah County, and brought home over $50 million for local education. As your mayor, I will continue to support education in our city, and I will work to find additional funding for our educational partners.

We are fortunate to have the Gadsden City School system (GCS), Gadsden State Community College (GSCC), Jacksonville State University (JSU), and The University of Alabama Gadsden Center (UA-GC) in our community. We have educational offerings from pre-k through doctorate and can capitalize on these offerings if marketed appropriately.

  • UA-GC Early Learning Initiative is the first in the state and serves as a model for other early learning programs. Expansion of this program benefits our community greatly by preparing students for kindergarten, as well as benefits the other early learning initiatives by providing best practices. I am supportive of this program and look forward to working with and helping expand the offerings of UA-GC.
  • GSCC truly sets us apart from other cities our size. It is also an excellent recruiting tool for industry. I plan to fully utilize all offerings offered by GSCC when recruiting new industry to Gadsden. I am completely supportive of the Advanced Manufacturing Center and will work to ensure potential industries are aware of its benefits. 
  • As our regional educational institution, JSU is expanding its footprint into this area. I have had numerous conversations with Dr. Killingsworth about their role in Gadsden and will continue to have these conversations as I feel JSU has an important role in our community especially when discussing workforce needs.
  • The Gadsden City School system has many great things, such as a state-of-the-art high school, excellent faculty and staff, and a caring community, but there is always room for improvement. Once elected some of the changes that I will support, and help seek funding for, include:
    • School safety is a concern that I do not take lightly. As your mayor, a School Resource Officer (SRO) will be available in every city school. If there are not enough officers, retired officers will strongly be encouraged to apply. If there is still a shortage, a training program will be created to certify, possibly even deputize, school security. This program could be a partnership with JSU. These personnel are not just needed for the unlikely scenario of an active shooter but also for fights, bullying, kids bringing drugs or weapons to school, parents getting into a fight, and other domestic occurrences.
    • An additional safety feature that I feel strongly about is providing direct, 2-way radio communications between GCS and local law enforcement. This step includes a silent alarm that goes straight to Gadsden Police and the Etowah County Sheriff’s Office. This alarm will take the go-between out and allow law enforcement to get on the scene faster.
    • A third safety feature focuses on entrances and exits of the schools. Investments in this area include technology that uses cameras and buzzers for entrances into ALL school buildings during school hours. The camera system will also provide a record of who is allowed in and out of the building. Entrance will only be at one door while the remaining doors will be secure and serve as exits. These doors will provide emergency exits but stop people from wandering in. These same systems could be used to secure municipal buildings if employees and citizens desire them for safety.
    • Create a tip line phone line and website for users to leave anonymous tips about people they think could be a threat or in danger. For example, if a student is aware that one of their classmates is getting bullied, they could report it anonymously. This tip line could be open for the entire city, not just students and school staff. For example, a neighbor who overhears another neighbor threatening violence at a local shopping spot could report this threat using the tip line or website.
    • Seek Grant money for training in early warning/detection of mental health issues. Educators need to be trained to recognize the signs of students who are in trouble, whether that is a student on the verge of becoming violent or a student who is getting bullied and becomes suicidal, as well as for students who are dealing with abuse at home, or other domestic issues. The city could provide funding to send teachers to a training program or to bring in an expert to provide training during teacher in-service days. This training will also be a partnership with JSU.
    • Other areas of discussion for GCS include upgrading the elementary and middle schools and the vocational school. I pledge to work with GCS to find funding to assist in bringing these schools up to par, and beyond. These upgrades include facilities as well as equipment.