Debated Teacher Salary Increase and Arming Staff among Hot School Board Topics in Tennessee

Teachers’ Salary Increase Debated

Chattanooga – Hamilton County School Board Member, Rhonda Thurman, publicly discussed the ongoing issue of a proposed raise for teachers in the school system’s budget during a board meeting earlier this week. “In some cases, the only way the commission can give us more money is to increase taxes on the very people that are facing the same things that the teachers are facing. They can’t afford to live either, but yet you’re wanting them to come across with more money to make it easier for teachers,” Thurman said. She furthers this by stating it’s solely the board’s job to decide how to distribute the already given funds. “We tell the teachers all the time they’re the most important people, but we don’t act like it,” Thurman added.

Opposition to Arming School Staff

Also present at the meeting, another School Board Member, Jill Black, shared her stand regarding a proposed resolution for arming staff members in schools. “I feel like it is important for our constituents and the parents of kids who come to Hamilton County Schools and the entire community to know where the board stands when it comes to arming staff members,” said Black, emphasizing the importance of clarity in the matter. However, this proposed resolution did not pass.

‘Path to Governorship Starts in the Classroom’

Tennessee Governor, Bill Lee, made a visit to the Battle Academy to inspire the students there. During his speech, he emphasized potential career paths that could be unlocked by education. “Somebody in this room, sitting around this table might be the governor someday. You might be the governor or you’ll be a teacher or you’ll be a mother or you’ll be a doctor or you’ll be a plumber or you’ll be a professional football player or you’ll be all sorts of things. And by the way, if you learn to read, you probably can be any of those things,” predicted Lee.

Behavioral Issues and Policies in Schools

Jeff Strand, the Public Policy Director of the Tennessee Disability Coalition spoke about the link between behavioral problems in children and their need for attention or help. He believes that Tennessee’s solution for these problems is exacerbating the problem by using ineffective strategies. “Good teachers know behavior issues are a child’s cry for help. What we’re doing in Tennessee is only making the problem worse,” commented Strand.

Increasing Living Costs in Chattanooga

Community Organizer for the non-profit group, CALEB, Michael Gilliland considered the relation between Chattanooga’s relatively high cost of living and the growing homelessness rate in the city. “There are a lot of people that are on a cusp. What you see in the rising homelessness is people that are being pushed off that cusp through medical bills, through increased rent, through really just the cost of everything,” argued Gilliland.

Source: HERE News Network