Strange: MBOE Has Already Failed (UPDATED)

     In the aftermath of the Todd Road incident in Montgomery in 1983, resident formed a group to ease racial tensions. They called it "One Montgomery" and it still exists.

     In fact I attended their monthly meeting this morning, invited by Jeannie Graetz, who with her husband Rev. Robert Graetz were instrumental in forming the group. This morning's speaker was outgoing mayor Todd Strange.

 Strange is not running for re-election, but a handful of others are running to replace him, all but one of them African-American.

      Strange told the group they should insist those candidates run on a platform of what they will do for Montgomery, as opposed to a platform based on their allegation that Strange has failed.
     Speaking of failure, Strange said the newly elected Montgomery County School Board has already failed city residents by not supporting charter schools as a part of a solution to the system's  problems. In fact, he encouraged the group to support a measure that would change the Montgomery board from elected to appointed.

UPDATE: Not long after the Todd Strange speech to "One Montgomery", the Montgomery Board of Ed moved towards charter schools acceptance:

“I think that I wanted more information and I think the board appreciated getting more information about charter schools. I think we were rushed last February so this gave us an opportunity to learn more,” said (MBOE President Claire) Weil.