(Newswire.net — November 2, 2014) Huntsville, Alabama — Huntsville City Schools paid a former FBI agent $157,000 last year to oversee security improvements, including the investigation of the social media activity of some public school students.
According to records provided on Oct. 30, Huntsville City Schools expelled 305 students last year. Of those, 238 were black. Statistically, there are 78 percent exclusion of African-American children, in a system where 40 percent of students are black.
“That is effectively targeting or profiling black children in terms of behavior and behavioral issues,” said Madison County Commissioner Bob Harrison.
Board member Laurie McCaulley, the only African-American member of the city school board, said expulsions are caused by “serious offenses, involving weapons, drugs or sex.”
“What I think the board is doing is trying to provide a safe environment for all children,” said McCaulley who believes that those numbers reveal the fact that Huntsville has kids with some major issues.
McRae oversees the so-called SAFe program which became known through internal documents provided to AL.com.
The proposal in August of 2012 did not mention security consulting. However, Huntsville payed $586,000 salaries of McRae and at least four other individuals in data entry and technical services. Huntsville board in 2013 also approved a second contract for $400,000 with T&W, mainly for software.
After the online program became known, co-founder of the South Huntsville Civic Association she noticed T&W was following her civic group on Facebook.
“My tax dollars are paying for a hired hand to watch a political organization? That doesn’t seem right,” said Gannuch.
Ward said he had no knowledge of Gannuch’s allegation.