Knox County Board of Education candidates: 2024 Knox News voter guide
It's a voting year in Knox County Board of Education Districts 2, 3, 5 and 8.
This spring, if you live in one of those communities, you'll have a chance to narrow down who could represent you on the school board. The primary election is March 5 and early voting is open Feb. 14-27.
A change in Tennessee law means school board races are partisan now. If there are multiple Democratic or Republican candidates in each district, voters will select their favorite this time around. Then those candidates will face off in August.
Here's what the candidates told us in person and in submitted answers to our questions.
Get the details: Presidential and Knox County primary elections are coming in March. Here's what to know
Knox County Board of Education
District 2
Democrat
Anne Templeton, 44
Why are you running for school board? (from in-person interview)
Templeton told Knox News she's been following the school board since the first year her children entered KCS eight years ago, when she helped defend magnet school funding. In the years since, she said, she was introduced to the importance of working with the community as the president of a parent-teacher association.
What are your goals for school board? (from in-person interview)
Templeton is committed to creating spaces where students feel safe and welcome, and that means "unbounding" teachers and allowing them to do their jobs.
She's an advocate for higher pay not just for teachers, but also staff. She acknowledged that is easier said than done, and suggested KCS administrators must find more money for classroom resources.
What is the biggest issue facing Knox County Schools and how would you address it as a board member? (from candidate questionnaire)
Teacher attrition. We are only as good as the teachers in the classroom. Fundamentally, we need to support them so they can create innovative teaching plans, ensure a safe environment for their students, and develop meaningful mentor relationships. We need to listen to their needs, address the pay discrepancy, and make it a priority to break down any barriers to their success.
What specific actions can a board member take to most effectively represent families, students, teachers and taxpayers? (from candidate questionnaire)
Collaborative problem solving. It is in the best interest of our community that students are given every opportunity to succeed. This means creating a school board environment that is inclusive and willing to problem solve with input from the community, parents, students, teachers and administrators.
We must:
Invest our time in face-to-face conversations with people in our community.
Seek out the needs of our schools from the administrators and teachers who work in them.
Listen to students to recognize their motivators and invest appropriately.
What role should school board members play in the following (from candidate questionnaire):
Working with the city of Knoxville to address shared challenges?
Educating our children is a collaborative effort. Our growth is linked to the diverse environments where we work, live and learn. The city is tasked with developing initiatives that bolster the well-being of the families engaged with Knox County Schools. We must work in tandem to ensure success.
Working with the Knox County Commission?
On a county level, we need more schools and teachers. In addition, we need to address the capital improvement needs throughout the district. The county commission approves any fiscal policies proposed by the school board. For example, new schools will need to be maintained in perpetuity and existing schools need updates. These have a direct impact on their communities in the form of infrastructure, safety and tax rates. I plan to ensure the commission and school board communicate effectively with both each other and the community to make positive change.
Does Knox County Schools need to change its budgeting to keep up with building improvements and meet salary demands for teachers and staff? If so, how? If not, how do you think the district and county can pay for those demands? (from candidate questionnaire)
The 2nd District is home to some of the county’s oldest school buildings, many of which have received minimal capital improvements since their inception. Coupled with teacher attrition, this has created challenging educational environments. To begin resolving these issues, it’s essential to scrutinize every budget item in addition to actively pursuing additional community and statewide partnerships to address current shortcomings. Schools are integral to our community, and securing individual student success will require a larger community effort.
What are the core philosophies that guide your approach to governing? (from candidate questionnaire)
Listen first. Lead and work with integrity guided by the belief that every child has the right to receive an equitable and safe public education that results in critical thinking skills, social awareness and the opportunity to succeed.
Independents
Jennifer Owen, 56, incumbent
Why are you running for school board? (from in-person interview)
Owen told Knox News she's running for a third term because while she feels she's accomplished a lot, she hasn't completed her goal of increasing transparency on the school board.
"I think the board has moved more toward appearance over that transparency and accountability ... and finding the balance between the two is difficult," she said.
What are your goals for school board? (from in-person interview)
Owen hopes to bring factual information and move away from working based on assumptions of how things work.
"As an individual, what I've tried to do is go out and try to get as many different viewpoints I can find," she said. "If we're talking about custodial responsibilities and custodial pay, I need to go talk to custodians."
She'll make tough choices when it comes to buildings across the county with different needs.
Pat Polis
Declined to be interviewed.
District 3
Democrat
Patricia Fontenot-Ridley, 56
Why are you running for school board? (from in-person interview)
Fontenot-Ridley said upon her Knox County Schools retirement in May, she couldn't think of a better way to continue serving the community than running for school board.
"Some of the school board members have no idea what happens in a classroom," she said. "Children who have struggles and trauma who bring that to school ... (some people) make decisions based on the budget and not on the students."
