CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The School Board meeting room was packed Tuesday night as board members heard from tearful parents, delayed the discussion of naming the new elementary school, and voted to oppose school vouchers.
Since the beginning of the year, the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System has dealt with a myriad of issues, including a teacher accused of assaulting a special needs child, a debate over the name for a new school, and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s proposed Education Freedom Scholarship Act – essentially a school voucher program. All three were up for debate and potential votes Tuesday night.
‘You got the right one’
A flood of signs were held over the heads of the crowd as Jacaira Crockett addressed the board. Crockett’s son is special needs, and earlier in the school year, he was assaulted by a teacher at Minglewood, according to school officials. DCS conducted an investigation and found the teacher, Stacey Williams, to be the perpetrator of child abuse.
“Many of you know what has sparked the flame leading me to address the board,” Crockett said. “Unfortunately, I was advised I would need to refrain from speaking on (my son’s) case until further notice. With that being said, I will use my time to speak on behalf of parents and students within the special needs community.”
Crockett said she has witnessed many parents come forward to speak about their children with special needs being mishandled. She said that these parents have been met with “unconcerned efforts” from the schools and board members. Crockett called this a systematic issue and called for stricter policies for student-teacher interaction, clearer guidelines on acceptable behavior from educators, and a zero-tolerance policy for any form of abuse or harm.
“How can you, as the board, confidently assure us of the safety of our children, when I am not the only parent standing before you today?” Crockett asked.
“To our son,” she said tearfully. “Despite the struggles we are facing, we’re thankful that you are our child. We are proud of you. You are not a burden. Autism does not define you. We hurt for you, we are your biggest voice, and we will always be your biggest advocate. God chose Mommy and Daddy to be your parents for a reason. You got the right one.”
Naming of elementary school tabled
Following the rejection of the previously proposed name Freedom Valley for Elementary #26, board attorney Mark Nolan reviewed policies and informed the board that they are free to pick the name for a school and could name the school after a person if they so choose.
During public comments, several speakers pitched their ideas to the board. Among these were Jimmy Terry Sr., Command Sgt. Maj. Sidney R. Brown, and even to keep the word “freedom” from the previously presented school name.
School Board member Herb Nelson made a motion to table the discussion.
“Chairman, I ask that we push that back and accept names from our constituents at the next study session and move our voting for the school name to our next regular meeting,” Nelson said. “I ask that we table this until our next study session so that we can acquire all the names that are out there.”
The vote to table the discussion passed 5-2, with Jimmy Garland and Charlie Patterson opposing it.
Board votes to oppose school vouchers
In the wake of the Clarksville City Council’s vote to oppose Gov. Bill Lee’s Education Freedom Scholarship Act, member Carol Berry presented resolution that the School Board also urge “the Tennessee General Assembly to reject any voucher initiatives that would divert public dollars away from public schools.”
“I’m offended,” Berry said. “I put my blood, sweat and tears into education for 35 years. … Public schools are the best schools in the world. You can say what you want to. I would put our schools up to any private or homeschools. … But I would like your support to oppose vouchers.”
She urged Tennesseans to “be smart,” calling attention to Ohio, saying that they are almost bankrupt because of vouchers, and the $141 million that Georgia has spent supporting vouchers, and called Alabama’s budget “slim to none” because of vouchers.
Garland agreed with Berry and explained that, in his research, the vouchers aren’t going to do much and parents will have to split the difference. He said, in example, that if parents are paying $15,000 a year in tuition, vouchers are going to give them $7,000 back, and will still have to pay $8,000.
“Vouchers are not for every child. Vouchers are for the children of parents who can afford to send them to private school today,” Garland said. “Vouchers are not for public schools. Vouchers are not for the poor. The vouchers are for those who can afford to send their kids to private schools today, not tomorrow.”
Board member Aron Maberry, opposed the resolution, saying that the bill had nothing to with charter schools and advocated for school choice.
“The truth is, Montgomery County is a fast-growing district,” Maberry said. “This legislation will add to the budget of CMCSS by millions, not take away, and will be the beginning steps to allow school choice to get off the ground in Tennessee. … We should fund children, not specific systems, and allow one’s individual tax dollars to go to the schooling of their choice. A majority will choose CMCSS, but I believe it should be their choice.”
Maberry also pointed out the dollar amount in the resolution was wrong and nothing in the current legislation states anything about homeschooling, as well as drawing attention to the word “scholarship” stating that the word “voucher” is not used at all.
The resolution to oppose vouchers passed 5-2. Berry, Garland, Patterson, Nelson and Margaret Pace voted yes. Maberry and Kent Griffy voted no.
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