School Choice Failure

In “Why School Choice Fails”, Natalie Hopkinson describes the personal impact the school choice movement has had on her community and her family, as well as why this movement fails communities and families.

 

McIntyre Wants Years Added to Contract

The contract discussion scheduled for Monday night (Nov. 30) isn’t about whether Dr. McIntyre should be removed as Director of Knox County Schools (though it has been suggested many, many times over the past eight years.) Instead, it is about taking the contract he already has, which goes through 2017, and EXTENDING it ANOTHER TWO YEARS, through 2019.

No, you aren’t seeing things. He and five Board members seem to believe that after vehemently defending a principal’s “autonomy” to non-renew teachers with no notice at all, and for no reason at all, they should give the Director of Schools an all-expense-paid ticket, to do whatever he likes, for at least four MORE years.

Mike Donila gives a summary of each Board member’s evaluation HERE; but, it is important to read the full text to get a clear picture of how they are thinking (or not thinking, as some show). Each eval. is linked in the article, as well as below.

Community members and constituents must  become aware of which Board members are considering the objectives laid out for the superintendent, and which are just copy/pasting text from his self-evaluation – which also creates a sad commentary on their own ability and/or concern for the position to which they have been elected. Sadly, many are showing that they either have a complete lack of concern for the position they were elected to fill, or they are simply following someone else’s instructions. 

If you are unsure of your voting district, put your address into the tool at KGIS and it will list everything you ever wanted to know: http://www.kgis.org/portal/OnlineTools/VotingDistrictSearch.aspx

 


 

Gloria Deathridge, District 1
(865) 329-9949
gloria.deathridge@knoxschools.org

(Austin-East Magnet HS, Beaumont Magnet Elem, Chilhowee Int, Fair Garden Family Com Center, Ft. Sanders Ed Dev Center, Green Magnet Elem, Holston MS, L&N STEM Academy, Lonsdale Elem, Maynard Elem, Sam E. Hill Com Center, Sarah Moore Greene Magnet Elem, Spring Hill Elem, Vine Magnet MS, West View Elem)

2015 Evaluation by Deathridge



Tracie Sanger
, District 2

(865) 405-4449
tracie.sanger@knoxschools.org

1st Term: Nov 2014 – Aug 2016

(Adult HS, Belle Morris Elem, Central HS, Christenberry Elem, Fountain City Elem, Fulton HS, Gresham MS, Inskip Elem, Kelley Volunteer Academy, Richard Yoakley, Shannondale Elem, Sterchi Elem, Whittle Springs MS)

2015 Evaluation by Sanger



Doug Harris, 
District 3

(865) 498-3166 
doug.harris@knoxschools.org

1st  Term:  Sept 2012- Aug 2016

(Bearden HS, Bearden MS, Cedar Bluff Elem, Cedar Bluff MS, Ridgedale School, West Haven Elem)

2015 Evaluation by Harris



Lynn Fugate, 
District 4

566-7414
lynne.fugate@knoxschools.org

1st  Term: Sept 2010-Aug 2014
2nd  Term: Sept 2014-Aug 2018

(Bearden Elem, Knoxville Adaptive Ed  Center, Northshore Elem, Pond Gap Elem, Rocky Hill Elem, Sequoyah Elem, West HS, West Hills Elem)

2015 Evaluation by Fugate



Karen Carson, 
District 5

(H) 675-0236, (F) 966-1675 
karen.carson@knoxschools.org

1st Term: Sept 2004 – Aug 2008
2nd Term: Sept 2008 – Aug 2012
3rd Term: Sept 2012 – Aug 2016

(A.L. Lotts Elem, Blue Grass Elem, Farragut HS, Farragut Int, Farragut MS, Farragut Primary, West Valley MS)

2015 Evaluation by Carson


 

Terry Hill, District 6
(865) 254-5884 
terry.hill@knoxschools.org

1st Term: Sept 2014 – Aug 2018

(Amherst Elem, Ball Camp Elem, Byington-Solway Technology Center, Hardin Valley Elem, Hardin Valley Academy, Karns Elem, Karns HS, Karns MS, Northwest MS, Norwood Elem, Pleasant Ridge Elem)

2015 Evaluation by Hill



Patti Bounds, 
District 7

(865) 406-8623
patti.bounds@knoxschools.org

913 N. Meadows Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37938

1st  Term: Sept 2014 – Aug 2018

(Adrian Burnett Elem, Brickey-McCloud Elem, Copper Ridge Elem, Halls Elem, Halls HS, Halls MS, North Knox Vocational Center, Powell Elem, Powell HS, Powell MS)

2015 Evaluation by Bounds


 

Mike McMillan, District 8
(865) 933-0300
mmcmillan.kcboard@gmail.com

1st Term: Sept 2010 – Aug 2012
2nd Term: Sept 2012 – Aug 2016

(Career Magnet Academy , Carter Elem, Carter HS,Carter MS, Corryton Elem, East Knox Elem, Gibbs Elem, Gibbs HS, Ritta Elementary, Sunnyview Primary)