What are your goals for school board? (from in-person interview)
She acknowledged the importance mental health-based practices in schools, saying teachers can play a unique role in supporting students who may not get support in other areas of their lives.
"I think the days of punishment and referrals is outdated. The school-to-prison pipeline is real, and that first referral that they get (has a lasting impact)," she said.
Republicans
Robert Daspit, 72
Why are you running for school board? (from in-person interview)
Daspit said he's running for school board because he saw a need for someone with a certified teaching background to step up on the board.
"What I've seen seen with our school board, and with what's going on with KCS, is that we don't have any accountability from the board," he said.
He touted his campaign slogan: Tough choices, better schools.
What are your goals for school board? (from in-person interview)
He told Knox News the board needs to step up and hire more teachers. To do so, the district must compete with neighboring systems in Oak Ridge and Alcoa.
"What you have to do is work with the teachers. And you have to take the classrooms and take them down (to the number of students) where they used to be," he said.
What is the biggest issue facing Knox County Schools and how would you address it as a board member? (from candidate questionnaire)
Budgeting. KCS school board must be held accountable for the money that is budgeted from the county. Raising taxes is not the answer. We need to immediately adjust our school staff salary programs. Address and make changes as needed to the superintendent's organization. I will make sure our parents, as well as our school's staff, have an opportunity to have their voices heard. I will push the board to pursue financial policies which provide an outstanding return on the community’s investment in our schools. The school board has a responsibility to the community and to make sure our school system is the best in Tennessee. I will push to have our entire budget reviewed, with an immediate focus on ensuring the school system meets any of the staffing shortages.
What specific actions can a board member take to most effectively represent families, students, teachers and taxpayers? (from candidate questionnaire)
All board members should always meet with everyone involved with our schools on a routine basis and get their input. All voices must be heard, especially our parents. As a board member, I will insist on making sure our classrooms are not crowded because of a staffing shortages. The board must make sure our stakeholders have an input into our future policies. The KCS board must do a review of all the school system’s operations and if needed make changes, then report that back to all our stakeholders.
What role should school board members play in the following (from candidate questionnaire):
Working with the city of Knoxville to address shared challenges?
I propose that the school board share a formal meeting with the city and county commission, to form an alliance or a team to address all the needs of our schools. This meeting should occur immediately, especially if we want any type of changes to our schools or have a joint commitment to making Knox County Schools the best in Tennessee. By having all three organizations working together, this is the best approach to addressing and solving all our needs as a team.
Working with the Knox County Commission?
Same as city.
Does Knox County Schools need to change its budgeting to keep up with building improvements and meet salary demands for teachers and staff? If so, how? If not, how do you think the district and county can pay for those demands? (from candidate questionnaire)
The KCS must change its budgeting process immediately. Why are we paying for a consulting firm to address the teacher and staff salary issues, when it is the board’s job to fix our staff shortages. We have enough money now to address all our school system and it needs. I will introduce a plan to have an auditing consultant review the KCS financial and organizational structures. This report and recommendations will be presented back to the community first. Why is the school system human resource organization not addressing our staff shortages with a better retainment and recruiting organization. Asking for more money from the county is not the first step, first we must ask why we are not addressing our organization for proposed changes. Teachers and staff are people who make our schools great for our students and having a plan to save these employees should be a top priority for our school board.
What are the core philosophies that guide your approach to governing? (from candidate questionnaire)
As a certified teacher and former business executive, I plan on approaching every meeting with a report from my meetings with parents, teachers, and school staff, which is the best approach to making the best decisions for our schools. My philosophy in being a member of the board is to make a solid business decision at each meeting and lead our school system with input from our stake holders. I will fight for our schools in all districts and move forward to make our schools the best in Tennessee. I am committed to making the tough decision as a board member, that will make our schools better.
Angie Goethert, 56
Why are you running for school board? (from in-person interview)
Goethert's children inspired her to run. After years volunteering and helping wherever she could, her kids pushed her to run for the board, she said. Her children told her, she said, "Mom, you really should advocate for all the kids in Knox County and parents, not just the ones that are in our schools. ... When your kids tell you things, you have a tendency to listen a little more."
She said she's not afraid of asking tough questions.
What are your goals for school board? (from in-person interview)
She wants to ensure every high school student has access to career and technical training, especially with the help of community partnerships.
"Whether a student wants to be employed, enlisted or enrolled, we have to be there for them and meet them where they are so that we can help them, because our whole goal is for them to be productive adults and contribute to society," Goethert said.
District 5
Democrat
Terrye Whitaker, 72
Why are you running for school board? (from in-person interview)
Whitaker is running for school board because she wants to give voters a choice. She's a strong advocate for public schools because they're an equalizer for everyone, she said.
She believes it's important to put every dollar possible into public schools so students get the best education.
