Last night more people attended the school board meeting than could be in the Large Assembly Room of the City County Building. Eighty Seven (87) had signed up to speak on public forum. Public forum did not begin until 7:50 pm.
At issue is the proposed budget cut of the Knox County Schools Magnet program and the county’s share of Project Grad. Project Grad was first introduced to the Knox County School Board in 2001 and implemented shortly there after, it is a program that provides assistance to the schools that serve Austin East and Fulton High. Students, Parents enter into a contract with Project Grad and college scholarships are awarded to those students that honor the contract. Project Grad follows the students through college. Project Grad truly is a hand up to communities that have been down and allows those students to make it out of the continual cycle of poverty.
The School Board did themselves no good last night, continually talking down to the hundreds in attendance. Informing the audience to be quiet, do not respond with clapping, that this is the boards meeting, obviously forgetting that they have been entrusted by their constituents to serve. But that service is to the public.
The most egregious slap in the face was Vice Chair Amber Rountree admonishing the crowd if students can’t read they can’t succeed. Additionally, Rountree was the first to talk and she talked to the audience, which was contrary to what Board Chair Patti Bounds said about it being the boards meeting. As Rountree addressed and talked to the audience NOT the board.
As the board considers taking Project Grad and the magnet program away from the inner city communities and families, it brings to mind Matthew 25:40 “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
The crowd inside the Large Assembly Room of the City County Building for the Knox County School Board Meeting
A view of the full balcony of the Large Assembly Room of the City County Building for the Knox County School Board Meeting
