When you wrote "I wrote that issue about Polly Ruggles sending her daughter to a private school in Birmingham and sent it to Shoalanda Speaks." I misunderstood. I thought you were saying that you were in Birmingham when you wrote that. I was also confused because the magnet school is not in Birmingham or Jefferson county, it is in Shelby county in the Indian Springs community. That is close to Birmingham, so I get why you said it was there. But that is why I thought you were in Birmingham, and I apologize for the mistake.
That said, I stand by the points I have made here today. Where Polly's daughter goes to school has nothing to do with Polly's ability to be district judge.
And, by the way, Polly was on the Sheffield School Board YEARS before her daughter went to Indian Springs Magnet School.
The fact is, the schools in Sheffield are great. But there are opportunities available at Indian Springs that just aren't available in Sheffield. And Polly's being on the school board is not going to change that. I think you know that. And if you are that concerned about it, then perhaps you should serve on the school board.
And I'll conclude with the following point:
The district court judge presides over juvenile matters and child support and custody cases. Because Polly has spent 14 years handling child support cases in the district attorneys office, spent 8 years on the Sheffield School Board, and has been a mom for over 16 years, these experiences do give her insight into the issues families face, and how to handle them - insight that the other candidates may not have. So, yes, she should highlight her experience on the school board. Because the issues that face parents and kids in our schools are among the same issues that come into play in the district court.
These experiences, combined with her years as a municipal judge and prosecutor, make her the most experienced and most capable candidate in this race. I have great respect for the other candidates, and I am sure they are fine attorneys. But elections are about getting the best person for the job, and I think Polly's experience makes her the best person for this job.