83° P/SUNNY, Teacher rejected from June primary
Hill still planning run in November
Last Modified: Friday, May 16, 2008 at 11:30 p.m.
Lauderdale County school superintendent candidate Jerry Hill has been disqualified from seeking the Democratic nomination, but he still plans to push forward with his campaign.
Hill, a teacher and head football coach at Brooks High School, has been told by the Alabama Department of Education that he does not meet all requirements to hold the superintendent's position.
As a result, he cannot seek the Democratic Party nomination during the June 3 primary election.
Hill was to oppose incumbent Billy Valentine in the primary.
He said he lacks an administration certification, one of the requirements outlined in the Code of Alabama for superintendent candidates.
Hill said he will earn the certification when he completes a standard test later this summer. If successful, he would be allowed to be on the general election ballot in November where he would be matched against Valentine and Republican Scott Jones.
Hill said he will continue the campaign as an independent candidate.
"I'm in it for the long haul and I believe I can depend on those who have supported me in this race so far to continue to do so," Hill said.
He said he has finished the coursework for the administration certification but did not take the required test in April because of the illness and subsequent death of his mother. He plans to take the test in June, which is the next time it is offered.
Hill said he interpreted the law to mean that he had until the time he would take office in January to obtain the certification.
Hill said the state was alerted of the situation by someone trying to sabotage his campaign. He did not speculate on whom that person might be.
"This was my responsibility and I should have had this (test) done, but the fact is, my personal circumstances prevented it," Hill said. "The truth is, if I had it to do over again, I'd do the same thing because I was where I needed to be - with my mother.
"I'll take the test in June and get the certification and nothing is going to stop me from seeking this office."
Hill said he is a bit concerned about not being able to run as a Democrat, the party with which he has had lifelong affiliation.
"Most people know I'm a Democrat and those who have supported me all along will stay with me," he said.
Valentine said Friday that he will not alter his campaign strategy as a result of Hill's situation.
"I'll continue to conduct my campaign as if this had not occurred," he said. "As for the November ballot, I'll campaign just as if there were going to be two names on there. It won't lessen my efforts in the least."
Valentine has served in the superintendent position since January 2006 after being appointed to fill the unexpired term of Jerry Fulmer.
Lisa Singleton-Rickman can be reached at 740-5735.
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Comments
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May 17, 2008 6:03:39 am
RE: http://www.timesdaily.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20...05170309/1011/NEWS01
In this article Hill states that the State Department of Education was alerted of his lack of qualifications by someone trying to sabatoge his campaign. Maybe Mr. Hill doesn't read the Times Daily. This is a direct quote from last Sunday's paper.
"The law requires candidates seeking the office to submit proof of their qualifications to the state superintendent's office and receive certification before qualifying for the party primaries."
So is it the State Superintendent who is trying to sabatoge him?This is a link to the article if you would like to read it yourself.
http://www.timesdaily.com/article/20080511/NEWS/805110330
So either Mr. Hill can't read or the mud is beginning to fly. Take your pick Mr. Hill.
May 17, 2008 6:59:10 am
Quote from the article "Hill also said he meets the experience requirements." I guess he was wrong. I remembered reading the article, thanks for digging it up.
May 17, 2008 7:19:29 am
In this article Hill said due to personal reasons he had not taken the test required (Praxis). That is a test that is given all over the state several times throughout the year. Colleges urge you to take it months before projected graduation.So does this mean that he put no thought into this process...did he just wake up one morning and say "I will run for office"???Would you hire a lawyer that had not taken his bar exam, but hey, they planned on it?
Really think about his blaming game.
May 17, 2008 7:54:43 am
Of all of the local elections this year, I expect the Lauderdale County Superintendentâ??s race to be the most controversial of all. The present Superintendent, Mr. Valentine was appointed by Governor Riley, not elected, so I believe this may be his first attempt to be elected for public office. From hearing comments in public made by board members, teachers, support personnel and the community, I strongly suspect there is subdue controversy within the school system and many are not please with the current administration.One of the comments which I heard and thought to be very interesting is the Superintendent refusal to support a plan to contract with a private security group specially trained canines that detect a variety of drugs, firearms, and explosives during random searches of all Lauderdale County schools. That comment was followed by a discussion of liability vs. discovery. Would the discovery of drugs, firearms or explosive materials mean there is a problem within the school system, I donâ??t think so as it is everywhere in society. The students are reflections of society. The liability issue is open for interpretation of what if.
I would like to see a debate between the proposed candidates with questions from a panel including parents, students, and the community at large, not from media personnel, so the facts could speak for themselves.
May 17, 2008 8:20:05 am
Mr. Hill sabatoged his own campaign.
May 17, 2008 8:22:38 am
I just hope he removes all those monster signs he has littered this area with.
May 17, 2008 9:07:46 am
Stinky -Obviously you know nothing about Lauderdale Co.
Gov. Riley had nothing to do with the appointment of Mr. Valentine as Superintendent when Mr. Fulmer retired. The board of education chose Mr. Valentine.
May 17, 2008 9:43:47 am
I was wondering, is this Mr. Valentine the same person that was a principle at Rogers back in the early '90s.
May 17, 2008 9:57:07 am
Yes, Mr. Valentine was principal at Rogers and then Wilson.
May 17, 2008 10:10:04 am
You might want to join or read the discussion already started in the Politics section.
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