UPDATE: This morning I had a pleasant conversation with Todd Taylor. Mr. Taylor spoke on Monday night representing himself, his neighbors in Wentworth Subdivision at the School Board meeting. I know several families that live in Wentworth Subdivision and all are pleasant individuals and good people. Mr. Taylor took some respectable issue with the sentence in the original post that said:
It appears that the residents of the Town of Farragut that spoke last night and worked on the re-zoning desire to have all of “not their types” removed from the Farragut High School zone. Mr. Taylor assures me that in the conversations that he and his neighbors had there was never this type of conversation. After Mr. Taylor and I talked this morning, I believe Mr. Taylor in regards to he and his neighbors in Wentworth. To the residents of Wentworth, I apologize that you were inadvertently placed in a broad statement.
This statement by Brian’s Blog first came to consideration prior to the Farragut Community Meeting by an individual representing a group of citizens. The group desired to protect the “Town of Farragut” residents. It was reported here at Brian’s Blog, Farragut Press and other media outlets. There was some communication that there was a misunderstanding concerning the position. However, there was NEVER a retraction of this public position by individual or the other entities and persons represented.
Original Post: (Tuesday November 21, 2006: 7:20 am) In the HVHS zone plan presented by the Superintendent of Schools last evening it did not go unnoticed by board members and the general public that the area being moved the greatest distance away is an area established as middle to lower income.
In the proposed shift to Hardin Valley High School there are many middle income subdivisions and lower income manufactured housing developments (trailer parks). It appears that the residents of the Town of Farragut that spoke last night and worked on the re-zoning desire to have all of “not their types” removed from the Farragut High School zone.
The plan is so obvious that in statements the Superintendents staff said the rezoning doesn’t go further west than Fox Road and Mourfield Rd. Not true. On the map, all homes on the south side of Bluegrass Road east of Mourfield Road up to two subdivisions currently attending Bearden High School will be re-zoned to HVHS.
Board Member Robert Bratton asked for the Free/Reduced lunch numbers currently at the three high schools and the numbers with the proposed rezoning. Why? In order for the school district to receive federal dollars the population should be balanced. A free and equal access education by federal standards will not be met with this re-zoning. When the distance to a free and equal access is limited the federal standard isn’t being met.
A total high school experience isn’t being achieved at Farragut High School when you remove the lower socio-economic component (students) from the student body. A total high school experience isn’t being achieved at Hardin Valley High School when you send the majority of the lower socio-economic component (students) 15-20 miles away.
Stay Tuned. More to come.
