Teachers voice concerns at Knox County Commission meeting 37 minutes ago KNOXVILLE (WATE) - Education was at the forefront of the Knox County Commissions meeting on Monday. Commission met during the late afternoon to allow teachers to attend and voice their concerns. Discontent has been growing among some Knox County educators, with the discussion coming to a head recently during talks of a new contract for superintendent Dr. Jim McIntyre. That contract was approved by the school board in an 8-1 in early January. Just a week later , the release of teacher surveys offered a glimpse into how many of the teachers had come to view the school system. The reviews were so harsh, the next school boarding was focused almost entirely on the changes Dr. McIntyre and his peers were making to appease the educators. Despite those changes, the surveys were at the heart of Mondays meeting, with one commissioner even saying that it will likely take some time to address all of the concerns. About 60 people attended the meeting; with a handful of teachers speaking out. Our children are not data and numbers. They are more than test scores. Teachers are more than evaluation scores, said Linda Holtzclaw, a teacher at South Doyle Middle School. Not having the autonomy to make decisions in the best interest of students is not teaching. Not being trusted as a professional educator after going through years of education is demeaning. Many commissioners said they found the teachers comments helpful. The teachers coming to us, you know we have no ability to influence policy on the school board side or contracts on the school board side, but it allows us to know what the teachers are thinking and the more information you have the better you can make a decision, said Commissioner Brad Anders. The school board and county commission will attend a joint retreat in February. Both sides say they hope to continue this dialogue at that meeting.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 03:41:19 +0000
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