Playing politics?
Our Opinions

When the new ThyssenKrupp steel mill was announced, it was announced that Alabama Southern Community College would be in charge of a new taxpayer-funded steel-manufacturing training program for the new industry.

It was a wise decision. Alabama Southern has a good reputation of training workers for the paper and chemical industry. Its hands-on labs and shops on the Thomasville campus are sophsicated and wellequipped.

Alabama Southern has received national recognition for the programs it has developed.

But last week, Bradley Byrne, chancellor of the two-year system, took the responsiblity from Alabama Southern and gave it to Bishop State Community College of Mobile.

What a ludicrous move.

Bishop State is on accreditation probation. Some two dozen arrests have been made for financial aid theft and a number of other mismanagement errors have been detailed. Chancellor Byrne removed Bishop State President Yvonne Kennedy, a state legislator, because of her ineptness.

Why would one institution with a proven track record in industrial training be removed from helping to get the largest industry in the state's history off the ground and the responsbility given to one with a proven record of mismanagement?

It makes absolutely no sense but it smells highly of politics. Perhaps the Big Dogs in Mobile called in favors to get the change. That's the only reason we can think of as to why such an illogical switch was made.

In addition, a $12 million training center that was slated to be built just north of the plant entrance in Washington County has now been moved a tad to the south, into Mobile County.

ThyssenKrupp officials wanted the center at the main entrance to the plant was the excuse.

We have to wonder if some more Mobile politics are at work.

We sure hope all this isn't a sign of more smelly politics to come before this important project is completed.

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