If the state’s Accountability Act is held up as a true reform movement, then “that’s a bunch of garbage,” said Pike County Superintendent of Education Dr. Mark Bazzell.

The superintendent of education told his board Monday afternoon that he had been thinking about the Accountability Act all day

“There are 750,000 public education students, with 31,000 in Montgomery and 7,500 of those are in private schools,” Bazzell said. “There are 21 failing schools. If you increase the number of students in the private schools by 10 percent, that’s 750 additional students. That’s still a whole lot of students left behind.”

Bazzell said it’s not right to subsidize private schools at public expense.

“Public school people need to pay attention to what’s happening in Montgomery,” he said. “Public education has served America well. It’s time to stop beating up on it.”

In personnel action, the board approved end of year personnel recommendations and the retirement request of Dr. Mike Hall, principal of Banks Schools.

The board also approved the hiring of James Lowe as bus mechanic and the resignation of Shawn Bray, maintenance team leader effective June 1.

In new business action, the board:

• Awarded the bid for bread for the Child Nutrition Program for the 2013-2014 school year to Flowers for the bottom line bid of $24,121.50.

• Awarded the bid for milk to the Child Nutrition Program for the 2013-2014 school year to Barber’s Dairy for the bottom line bid of $89,362.50.

• Awarded the bid for Pest Control for the Child Nutrition Program for the 2013-2014 school year to Meeks Termite and Post Control for the bottom line bid of $180 monthly.

• Approved the request from Pamela Moates, Liz Leveque and Angie Long to attend the Annual Alabama Association of School Nurses Conference June 6 and 7 in Trussville. There will be an overnight stay and expenses for travel, room and board.

• Approved the request from Julie Simmons to attend the CLAS conference from June 23-26. Expenses will be paid from federal and state funding sources.