Madison City Elections Are Not a Chess Game

Guest Opinion by Hanu Karlapalem

Madison's municipal elections are fast approaching on Tuesday, August 26 — the first in nearly five years, after incumbents received an extra year in office due to a change in state law. As citizens, we have the right — and responsibility — to campaign for, vote for, and contribute to any qualified candidate.

But in recent weeks, three top Madison City Schools officials — Superintendent Ed Nichols, Assistant Superintendent Eric Terrell, and Board President Travis Cummings — have appeared in photos on mayoral candidate Ranae Bartlett's campaign pages, knocking on doors and attending campaign events in her support.

Like any citizen, they may vote, contribute, and campaign. However, these officials have also agreed to a code of conduct that prohibits using their positions, resources, or the Madison City Schools name for personal or political gain. Publicly taking sides in a contested political race undermines the perception of impartiality that our school leadership should uphold. If public officials cannot separate their political activities from their official duties, they should step aside.

The concern is not about their right to personal political opinions — it's about the influence their positions carry. When school leaders actively campaign for a candidate, it creates an appearance of favoritism and potentially intimidates others in the school system from expressing different political views.

Madison residents and the local media should demand answers and assurances from these officials. We need an impartial review to determine whether their actions violate the code of conduct. If so, they should cease their campaigning immediately and maintain strict separation between political activities and their official roles — or resign.

This is not a chess game. For me, this issue also recalls my own experience with unfair treatment from Madison City Schools officials in 2018. During my campaign for Limestone County Commission District 3, then–Board President Ranae Bartlett sided with my opponent, Jason Black. While the school board allowed him to participate in the James Clemens High School parade using a donated red truck from a GM dealer, my campaign was denied the same opportunity. Then–Superintendent Robby Parker later apologized to me for that decision; Bartlett never did.

That incident eroded my trust in her sense of fairness. Today, I see similar behavior in this year's mayoral race. Madison voters deserve leaders who prioritize integrity over political gamesmanship. Our schools should be above politics — and those entrusted to lead them should model the impartiality we expect from public servants.

On August 26, let's remember: our elections are not about maneuvering pieces on a board. They are about trust, fairness, and the kind of leadership we want for Madison's future.

Hanu Karlapalem is a former Madison mayoral candidate in 2016 and resident of Madison, Alabama for over 25 years.

This piece was originally published on Karlapalem’s Facebook page and is reprinted here with permission. To view the original post, and a number of photos related to this piece, see THIS LINK.

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