Below is what I said to the Tuscaloosa County Commission this past Wednesday at the public meeting.  Please continue to share the petition with friends and family, SHARE ON YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS.  Also, please come show your support at the next meeting, Wednesday, July 9th at 9 a.m., ground floor of the courthouse. This is COUNTYWIDE Thank you!

“Good Morning Commissioners and staff:
My name is Audra Kirkland. Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to speak with you today.
I come before you as a concerned citizen and neighbor of parents in Tuscaloosa County who cares deeply about the future of our children and the sustainability of our community.
I am here to respectfully ask that the Tuscaloosa County Commission consider a temporary moratorium on high-density subdivision development in our county. This is not a request made lightly-but one made out of growing concern for the wellbeing of our students and the capacity of our public schools.
Today, many of our school buses are overcrowded, making rides to and from school longer and less safe for our children.
Many classrooms are at or beyond capacity, reducing the quality of education and the amount of meaningful, one-on-one interaction our students can have with teachers and staff.
At no fault of the Board of Education, we see more and more portable classrooms on school campuses-intended to be a temporary fix, but becoming a long-term reality. This is not the learning environment our children deserve. This is not the foundation on which to build the future of Tuscaloosa County.
Compounding these challenges, the school system's financial situation is already in the red. We simply do not have the resources at this time to support the rapid influx of students that comes with dense residential development. Approving more high-density subdivisions without addressing these infrastructure issues puts undue strain on the very system that educates our future workforce.
This request is not about opposing growth. Growth can be good—when it's planned, sustainable, and matched with investments in public infrastructure, including schools.
We need time. Time to study. Time to plan. Time to rebuild financial stability. A temporary moratorium would give us space to pause, reassess capacity, and determine how to best prepare for responsible development that puts students first.
I respectfully ask this Commission to stand up as advocates for our students, teachers, bus drivers, and families by implementing this moratorium. Let's work together to ensure our schools are not just full-but flourishing.
Our children only get one chance at a quality public education.
Let's give them the environment they need to succeed-today and into the future.
Thank you for your time.”