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District 2 school board candidate Andrea Alvarez with her children. (Andrea Alvarez photo)
Huntsville District 3 residents will go to the polls Tuesday to decide who will represent them on the Huntsville City Schools Board of Education.
Andrea Alvarez, a senior financial analyst for MDW Associates, and Angela McClure, owner of real estate closing business The McClure Group and executive director of The Alabama Cyber Security Association, were the top two finishers in the Aug. 23 municipal election, edging out incumbent Elisa Ferrell.
Alvarez just missed avoiding the runoff in picking up 1,557 votes to McClure’s 871. Ferrell finished with 818 votes.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. The winner will begin her term on Nov. 7.
Alavarez and McClure recently discussed the issues with Lede.
What interested you in running for a position on the Huntsville City Schools Board of Education, and what experience would you bring to the position?
Andrea Alvarez: I have lived in Huntsville for 32 years, and I am a proud graduate of Grissom High School. I’m deeply invested in Huntsville City Schools. All three of my children attend Challenger Elementary School, and I’m currently serving my fifth year on Challenger’s PTA Board. For the last two years, I’ve also served as president of the Challenger PTA, and in 2021, I was awarded the Huntsville Council of PTA’s Outstanding Volunteer Award. I work as a senior financial analyst for MDW Associates supporting the Missile Defense Agency.
I’m in this race for HCS School Board District 3 because we need common sense solutions that build bridges between parents,
administrators and teachers so we can ensure our children get the education they deserve and are prepared for their futures. I’m not looking to build a career in politics or build my name up. In fact, at most, I plan to serve two terms on the school board. I want to roll my sleeves up and fix the problems plaguing our system and then go back to life as a PTA parent. Huntsville is the smartest city in Alabama, and it’s time our school system reflects it.
District 3 Huntsville City Schools board candidate Angela McClure. (Angela McClure photo)
Angela McClure: I have a daughter who is currently in Huntsville City Schools and I have witnessed firsthand the decline in our school system. From the masking of our children during COVID to the introduction of radical gender ideology, I decided to run to stop the indoctrination of our children. I believe my experience as a parent with children in the system will allow me to be a voice for parents and their concerns, and not a voice for special interest groups.
What role do you believe a member of the school board should play in the running of the school district?
Andrea Alvarez: The State of Alabama passed the School Board Governance Improvement Act or more commonly referred to as the “Governance Act” in 2012 which clearly defines the limited roles and responsibilities of the school board. I personally believe that my ability to build bridges will assist in the most important role of the school board which is to communicate and advocate for local schools. I will provide clear bi-directional communication between school officials, stakeholders and the community.
Angela McClure: My role on the board is to be a voice for the parents. So often, especially during COVID, parents’ concerns were unheard and their needs were unmet. Parents deserve a seat at the table, as they are ultimately responsible for their child’s success within the system. We are not serving our children well when we think that the school system can do a better job raising children than parents. Our schools should be focuses on education, not indoctrination, and should not supersede parents and their concerns.
What is your opinion of the current state of the school system?
Andrea Alvarez: Our school system is in a crisis. Our classes are overcrowded. Our facilities are understaffed. Our students are underperforming, and our teachers are leaving for neighboring school systems. I’m running for office because I believe I have the skills and commitment necessary to tackle the problems plaguing our schools, and I won’t stop working until we achieve results that improve outcomes for our children, provide peace of mind for parents, and ensure support for teachers.
Angela McClure: Our school system is in rough shape. Our test scores are not even in the top 40 in the state, which is one of the worst rated states for education. I believe that if we get our school system refocused on learning and not on which pronouns to call people, we can turn our school system around.
What do you feel are the most important issues facing Huntsville City Schools, and how do you think they should be addressed?
Andrea Alvarez: Teacher morale – If we want teachers to stay in our system, we must prioritize actions that will improve morale and ensure they feel supported.
Enhance recruitment and retention – We need to strengthen our recruiting and retention efforts so we can attract and keep the top teaching and support staff talent. I plan to prioritize pipeline efforts to ensure full staffing across Huntsville City Schools.
Expand math and literacy intervention- Expanding math and literacy interventions will ensure every child is able to thrive in our schools and
will provide support to teachers who are already juggling an enormous workload.
Ensure transparency and accountability – It is vital that elected school board officials are engaged and responsive to parents. I will prioritize listening to parents and building bridges with school officials that ensure parents’ voices are heard and taken seriously.
Angela McClure: There are so many issues, but I will focus on two. The biggest issue within the system that is holding it back is the desegregation order. It is ridiculous that we are under this order still, and our current board has not done enough to fight it. We need to push our legal team to actually fight this order instead of filing continuance after continuance, and if they won’t fight it, we may need to find new legal representation. Another important issue is the discussion of raising property taxes. Many special interest groups, including some that support my opponent, have stated they want to raise our property taxes. I will make this promise to my district: I will not advocate for or vote for raising property taxes as long as I am on the board. Our system has a large enough tax base to run our school system, we just need to be better stewards of the taxpayers’ dollars.
What ideas do you bring to the position that you haven’t mentioned?
Andrea Alvarez: I am in this race because I am a committed, concerned parent who does not feel like my voice is being heard by the decision makers in HCS. I am not looking for a position or a platform. I’m looking to change the way we do business in Huntsville City Schools.
As such, I am committed to open, transparent discussions with constituents in person and on social media. I plan to have recurring town halls and other opportunities for parents, teachers, administrators, and students to voice their concerns and make their
priorities known. I’ll use these forums to report out to the public on the work of the school board and explain the rationale for decisions that are made. I’ll solicit feedback from the public and carry those perspectives forward, as is the duty of any elected official.
My campaign is focused on building bridges and achieving results. If we can improve the communication and collaboration between parents and schools, then we’ll be in a position to enact common sense solutions that improve outcomes for our kids and ensure everyone—teacher, parent, and administrator—see the results we’ve come to expect in the Rocket City.
Angela McClure: I’d love to apply for some federal grants to bring on real mental health professionals into our school system. Right now, we have unqualified councilors who substitute real mental health treatment with radical gender ideology and other indoctrination tactics that are hurting our children. I believe that having real mental health professionals on staff will help to alleviate the mental health crisis that is plaguing our kids and hurting our school system.
Scott Turner reports from Huntsville from the Lede.