2015 Evaluation by McMillan


 

Amber Rountree, District 9
(865) 712-6005 
amber.rountree@knoxschools.org

1st  Term: Sept 2014 – Aug 2018

(Bonny Kate Elem, Dogwood Elem, Gap Creek Elem, Mooreland Heights Elem, Mount Olive Elem, New Hopewell Elem, South-Doyle HS, South-Doyle MS, South Knoxville Elem)

2015 Evaluation by Rountree


For coverage of some of the recent Board fiascos, please see the articles below:

http://www.screamsfromtheporch.com/2015/11/no-surprise-mcintyre-seeking-two-year.html

http://www.screamsfromtheporch.com/search/label/Jim%20McIntyre

http://www.knoxfocus.com/2015/06/boe-votes-cure-mismanagement-grants/

http://www.knoxfocus.com/2015/11/2015-graduation-rates-act-scores-knox-county/

Just LAST MONTH:

http://www.knoxfocus.com/2015/11/controversial-reform-group-new-teacher-project-exposed-board-meeting/j

KCS BOE Live Blog 11-4-15

KCS BOE Live Blog 6-19-15

Thank you for joining us!

The live blog for the Knox County Schools Board of Education Mid-Month Work Session, October 19, 2015 will begin at 5PM.

To follow the blog, just leave this page open and it will automatically update. If your page does not update, try refreshing your page or using another browser. If you have trouble with this page, please let me know in the comments.

Documents in tonight’s presentation are available, here:

3084_Student Assessment Inventory Summary Report October 2015

3084_Student Assessment Inventory Board Presentation 10-19-2015

3084_TNReady 10 19 15 BOE FINAL

3085_Block Schedule Presentation to Board 10 19 15C

 

KC BOE Live Blog 10-7-2015

This is live coverage of the Knox County Board of Education meeting on October 7, 2015.

It isn’t the flower’s fault.

AZ Educators Want Special Session

In Arizona, Educators have dealt with severe underfunding for long enough. According to Arizona courts, the legislature has failed to fully fund a voter-approved inflation formula for 5 straight years. The legislature owes $331 MILLION per year – and it is due now.

Not surprisingly, the legislature doesn’t want to pay up. Some think that delaying payments will give them time to figure out a way to never pay up.

That’s pretty sorry,

Continue reading… AZ Educators Want Special Session

The Vilification of Amy Frogge

Amy Frogge is a strong proponent of public schools and educating all children. Her opposition to the charter take-overs in Nashville public schools is not new, and she has consistently stood her ground and fought to expose the truth about the fraudulent institutions and false claims coming out of them.

Recently, an article painted her as a hard-core, bookburning, nut. Of course, when you leave out the evidence and the majority of the

Continue reading… The Vilification of Amy Frogge

Knox County BOE 9/2/15

This is the I Teach I Vote live blog from the Knox County Schools regular meeting on September 2, 2015.

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Knox Co BOE Work Session 6/29/15

 

 

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Great Rally Signs

If you aren’t already planning to attend the rally for teachers, students, and public education on July 1st at 3:30, at the Knoxville City-County Building, please mark your calendar!

Some participants have already started thinking about ideas for signs, so I have gathered photos from rallies all over the US, which represent many of the current topics of concern.

When making a sign, remember that most of your audience will be DRIVING and will have

Continue reading… Great Rally Signs

Knox Co BOE Speakers 6/3/15

Some of the speakers from the June 3rd Knox County Board of Education meeting at the City County Building are linked below. Clicking the video will start the Youtube video and clicking the caption will take you to another page, where you can see both the video and a partial transcript.

Lauren Hopson Knox County third grade teacher who will begin serving as President of the Knox County Education Association, in July, 2015 – Speaking

Continue reading… Knox Co BOE Speakers 6/3/15

To the Knox Co BOE, 6/3/2015

To the Knox County Board of Education, June 3rd, 2015

I have a great deal of respect for the educators behind me & I know they have sacrificed dearly, trying to bring information to this Board and the public, for the benefit of students in Knox County Schools. However, I think we are going about things the wrong way: This may not be the best forum for these concerns. We may need a larger forum.

Continue reading… To the Knox Co BOE, 6/3/2015

Please Stand for Something

Teachers in Knox County are finding out that speaking to the Board of Education may cost their jobs. This has always been a risk, but many felt that expressing concerns was well worth it, as long as they did so respectfully. They are now finding that even respectfully speaking about certain topics can cause them to be non-renewed. Now, teachers are being told that even SITTING IN A BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING will be “professional

Continue reading… Please Stand for Something

Knox County BOE 6/1/15

Live Blog from the June 1st, 2015 Work Session of the Knox County Board of Education