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Mobile City Council to remove flags from seal, Google hangout on U.S. History

The Mobile City Council is removing the Confederate flag and other banners from the official seal of city government.

The current Mobile city seal displays flags from six nations that have governed Mobile since 1702: the Confederacy, France, Great Britain, Spain, the Republic of Alabama and the United States.  The council vote today means only the U.S. flag will remain on the seal.

The decision follows moves across the South to remove Confederate flags from public property and displays. The wave began after nine people were shot to death at a church in Charleston, South Carolina.

The Montevallo Historical Commission will meet today to discuss the proposed guidelines for the city’s historical district. Several downtown buildings will become a part of the district.

Herman Lehman* is Montevallo’s City Clerk. He says residents have a better understanding of the proposed guidelines of the historical designation following a recent city council meeting…
“The work session on Monday helped addressed concerns people may have had. There are always concerns whenever you try to tell someone what they can and can’t do with their property… but I think after Monday’s meeting they pretty much have a good sense about what the regulations do and don’t do. I think their concerns have been alleviated.”
The commission’s meeting will be held at Parnell Memorial Library at 6:30 p.m.

A panel of history experts including an Alabama teacher will explain the importance of history classes with the help of the Google internet company. 

The session is being conducted by the group National Assessment of Educational Progress. U.S. History among students didn’t do well on national tests history in 2014. That promoted interest in what’s called an on-line hangout session to talk about it. 

Chasidy White is a National Assessment Governing Board member as well as a World History teacher at Brookwood Middle School. She says the session helps to inform others on the importance of history in classrooms.
“The reality is that history needs its own champion, and to be successful in our nation it really needs to be on the forefront of classrooms across the nation.”
The Google Hangout Session can be found on the National Assessment of Educational Progress website.

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