Latest news with #WillMcLelland
Yahoo
14-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
The language Alabama leaders don't speak
A hallway at Vaughan Regional Medical Center in Selma, Alabama on Tuesday, Sep. 3, 2024. Congress is considering major cuts to Medicaid that could affect health care delivery around the state. (Will McLelland for Alabama Reflector) A few weeks ago I started learning Irish via an app. The lessons progress like any foreign language course. Start with food and water and how to get them. Gloine uisce, le do thoil. A glass of water, please. Step outside and describe the weather. Tá sé grianmhar. It's sunny. Or Tá sé dorcha agus scamallach. It's dark and cloudy. Then point out buildings. Cá bhfuil an ospidéal? Where is the hospital? And languages. Labhraím Béarla. I speak English. I don't know what drew me to this. My mother grew up in County Mayo in western Ireland, but outside of math she never spoke Irish around me. I doubt I'll use Irish conversationally around the Alabama Statehouse, unless my cousins in Éire get commanded to do some kind of penance on Goat Hill. But maybe it's a feeling that the people in charge speak a patois the rest of us don't. Take health care. Alabama has nation-leading rates of death from heart disease and strokes. More Alabamians die from gunfire each year than in New York State. Infant mortality is about twice as high among Black Alabamians as among whites. Those are the fruits of poverty and systemic racism. Our ability to cope with all this, never great to begin with, is shrinking. Hospitals are closing. OB-GYNs don't want to come here. But instead of alleviating this misery, the Legislature seems determined to maintain it. Even exacerbate it. In the last decade, they've forced women to travel hundreds of miles for basic health care. Lawmakers made it easier to get killed by a firearm. They've cut off life-saving treatments for gender dysphoria, sitting stone-faced amid parents' pleas for their children. And their vindictive stubbornness in refusing Medicaid expansion continues to imperil state hospitals. Now our elected officials want our kids exposed to preventable diseases, in the name of unverifiable 'religious belief.' And they've been rather meek about a looming assault on Alabama health care. Congress is considering massive cuts to Medicaid — up to $880 billion — to pay for tax cuts for wealthy Americans. If they go through with it, Alabama could lose $824 million in funding for the program. That's a tsunami on the horizon. Medicaid covers over 1 million people in Alabama. It pays for about half the births in the state. It's critical to the functioning of Alabama's hospitals and nursing homes in Alabama, which pay special taxes to the state to keep Medicaid going. The program should get over $1 billion in state money next year, but that doesn't come close to covering the costs. The federal government pays for about 73% of Medicaid in Alabama. And if that funding gets cut? On paper, the state could raise taxes to replace what's lost. But come on. This Legislature will not do that. That leaves one option: cutting Medicaid services. That will hurt everyone because everyone's health care in Alabama depends in some part on Medicaid. More hospitals will close. Pediatricians will scale back or end services. The least bad outcome would be longer wait times for basic care. The worst outcome, especially in rural areas, is health care vaporizing. More illness; more avoidable death; more misery. This ought to enrage our leaders, who lose their minds when a teacher acknowledges the existence of gay people. But many of them got into government by claiming to hate government. So their vocabulary is an argot with many words for 'cuts' and 'bureaucracy' and none for 'vital program' or 'public servant.' They want a government so small that it can't prevent powerful men from drowning Alabama in a bathtub. You may remember President Donald Trump's efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act in 2017. The bill he backed included an attempt to turn Medicaid into a block grant program. Enacting that would have slashed Alabama Medicaid to ribbons. Hospitals and health care providers in the state all but screamed about the grave harm that would do to Alabama. The people who could stop the damage couldn't understand. Every single Alabama Republican in Congress — eight of our nine representatives and senators — voted to kill state health care. People who understand the importance of these and other public systems — whether trade or education — know that a conservative number-go-down approach to governance is poison to both the economy and the well-being of the governed. And by and large, they're ignored. Because those with power don't understand. They're shoving hard-won expertise aside and tearing through fragile systems of public health care. Programs critical to our safety and well-being, erected over decades, are under attack from people who feel zero duty to those who elected them. Rebuilding these services could take decades. Those who work to keep us healthy understand this. They have explained the dangers of what our decision-makers are doing in plain English. But all our leaders hear is Tá sé dorcha agus scamallach. Cá bhfuil an ospidéal? SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Student funding formula changes get approval from Alabama Senate committee
