DiChiara to Alabama governor, leaders: ‘Have you all lost your damn minds?’

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley has drawn the ire of a former East Alabama superintendent for his public remarks that “our education system in this state sucks.”

Bentley made the remark recently while speaking at the conference for the Alabama Association of Regional Councils.

Larry DiChiara, former Phenix City Schools superintendent, posted an open letter to the governor, public figures and legislators on Wednesday that was highly critical of Bentley’s characterization of the state’s education system.

“Have you all lost your damn minds? Do you even have a clue? Are you blind? Are you stupid? Do you even care about how your words impact our educators in this state…and ultimately the kids?” DiChiara wrote on Wednesday.

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DiChiara has been an educator in Alabama since 1981. He has pointed out that he had been a special education teacher, coach, principal, central office administrator and superintendent, being named the 2012 Alabama Superintendent of the Year.

“At the same time, we experienced over-crowded classrooms, inadequate and inequitable funding, unfunded mandates, scarce resources, low parental involvement, malnourished children, high absenteeism, schizophrenic federal government mandates, a barrage of unnecessary assessments, and a bevy of annual pieces of ridiculous legislation that only served the purpose of pushing a political agenda rather than actually helping children,” he wrote. “In essence, you have made us educators your straw man. We are easy targets. It is easy and convenient to blame teachers and educators for the shortcomings of our educational system. You want us to produce Cadillacs, but you provide us with Volkswagen budgets and state leadership worthy of a Yugo. Obviously, when you demonize us to the public, you deflect the attention off your own failed decisions and leadership. People with integrity do not blame others.”

DiChiara was highly critical of the state’s political leadership.

“One final message to our governor: Sir, do you realize that when you proclaim in a public forum that our Alabama schools “suck”, you are insinuating that those administrators who have led our schools, those teachers who have taught in those classrooms, and those citizens who served on local school boards, all “suck” as well?” DiChiara said. “I suppose Dr. Wayne Teague, Dr. Ed Richardson, Dr. Joe Morton, and Dr. Tommy Bice all “suck” as well? If so, then shall we conclude that state school board members, you, and all the previous governors who have presided over the state school board “suck” as well?”

According to published reports, Bentley also told the conference: “I don’t use that term very much, but let me tell you. I wanna tell you this: When we are 51st on our NAEP scores in 4^th grade math in this state...51st? And we ain’t got but 50 states? That’s pretty sad. And it’s intolerable. And we’re gonna do something about it.”

Bentley’s remarks, according to published reports, brought laughter. That angered DiChiara. Bentley is mired in a sex scandal with a top aide.

“I will end with this: Governor, the next time you decide to bring the house down with laughter, do not do it at the expense of our teachers and kids,” DiChiara wrote. “Instead, take a look in the mirror, reflect on your own personal shortcomings and those of many of your fellow legislators, and consider apologizing instead.”

DiChiara, who left the Phenix City Schools system in 2013 after almost 10 years, now lives in Auburn where he owns an educational consulting firm. He has has a noon radio show, “Integrity Matters,” on 95.9 WQSI.

This story was originally published November 3, 2016 at 11:53 AM with the headline "DiChiara to Alabama governor, leaders: ‘Have you all lost your damn minds?’."