I’ve heard the same thing, over and over, for as many years as I’ve lived here. At some point during a discussion about K-12 education in Alabama, someone will say something complimentary about a school’s performance, and someone else will feel moved to chime in: “Yeah, they’re doing well. For Alabama.”
I heard it again two weeks ago, at a Fairhope High School community forum. When principal Jon Cardwell held up a summary of the highest-ranked schools in the state and pointed to Fairhope’s spot near the top, someone in the crowd invoked that reflexive caveat: “Sure, we’re near the top,” they said. I could feel the next part coming.
“For Alabama.”…