Students walk through the hallways of Livingston Jr. High School in Livingston, Ala. on Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023. An Alabama Senate committee on Wednesday approved a bill that would shift the state's method of funding schools from a pure average daily attendance model to one that includes weights for certain groups of students, such as those in rural schools and English Language Learners. (Will McLelland/Alabama Reflector) An Alabama Senate committee on Tuesday approved legislation to overhaul the state's student funding formula. SB 305, sponsored by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, would establish the Renewing Alabama's Investment in Student Excellence (RAISE) program and create the RAISE Fund to help address the needs of underserved students through a new funding system. The state currently distributes money to schools based on average daily attendance. The new formula would provide weighted funding for students in poverty, English language learners, special education and gifted categories, as well as charter school students. 'An English language learner that doesn't speak English costs more to educate that child than a native Alabamian that comes from an English-speaking home, and so we want to help those school districts that have those challenges with additional resources,' Orr said after the committee meeting. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The committee also approved a related bill that will transfer $375 million from the state's Educational Opportunities Reserve Fund, a state savings account for budget surpluses intended for educational initiatives, into the newly created RAISE Fund. Orr said that the transfer is intended to fund the program for the first three years, though he left the possibility of additional appropriations open in a conversation with reporters after the meeting. 'We could do more if we wanted to. There's nothing that requires us to, but we wanted to start drawing down from the Educational Opportunity Fund . . . we don't know about the economy, and we see what's going on with Wall Street and tariffs, so we want to hold some back in case we need it,' Orr said. The senator said during the committee meeting that $100 million of the $375 million would be spent on the move to the new funding system in the first year; $125 million for the second year and $175 million for the third year. Orr said it was important to give school districts long-term stability. 'We don't want to pull the rug from beneath them… they go out and hire teachers and make investments relying on us,' he said. 'This is a long-term commitment.' The legislation came after months of discussions between lawmakers and advocates who pushed for a weighted student formula that would provide a base amount per student with additional weights for different student needs, such as English language learners. The bill passed without much discussion, though one senator voiced his support for the measure. 'There are so many of the one-size-fits-all solutions that we're forced into, many times for political reasons,' said Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road. 'I look forward to supporting this program.' Orr said the bill is a step toward more equity in education. 'It's a challenge and the research shows to educate children coming in those particular areas, it certainly costs more money … but if you don't start, you won't get there,' Orr said. The bill now moves to the full Senate for consideration. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Alabama officials seek to dismiss lawsuit challenging state DEI ban
The University of Alabama Student Center on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on Monday Jan. 13, 2024. Alabama officials argued in a motion to dismiss that professors, students and the NAACP lack standing to sue. (Will McLelland/Alabama Reflector) Alabama officials have filed motions seeking to dismiss a lawsuit challenging SB 129, a law that limits diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs in public universities and the teaching of so-called 'divisive concepts.' The Alabama Attorney General's office and members of the University of Alabama (UA) Board of Trustees argue that the University of Alabama professors and University of Alabama Birmingham students suing to overturn the law lack standing and that their claims fail to establish any constitutional violations. The plaintiffs, who also include the Alabama NAACP, allege that SB 129, sponsored by Sen. Will Barfoot, R-Pike Road, violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment and the First Amendment. Plaintiffs argue that the law discriminates against minority students and faculty by restricting funding for student groups and eliminating campus spaces designed to support minority students. The attorney general's office claims plaintiffs 'fail to show how each and every provision of the Act harms them,' arguing that plaintiffs 'fail to include sufficient allegations to 'nudge their claim across the line from conceivable to plausible.'' The Board of Trustees stated in a separate motion that the law does not prevent discussions on race but prohibits faculty from requiring students to adopt specific perspectives. 