Huntsville City Schools already leads Alabama in the privatization of support staff. Currently, special education aides and certain other support personnel are contracted out through Appleton. Huntsville City Schools is now renegotiating its contract with Appleton with a proposal that would cut the salaries of these aides by 27%! Please see Geek Palaver's excellent and detailed breakdown of this issue.

Our critical support staff should have never been privatized in the first place. It is past time for Huntsville City Schools to directly employ these aides with the benefits, rights, and salaries that entails. Please urge Superintendent Akin and the Huntsville Board of Education to do the right thing. Our students and educators deserve nothing less!