Fowler: ‘I really appreciate Madison’
Dr. Dee O. Fowler, superintendent of Madison City Schools, quickly settled back in his normal work routine after vying for the top slot with the Mobile County Public School System.
Fowler called the Mobile board on Nov. 16. “I asked them to pull my name. I told Dr. Bill Foster, who is on the board and co-chairing the search, that I will not be a person of consideration.”
Fowler also called George McShan with BWP, the company guiding the candidate search, and declined further consideration.
The Mobile board did not hire any of the three finalists: Fowler, Marc Smith of Fort Bend, Texas and Ed Smith of Auburn. The salary for the current Mobile superintendent, Roy Nichols, is $225,000.
Fowler said he respected the board’s decision. “They could not come to a consensus and decided to wait. Who could fault anyone wanting to build consensus? I applaud them for that,” Fowler said.
“The board could have picked someone, but it would have been a split board. It was too important of a decision for that,” he said.
The Madison Board of Education may resolve an issue without a unanimous vote, he said. “In Madison, the board may have a dissenting vote, but it’s very important for a consensus when you have a major decision.”
The interview scenario began when BWP contacted Fowler about the opening. “I called and talked to George McShan about the position. I was flattered by this,” Fowler said.
“We had a great trip to Mobile and met wonderful people,” he said
When BWP contacted him about the opening, Fowler felt “almost like the stars were aligning.” His wife Marcia has relatives on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, and their son, James, lives in the region and works for a company with headquarters in Mobile.
“In all candor, there are some things in the Mobile district that I was being led to pursue to make a difference there. It was a calling that I had. Now, I understand that maybe that wasn’t my calling,” Fowler said.
Fowler related his experience to a Biblical character. “Jonah had a calling and didn’t go with it. He got thrown off the ship and swallowed by a whale,” he said about not needing to wait for the latter scenario.
In preparing for the interviews, Fowler immersed “in things they’re doing in Mobile. They are doing good things. We can try to incorporate those in Madison,” he said.
What’s the next step for his career? “I probably have one of the best jobs in the state of Alabama. It’s a priority to stay in Madison. A lot of times, you have to leave home to REALLY appreciate home,” Fowler said. “I really appreciate Madison.”
Fowler has no intentions of seeking other job openings.