'As it relates to the classroom, SB 129 states that professors may not 'direct or compel' students 'to personally affirm, adopt, or adhere' to one of eight 'divisive concepts' defined in the statute,' the motion states. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The law, which took effect last October, bars public universities from funding DEI programs and prevents discussions of concepts lawmakers deem divisive. It includes prohibitions against 'compelling' students to believe that any race is inherently superior or that people are responsible for historical injustices committed by others of the same race. UAB students, UA professors sue Alabama over state law banning DEI programs Ahead of SB 129's enforcement, universities across the state shuttered or rebranded DEI offices and closed dedicated campus spaces for its Black Student Union and LGBTQ+ resource center. Plaintiffs argued that the law's impact disproportionately affects minority students by restricting funding for student organizations such as the University of Alabama NAACP chapter. Attorneys for the board argued that the plaintiffs' allegations 'do not involve any claim that Black students were treated differently from other students.' 'Plaintiffs instead rely on the precarious assumption that coursework related to diversity benefits Black students 'in particular,' because of their race,' the motion further states. Professor Cassandra Simon, one of the plaintiffs, stated in the lawsuit that she fears discussing racial issues because students have previously expressed feelings of guilt or complicity after watching material on the Civil Rights Movement. Lawyers for the state argue that this does not constitute a First Amendment violation, even if Simon has already faced threats of termination for teaching a class on systemic inequality. The motion stated that 'even construing these allegations as true and viewing them in the light most favorable to Plaintiffs, Professor Simon's fear is not objectively reasonable,' saying that simply showing material related to the Civil Rights Movement does not 'direct or compel' students to accept the concept or 'penalize or discriminate' when students aren't in agreement. 'Professor Simon does not have standing to challenge any provision of the Act based on such conduct. The same is true of the other Professors' allegations regarding their subjective fears that teaching 'about' topics could violate the Act,' the motion states. The defense also pushed back against claims that SB 129 is too vague, arguing that the law is clearly defined. 'Though Plaintiffs may not like its terms, the act is readily understood,' the motion states. Plaintiffs have until April 18 to respond to the state's motion. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
26-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Report: Congressional cuts to Medicaid could cost Alabama $800 million
A hallway at Vaughan Regional Medical Center in Selma, Alabama on Tuesday, Sep. 3, 2024. A new analysis from KFF estimates that proposed federal cuts in a March 2025 U.S. House budget resolution could cost Alabama $824 million in Medicaid funding each year. (Will McLelland for Alabama Reflector) Alabama could lose over $800 million in federal Medicaid funding if U.S. House Republicans go through with a plan to cut hundreds of billions of dollars from the health insurance program, according to a new report. KFF, a national health policy research organization, said in an analysis released Monday that a House budget resolution currently under discussion in Congress targeting up to $880 billion in Medicaid spending could cost Alabama $824 million annually in Medicaid funding. State officials and advocates warn the cuts could cut vulnerable Alabamians off from essential health care services and strain the state's already limited health care system. 'There's just no way to do those cuts in Alabama without significantly harming children, seniors, and people with disabilities,' Robyn Hyden, executive director of Alabama Arise, an advocacy group focused on poverty issues, said of the proposed cuts. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Alabama Medicaid Agency's state allocation is expected to surpass $1 billion for the first time in the next fiscal year. If the agency has to make up over $800 million in federal funds, it could easily take the state's allocation to $2 billion. Alabama relies heavily on federal funding to sustain its health care infrastructure. The federal government pays for about 73% of Alabama's Medicaid program, which currently covers more than one million residents, including nearly 57% of children and nearly 70% of nursing home residents. If federal funding is reduced, the state would have to either find a new revenue stream, raise taxes or make cuts to Medicaid services. Unlike most states, Alabama has not expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, and it has one of the most restrictive eligibility criteria in the nation. Adults without dependent children do not qualify for Medicaid, and parents can only receive coverage if they earn less than 18% of the federal poverty level, or about $4,797 a year for a family of three. Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, chair of the Senate Finance and Taxation General Fund committee, said in an interview Monday that if the cuts are enacted, Alabama could be forced to scale back services or reduce eligibility, saying 'that's the biggest' way to cut costs. The state's ability to shift funding from other areas is limited. Unlike most states, Alabama maintains separate budgets for education and general government spending. That would make it nearly impossible to reallocate education funds to cover Medicaid shortfalls. Albritton said that money could be shifted from other agencies, like the Department of Transportation, to avoid a significant reduction in Medicaid services. The Alabama Department of Corrections receives the second largest allocation after Medicaid out of the General Fund. But reallocation from the state's prison system — facing numerous lawsuits over violence and overcrowding — will not happen, at least 'not willingly,' he said. Although Albritton said KFF's estimates are worst-case scenarios, calling it 'draconian,' he said 'something like that is going to happen.' 'Whatever degree, it's going to have an adverse effect on our budgetary process, and it's going to affect us hugely,' he said. 'We don't know what's going to happen.' One policy consideration is implementing work requirements for Medicaid recipients. Although supporters of work requirements say that they encourage self-sufficiency, critics note that the vast majority of Medicaid recipients already work and say requirements create unnecessary hurdles that could push thousands of eligible people off Medicaid rolls. 'Even people who are eligible would get cut because of an inability to comply with a lot of red tape and bureaucracy,' Hyden said. With a GOP-controlled Congress pushing for spending reductions, Alabama's lawmakers could face a balancing act. Albritton feels people are 'unaware' of what may be coming. The state has been flush with federal funds over the past few years, he said, with people living 'fat, dumb and happy for a long time.' 'But there is no way to get around the point that the federal candy-time is over with and how we're going to deal with that is questionable. And we're not dealing with it at this point,' Albritton said. Hyden said she's had conversations with U.S. lawmakers and asking them to oppose the cuts. She said that they seem to hear the concerns 'loud and clear' and know that cuts to Medicaid are 'politically unacceptable, very unpopular.' 'We've been told by members of Congress they don't want to see widespread coverage loss,' Hyden said. 'But I'm unsure how they can do funding cuts without having that impact.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
University of Alabama under investigation for ‘race-based segregation'
A sunset over the Denny Chimes on the campus of the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Thursday June 20, 2024. The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights said Friday that UA was one of seven schools under investigation for allegedly offering 'impermissible race-based scholarships' and engaging in 'race-based segregation.' The department did not share the specific allegations against the university. (Will McLelland/Alabama Reflector) The U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) said Friday that the University of Alabama was under investigation by the Office for Civil Rights for allegedly offering 'impermissible race-based scholarships' and engaging in 'race-based segregation.' UA was one of seven universities facing the allegations. The OCR also accused 45 other universities of engaging in 'race-exclusionary practices in their graduate programs.' 'Students must be assessed according to merit and accomplishment, not prejudged by the color of their skin. We will not yield on this commitment,' U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a press release. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Messages seeking comment were left with OCR and UA on Friday. OCR did not say in the release which scholarships are classified as race-based or provide any examples of race-based segregation by the University of Alabama. A list of undergraduate scholarships offered at UA does not include any with explicit racial components. Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights in the OCR, sent a letter to universities on Feb. 14 to reiterate schools' civil rights obligations to end the use of racial preferences and stereotypes in education programs and activities. The letter claimed that American educational institutions 'have discriminated against students on the basis of race, including white and Asian students.' The letter from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights called the existence of systemic and structural racism 'a false premise.' 'Proponents of these discriminatory practices have attempted to further justify them—particularly during the last four years—under the banner of 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' ('DEI'), smuggling racial stereotypes and explicit race-consciousness into everyday training, programming, and discipline,' the letter said. The University of Alabama closed dedicated spaces for its Black Student Union and an LGBTQ+ resource center last year after the state passed a law banning publicly-funded DEI programs and the teaching of so-called 'divisive concepts.' UA professors and students at the University of Alabama Birmingham have sued to overturn the law, saying it violates their due process and free speech rights. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
