Today, the Knoxville branch of the NAACP held a press conference to publi acknowledge that on November 13, 2015 they asked the U.S. Department of Education Office of Civil Rights to investigate the spending of capital dollars in Knox County Schools. On December 18, 2015 OCR acknowledged they are investigating the Gibbs Middle project.
Knox County is seems is on a fast track to award contracts to proceed work. On December 15, 2015 RFQ’s Request for Qualifications were due for design and construction of the buildings. In light of the December 18, 2015 notice about Gibbs. The process should have slowed. But in fact, I am told around January 5, 2016 Interviews were held and today I have been told that Knox County will ask Knox County Commission to award contracts to Rouse Construction and their architect partner McCarty Holsaple McCarty for Gibbs and Denark Construction and Barber and McMurry for Hardin Valley.
Rev. Dr. John A. Butler addressing the media as the President of the Knoxville Branch NAACP
As I recall, in the late 1980’s the City of Knoxville voters voted the city out of the school business and in about 1991 or 1992, the OCR finalized a plan that was worked through with both city and county to get a consolidation agreement between both entities. As part of that agreement a middle school at the former Holston High where Gibbs and the east portion of Knoxville would share. Thus the agreement which now the OCR maybe examining in light of the proposed plan to construct a Gibbs Middle and how that effects the 25 plus year agreement.
Stay tuned and Knox County might wanna slow down on Gibbs until this investigation is complete.
