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In a move to push back against a recent board of education decision that resulted in the departure of a popular superintendent, a group of concerned citizens in Montgomery has formed a Political Action Committee (PAC) that will focus on challenging the four board members responsible.
The first target of the Kids Come First PAC is board member Arica Watkins-Smith, who is running unopposed in November’s general election for District 7. The PAC is encouraging voters to write in Ebony Evans in the race, and it plans to devote funds to an organized effort to elect Evans.
The formation of the PAC comes in response to the recent resignation of Dr. Melvin Brown, a popular superintendent who had managed to earn the trust of a wide swath of stakeholders in Montgomery — no small feat in a town that is typically divided on almost every issue, but specifically on local schools.
Brown’s decision to leave came after four board members made it clear they had no intention of renewing his contract, which expired in November. There was no professional performance cause for the non-renewal and the board members never relayed one.
Instead, according to numerous sources who spoke with APR about the situation, the decision to push Brown out was built mostly around personal grievances, most of which bordered on petty.
When it became obvious that Brown was going to resign because of that decision, the outrage from the community came fast and hard. The Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce held multiple meetings, including one in which State Superintendent Eric Mackey spoke of the negative impact Brown’s departure would have on the district, to attempt to coerce the board and Brown to settling the grievances and moving forward with Brown in charge.
It didn’t move the four board members. In fact, at least one of them upped the rhetoric. Board member Lesa Keith, in a radio interview, made unfounded and curious personal allegations about Brown and his family and she called the Chamber’s actions “bullying.”
Brown, through the Alabama Education Association, released a video calling on Keith to retract her untrue comments. She has not done so.
Yet, still, through it all, not a single board member who decided not to renew Brown’s contract has offered an explanation for that decision or put forth any evidence that the move was justifiable.
With all of that as the backdrop, Kids Come First plans to start applying public pressure to board members, starting with Watkins-Smith. Evans, who will have a steep mountain to climb as a write-in candidate, is being touted as a positive alternative who will work to restore proper leadership in the district and lean into community involvement.
The PAC’s press release announcing its formation spoke of the need for greater engagement from parents, students, and educators to ensure that decisions are made in the best interest of all. Watkins-Smith has been accused of working against such community involvement.
By promoting a write-in campaign for Ebony Evans, the PAC hopes to signal the community’s desire for a shift in leadership. They argue that Montgomery’s children deserve better than what they describe as ineffective leadership from the current board. Evans is known for her commitment to educational equity and community involvement, qualities the PAC sees as vital to moving forward.
Since filing with the Secretary of State on September 26, the PAC has seen growing support. In just four days, the group raised over $12,000, demonstrating public frustration with Watkins-Smith’s leadership and a desire for change.
