The Knox County School Board met this evening and once again they were short one member. Last month it was Patty Bounds, Tonight it was Mike McMillan. They got to the first actionable item and it was to elect a Chairman. Last month the nominees were Terry Hill and McMillan. Tonight, McMillan sent a note delivered by the law department and read by Board Member Lynn Fugate. McMillan made reference to a statement attributed to him in an irrelevant free giveaway paper that he was withdrawing his name from consideration for Chairman.
Tony Norman enthusiastically nominated Bounds. In an effort to unite and not divide the body, Hill withdrew her name from consideration. Hill in the same irrelevant newspaper (as McMillan’s alleged statement) had an editorial that falsely claimed that Hill had attempted to line up to oppose State Rep. Roger Kane this year. There have been NO efforts by Hill or friends of Hill to oppose Kane earlier in the year.
Norman then moved for Bounds to be elected by acclamation and she was. Then the nomination for Vice Chair. Hill and Norman were nominated, in another four to four deadlock. Hill withdrew. Then Fugate nominated Amber Rountree as Vice Chair and on first vote was elected with 5 votes in favor and 3 in opposition. Bounds voted for Rountree instead of Former Black Wednesday Knox County Commissioner Norman.
As the meeting progressed you could hear the gloom, despair and agony in Norman’s voice as the board conducted business. An item that had considerable debate Monday night during the school board workshop after hearing public comments tonight was pulled by personal privilege by Gloria Deathridge. Her reason is in order to get the views and opinion of the Knox County Teacher Advisory Council. Norman then proceeded in his own words “admonish the board” to wait before requesting personal privilege until all board members have their say. First of all, who is Rex “Tony” Norman to admonish the board. Norman is an equal to the other 8 members, not someone with oversight of the board. It was pretty clear, (in my humble opinion as the writer of this post and a viewer of the entire meeting) that Norman’s pain of rejection will cause him to drive somewhere tonight.
As I have told individuals the board is as divided as ever before, the seasoned ones Fugate, Deathridge, Hill, Bounds and Rountree and then the newbies Norman, Jennifer Owen and Susan Horn and then McMillan is Mr. Irrelevant like the paper that he uses for communication. It seems the seasoned ones that have worked with McMillan have relegated him to join the newbies.
So, Fugate, Deathridge, Hill, Bounds and Rountree are the power 5 as of today.
The three newbies including one irrelevant board members. How many commonalities do they have?