What are your goals for school board? (from in-person interview)
If elected, Whitaker hopes to alleviate some of the pressure teachers are facing to make up for deficiencies in other staffing areas.
She also hopes to prioritize better test preparation for students so when it comes time for testing, they're more comfortable.
What is the biggest issue facing Knox County Schools and how would you address it as a board member? (from candidate questionnaire)
I think the biggest issue is twofold - being a fully funded school and paying teachers and staff an appropriate wage along with having enough teachers and staff. The budget process is talking to all the departments, and they should be forthcoming in what they actually need and what they want to help make Knox County Schools the best they can be. In the meantime the chair of the board should be lobbying the county commissioners and the state legislature to prioritize education which means the legislature doesn't turn down federal funds, nor do they take money away to fund private schools through state funded vouchers. For the commissioners to be able to fund the school system they may need to look at new and better ways to fund the school system, including looking at the need to raise taxes just for school funding. I know this is not what anyone wants to hear, but if all the reasons why the taxes need to be increased can be shown, then homeowners should be able to make an appropriate decision on what is important to them.
What specific actions can a board member take to most effectively represent families, students, teachers and taxpayers? (from candidate questionnaire)
I would like to host a monthly meeting with people in my district to hear what they have to say about any issues they have. This can then be brought back to the board as well as the administrative staff within the school system. I would also like to regularly meet with the school staff, administrators and teachers to hear from them as well.
Does Knox County Schools need to change its budgeting to keep up with building improvements and meet salary demands for teachers and staff? If so, how? If not, how do you think the district and county can pay for those demands? (from candidate questionnaire)
I think the KCS staff need to have a needs budget prepared each year as mentioned above. With that comes all the reasons as to why it should be funded. If the legislature and county commissioners do not have the funds to provide then the administration/school board should prioritize what can be funded with what is provided. But both the legislature and county commissioners need to look at more ways to fund public schools to ensure we get the best educated citizens of tomorrow. The school system also needs to be efficient and transparent in its spending.
What role should school board members play in the following (from candidate questionnaire):
Working with the city of Knoxville to address shared challenges? Working with the Knox County Commission?
Not sure if this is technically allowed, but as a resident and concerned citizen I do not see there being an issue of writing letters to the city or the county commissioner to see what ideas they have and how they see opportunities to work with the school board. Communication is a big key to this.
What are the core philosophies that guide your approach to governing? (from candidate questionnaire)
Equality and fairness. All students should be treated equally regardless of what school they attend. They need to have the best teachers we can provide to them.
Republican
Lauren Morgan, 36
Why are you running for school board? (from in-person interview)
Morgan has been an advocate for various causes - helping grieving women through miscarriage or the loss of a baby and advocating for children in foster care.
She has fought for years for the right resources for her children, Morgan said, "full force." Now she's ready to advocate for all Knox County students, she said.
What are your goals for school board? (from in-person interview)
Retaining quality teachers at Knox County Schools is chief among her concerns. "We're going to have to be creative and how we're doing that because what we've been doing isn't working," Morgan said, addressing teacher retention.
Morgan wants to make sure teachers are given the right size of classes and ensure that schools are fully staffed with support staff.
What is your experience that qualifies you to serve? (from in-person interview)
Morgan serves on the parent-teacher organization boards at Farragut Primary and Farragut Intermediate schools. She is a graduate of Knox County Schools and the University of Tennessee. She also runs Project Gabriel, a nonprofit support group that helps support families who have suffered the loss of a baby.
District 8
Republicans
Tommy Lakins, 65
Why are you running? (from in-person interview)
Lakins said he was inspired to run when members of his community approached him because of his leadership skills. He said people can either be part of the problem or the solution, and he wants to be the latter.
Lakins said after attending county meetings about growth and development, he's concerned about where schools fit into the growth plan.
What are your goals for school board? (from in-person interview)
If he's elected, Lakins hopes to use his experience in the technology industry to improve the way students are taught. After schools locked down for COVID-19, he saw how important technology is becoming to teaching.
Teachers are going to have to change the way they teach and students are going to have to change the way they learn, he said.
What is the biggest issue facing Knox County Schools and how would you address it as a board member? (from candidate questionnaire)
One of the paramount challenges facing Knox County Schools is the teacher and staff hiring, development and retention. These aspects are pivotal to the success of our education system, directly impacting the quality of education and support our children obtain.
Having spent many years in the information technology field, I bring a wealth of experience in hiring, developing, and retaining highly demanded resources.
I propose a multifaceted approach to tackle this issue. Firstly, a comprehensive review of our current hiring processes and an exploration of innovative recruitment strategies will be undertaken.
I will advocate for the development of robust professional development programs to nurture the growth and skill enhancement of our existing teachers and staff. This fosters a sense of professional fulfillment, contributing to staff retention.
