SPANISH FORT, AL — "What a great state," U.S. President Donald Trump said of Alabama earlier this year, as he presented a Teacher of the Year award to one lucky schoolteacher from the suburbs of Birmingham. "Alabama is such a great state."

But we think the president might have a new favorite. Want more local news from Alabama? You're in luck: You can now sign up for Patch's free email newsletters and breaking news alerts from the region.



It came to light this week that at another public high school down in Alabama's southern parts, failed Republican politician and longtime poli-sci teacher Gene Ponder (pictured above, far right), on staff at Spanish Fort High for around a decade now, has been doing his part to keep the liberal media from infecting the minds of all his young impressionables. Get a load of Ponder's required reading list for summer (originally tweeted by journalist Jorge Posadist, and since verified as a real thing by the Baldwin County Public Schools spokesman):

A (real) summer reading list for students from a public high school in Alabama. Some gems in here. pic.twitter.com/9TQpVPJ3Af

— Jorge Posadist (@EoinHiggins_) June 21, 2017 Ann Coulter. Michael Savage. Christopher Horner. Mark Levin. Sheriff freaking Mack. This thing reads like a fast-track through the Breitbart internship program for aspiring alt-right whitebloggers. And of course, the left noticed.

Eddie Tyler, superintendent for Baldwin County Public Schools, was quick to appease the liberal mob and distance his district from its teacher of the hour.

"Mr. Ponder's reading list that's going around on social media has not been endorsed by the school or the school system," Tyler said in a statement sent to Patch. "The list has been removed by the teacher. Baldwin County Public Schools has a process to vet and approve reading lists so that a variety of sources are used. I expect all employees to follow our processes, procedures and policies."



A district spokesman would not comment on whether Ponder will be fired or otherwise disciplined. Ponder — who also appears to be the ousted ex-secretary of the Lake Forest Property Owners Association, for what it's worth — did not immediately respond to Patch's request for comment. We'll update this post with Ponder's take on the leftie ragefest he inspired, as well as his employer's waning loyalty, if and when we hear back.