Superunintendedly dumb

Senator Dewaye Bunch says that a proposal to elect school superintendents could pass the Legislature:

“It’s hard to look citizens in the eye and say you are smart enough to elect me and not smart enough to elect him,” Sen. Bunch, R-Cleveland, said at a meeting with Cleveland and Bradley County school board members to talk about the Tennessee School Boards Association’s 2009 legislative agenda.

That's right up there with electing sheriffs as the top law enforcement officer in counties around the State. Oh, wait...we do that. The executive management of our schools requires professionalism and a buffer, however slight, against politics. Do we really want superintendents campaigning?

If it's hard to look voters in the eye and say that, then buck up and find the words and tell us.

Metro School Board passes inclusive nondiscrimination policy

I received a message just minutes ago that the Metro Board of Education has passed additions to its nondiscrimination policy that include sexual orientation and gender identity.

The language can be found at MNEA's site. Here is the relevant portion:

Article III, Section I, Non-Discrimination

[New language is noted in bold.]

There shall be no discrimination in the filling of positions, administrative or classroom or extracurricular because of race, religion, creed, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, color, age and/or disability. Nor shall an applicant for a position be discriminated against because of grade level taught where that experience is not requisite to the desired qualifications.

Congratulations to MNEA for pursuing the policy change and for the Board of Education for adopting it. The achievement comes after years of raising awareness and conversation. Current and future teachers will enjoy an environment where discrimination is not tolerated. Let's hope this opens the door to an inclusive nondiscrimination policy for all Metro employees.

Metro Council votes for Predators deal, against school board term limits

The meeting moved pretty fast lasting about an hour. The Predators deal was approved 30 to 8, I believe. It seemed to come down to the point that Council member Emily Evans made that there was no backup plan for a Sommet Center tenant without the Predators. All members who spoke thanked the Mayor's team for the work that they did whether they supported the deal or not.

Term limits for school board members failed 21 to 14. The discussion about the connection of terms limits to the will of the people of Davidson County, campaign spending, and different aspects of democracy actually wasn't too bad.

Overall, the tone of the meeting was jovial. Vice Mayor Neighbors only once had to remind a member not to make things "personal," which the member assured everyone he wasn't doing.

The "transplant" candidate

Profile of Gregg Juster, who is running for Hamilton County Board of Education.

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/15/chattanooga-transplant-runs-school-board-post/

A candidate with style

Stylist Rhonda Thurman is running unopposed for the Hamilton County school board. She is profiled here: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/12/thurman-runs-unopposed-school-board/

Profile of Joe Dumas

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/11/dumas-looks-change-county-school-board/

Dr. Dumas is a candidate for Hamilton County school board.

Get your papers in--District 1 still open

You can still be a candidate for Metro school board in District 1--the race in which school board member George Thompson just dropped out. http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=59531

Thompson and Summers have dropped out

School board member George Thompson is no longer seeking reelection and former Metro Council member John Summers has dropped out of the race. A field that started out fairly wide is steadily narrowing.

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=59500

Profile of Linda Mosely, candidate for Hamilton Co school board

http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2008/apr/05/mosley-run-school-board/

Piece includes a full list of candidates a thorough profile of Ms. Mosely.

Metro school board candidates

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080404/NEWS04/804040405 .

John Summers is running, but not Eric Crafton.

And they're off...

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=59380

Exceptionally high interest in the school board races this year in Metro Nashville.

"It tears me up,.." says Crafton

Metro Councilman Eric Crafton will not be running for school board.

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=59369

More candidates for school board

http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=59273 Amy Griffith has the names. She points out that there are no run-offs. The winner just has to get the most votes.

Knox schools update: Winner by a nose

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/mar/24/school-board-nominates-thomas-and-mcintyre/

Knox County school board announces that James McIntyre has been named superintendent by a vote of 5-4.

Herenton resignation? Not so fast

Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton says he will stay on as mayor if he isn't named superintendent of Memphis City Schools: http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/mar/24/24mayor/ . The Memphis Flyer isn't impressed, comparing Herenton to one of Gild Radner's SNL characters: http://www.memphisflyer.com/memphis/Content?oid=oid%3A40911

Education leadership is experiencing unprecedented flux at the local level in Tennessee. Herenton isn't the only Tennessee city official thinking of jumping to the school system, though. Nashville Metro Council member Eric Crafton recently announced he's considering a school board bid. Today the City Paper reports he wants term limits for school board members: http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=59248 . Such a move certainly gets people used to hearing his name coupled with the school board slot.