I am committed to applying my expertise to meticulously review our options, build on proven successes, and navigate the challenges associated with enhancing teacher and staff hiring, development, and retention. By prioritizing these crucial resources, we can ensure a brighter future for our children, grandchildren, and the entire community.
What specific actions can a board member take to most effectively represent families, students, teachers and taxpayers? (from candidate questionnaire)
I am committed to establishing “Talk with Tommy” quarterly meetings to actively listen to the concerns and ideas of families, students, teachers, and taxpayers. This includes maintaining accessible communication channels, such as a dedicated email address and phone to encourage direct engagement and ensure that constituents feel heard and valued.
I will utilize multiple communication channels, including social media and community meetings to disseminate information transparently and consistently.
Conducting regular visits to schools and classrooms to support, appreciate, and observe firsthand the challenges and successes of students, teachers and our schools is imperative. This collaboration with teachers and schools will help me create a supportive environment that fosters greater trust, professional growth, and aids with addressing the concerns of teachers and staff to enhance overall job satisfaction.
What role should school board members play in the following (from candidate questionnaire):
Working with the city of Knoxville to address shared challenges? Working with the Knox County Commission?
The school board should collaborate with the Knox County Commission to advocate for adequate funding for education, ensuring that the budget reflects the needs of the school district and the broader community.
The school board members should establish regular communication channels with members of the Knox County Commission and the Knoxville City Council to stay informed about countywide and city initiatives and to provide updates on the school district's progress and challenges.
We should work towards aligning school district policies with broader county goals and plans to ensure that education is integrated into the overall development and planning of the community.
Exploring partnerships with county and city services to provide additional resources and support for students, such as mental health services, afterschool programs, and community outreach initiatives is vital to the future and safety of our children.
Work in partnership on planning for community growth to anticipate the impact on schools, ensuring that new developments consider the educational needs of the residents.
Jointly advocate for legislative changes that positively impact both the school district and the city, emphasizing the interconnectedness of education and community well-being.
Does Knox County Schools need to change its budgeting to keep up with building improvements and meet salary demands for teachers and staff? If so, how? If not, how do you think the district and county can pay for those demands? (from candidate questionnaire)
Ensuring the prudent and responsible management of Knox County Schools' budget is a top priority for me. Regardless of the challenges or needs the budget may face, I am committed to being mindful of taxpayers' hard-earned money.
It is crucial to adopt a long-term vision for the school system's needs. Performance pay can be a valuable component, aligning success in our students, classrooms, and schools with compensation.
I propose a strategic approach that involves evaluating the effectiveness of existing programs. By identifying which programs yield success and which do not provide a satisfactory return on investment, we can reallocate resources to initiatives that genuinely benefit our students and staff.
I advocate for a comprehensive review of our infrastructure needs, prioritizing investments that offer lasting benefits and contribute to the overall success of our educational environment.
To finance these demands, collaboration with the county is key. Working closely with the Knox County Commission, we can explore innovative funding solutions and advocate for a budget that reflects the priorities of our community.
My approach revolves around maintaining fiscal responsibility, conducting a thorough evaluation of existing programs, prioritizing long-term solutions for building improvements, and collaborating with the county to explore diverse funding avenues.
What are the core philosophies that guide your approach to governing? (from candidate questionnaire)
I believe in providing individuals and families with freedom of choice, allowing them to make decisions that best suit their needs and aspirations. As a Christian, my guiding principles are grounded in God's love and grace for all members of our community, promoting compassion, understanding, and inclusivity.
I want to emphasize the importance of fiscal responsibility. In my view, a government that operates within its means and prioritizes efficient use of taxpayer dollars is essential for the well-being of our community. This approach ensures that government interventions are focused and effective, allowing individuals and businesses to thrive.
I strongly believe in the power of competition to drive excellence. Competition fosters innovation, efficiency, and continuous improvement. In the context of governance, this means promoting policies that encourage a competitive environment, whether in the economy, education, or public services.
In summary, my governing philosophy centers on individual freedom, family values, fiscal responsibility, Christian principles, and the belief that competition is a driving force for excellence. By adhering to these core values, I aim to contribute to the well-being and success of our community, fostering an environment where individuals can thrive, and our shared values are upheld.
Travis Wright, 44
Why are you running? (from in-person interview)
Wright told Knox News he's in the race to give back to the community he grew up in and the one his son is growing up in.
"It's kind of a way to give back and be a voice for the schools that I loved and to show my communication for everyone who was involved along the way," he said.
What are your goals for school board? (from in-person interview)
Wright said he hopes to be an advocate for parents on the school board.
"I want parents to be involved," he said. "We have to take responsibility and help our kids understand there are consequences for your actions. ... If parents are involved and dedicated enough, (incidents) won't happen."
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Knox County school board candidates: 2024 Knox News voter guide
