From WKRN.com on August 8, 2012:
GALLATIN, Tenn. -
The various sides of the Sumner County budget tussle that has kept 28,000 kids out of school since Monday show few signs of compromise Wednesday.
In a video posted on the Sumner County Schools Web site late Tuesday, schools director Del Phillips makes a seven-minute plea in support of the school board’s request for an additional $7.6 million.
Phillips went over familiar territory in his video argument saying, “bottom line we have no where else to cut.”
“Reducing the budget further would offset classroom teachers,” the schools director continued in the video.
The Sumner County School Board plans to meet at 6 p.m. Thursday to address the latest funding offer made Monday at a raucous, jam-packed County Commission meeting.
The commission came up with an additional $2.2 million, but there is no indication the board will vote to start schools at Thursday’s meeting.
Most of the commission, which funds schools, shows little appetite for a school board-suggested property tax increase.
County Commissioner Chris Hughes hopes to meet the school board halfway but he’s not optimistic it will happen.
“My biggest fear is that they don’t make any cuts, they hold what they got, and this thing could go on indefinitely and that would be the worst thing for us, the kids especially,” he said.
Parent Andy Spears hopes the school board kicks the issue back to the county commission for a long-term school funding plan that would start with reallocating existing funds.
He said, “Our community is definitely going to be focused on both the board and the county commission going forward, so we don’t have a crisis every year.”
“Its like World War I with everyone in the trenches, digging in,” said the commissioner.
From the Hendersonville Star News on December 16, 2011:
Sumner County has great schools, right? I mean, the County Commission and the School Board have passed resolutions in recent years that say we should have one of the best school systems in the state. Surely, they are following-up on these resolutions with commitments that place our students at the top in terms of academic achievement in Tennessee. Plus, we’re one of the wealthiest counties in the state. The resources exist for us to have great schools. Read More
From the Hendersonville Star News on December 2, 2011:
As I watched UK claim its first football victory over UT in 26 years, I began to ponder what might happen if the tables were turned. How would Tennesseans react if Kentucky beat Tennessee in football 26 years in a row? Already, the first coach to lose to Kentucky in 26 years is facing some griping from Vols fans. Lose to UK two years in a row and there will certainly be talk of a coach on the “hot seat.” While Tennessee certainly owns football supremacy, at least Kentucky has basketball. Read More
No comments yet.