Voter’s Guide: 2016 Knox County Board of Education Candidates

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We sent questionnaires to all the candidates during the primary; the only contested race remaining in the general election is in District 5. Here are their full responses.

District 2 
COVER_v2i06_Jennifer-OwenJennifer Owen

Age: 48
Family: Husband, Robert Owen
How long in Knox County? 20 years
Job: Former teacher, Knox County Schools
Education: B.S. in education, University of Tennessee (1991)
Political experience: No response

What stoked your interest in running for this political office?

Knox County School system has the potential to be an education leader in our state and region. However, the district has become mired in a culture of distrust and finger-pointing that hampers its ability to make real progress. I want to help our school district rebuild trust with students, parents, staff, and the community to enable us to begin to be the great district we can be.

What are the two most important issues for you, and how will you address them if elected?

1) Put the focus on students and let our teachers teach: Students are much more than data, and board members must demand that they are treated as such. As a board member I will continue advocating for students by speaking with county commissioners, legislators, the community, and our business partners to help them understand the complex needs of students and public schools. I will insist that petty squabbles or any discussion that takes away from issues of importance to our students is not conducted in board meetings. 

Our board must ensure that every child receives an appropriate education which meets his or her needs, while supporting policies and programs that promote the development and well-being of all children. The board must work to attract and keep great teachers by allowing them the freedom to use their specialized skills to make instructional decisions which are in the best interests of the students in their classrooms. They need both genuine support and instructional autonomy to make the pedagogical decisions that allow them to be great educators.

2) Repair community relationships by being representative, accountable, and transparent: Government systems must be representative, accountable, and transparent at every level. A board that functions with any kind of voting bloc is none of those. We must end us-against-them games and work together. As an involved voter, I know you expect elected officials to act with integrity and fiduciary responsibility. To do that, the board must also be open and transparent in all actions.

Are you thumbs up or thumbs down on Superintendent Jim McIntyre’s departure?

Thumbs down to the circumstances around Dr. McIntyre’s departure. There has been a great deal of discussion about what the “new board” will do in the future without anyone asking potential new board members whether any of the speculation is true. As a result, this very unfair and unfounded soothsaying has cost the taxpayers a great deal of money that could have been used much more responsibly.

What are the three characteristics you believe are most important in the next superintendent?

The next direct of schools must: (1) have extensive experience in public schools; (2) be able to understand and relate to the community with skills to enhance, rather than impede, the flow of information; and (3) have a child-centered philosophy which puts the well-being of students above all else.

For superintendent, do you prefer a local or a new set of eyes (or no preference)?

I prefer a person who has deep experience and real qualifications, from an accredited university, and a track record of working for the best interests of students.

Testing and relationships between teachers and the administration have been a source of local controversy over the last few years. What, if anything, would you change about the district’s approach on either of these topics?

The source of controversy has been less about the existence of these problems and more about the district’s refusal to acknowledge problems in any meaningful way. There is a deep culture of mistrust, which will be difficult to overcome. As a board member, my first responsibility would be to work to create actual transparency. Transparency is a great buzz word, but when parents call the central office regarding a test and they are told that it is mandated by the state, and they call the state’s Department of Education about the same test and are told that it is mandated by the district, and then they call the school and are told it’s a federal mandate, it is completely meaningless. I expect to be given real and accurate information and for that information to be shared openly and honestly with the public. Nothing less is acceptable. 

The district’s administration expended great time and resources to have “listening tours” all over Knox County. However, when people attending those sessions saw the reports they were often shocked that the final reports looked nothing like the discussions they had. This was reported by multiple participants at multiple locations.

The school board has briefly considered abandoning block scheduling and switching to a balanced calendar but put off those decisions. Would you like to pursue either initiative?

These are actually two completely different topics. A district can have both block schedyling and a balanced calendar. Block scheduling has to do with how the school day is arranged and a balanced calendar has to do with how the school year is arranged.

There are many ways to divide a block schedule and experienced administrators often have many kinds of schedules working within the basic block outline. Abandoning it gives no freedom to make adjustments as needed and could reduce the availability of the already insufficient teacher preparation time by half. That is not a direction we want to go if being able to work in the best interests of students is the goal.

The arrangement of the school year should be a consideration that involves the entire community, and it should not be taken lightly.

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District 3
COVER_v2i06_Tony-NormanTony Norman

Age: 62
Family: Wife, Janie, two adult sons
How long in Knox County? Entire life
Job: National pollutant discharge elimination system project manager for Knox County Engineering and Public Works; retired from Knox County Schools (2008)
Education: No response.
Political experience: Knox County Commission (2006-2014)

What stoked your interest in running for this political office?

I became interested in the school board seat during my terms on the County Commission. Frequently, I was frustrated with the majority on the board who seemingly gave McIntyre complete and absolute control over the system. There was apparently no critical thought in evaluating his performance or policies. The continual blather generated by KCS public relations needs confrontation.

What are the two most important issues for you and how will you address them if elected?

Obviously the evaluation system of teachers and the related merit-pay system is a demoralizing disaster and needs a complete review.

Are you thumbs up or thumbs down on Superintendent Jim McIntyre’s departure?

As to the departure of McIntyre, I am somewhat surprised he was unwilling to even try to work with a new board. He decided it was in his interest to leave on his terms rather than risk displeasure and dismantling by the board. It seems in this action, regardless of the spin, he was unwilling to accept criticism and adjust policies and practices which have obviously failed and alienated a majority of his employees. Personally, I think he should be dismissed as soon as he receives payment in the buyout. His presence will only be confusing and potentially a liability as we transition.

What are the three characteristics you believe are most important in the next superintendent?

The next superintendent will certainly have at least a modicum of classroom experience and will be available and receptive to the difficulties and trials of the classroom teacher. That is not to discount other significant issues as well with non-certified personnel. Management of 7,000-plus employees is an enormous task which will require great wisdom on both personal and professional levels.

The other significant issue which must be addressed quickly which related to teacher morale and student performance is the massive size of the administrative function. A total review of the administration I hope will be a priority for the new board.

For superintendent, do you prefer a local or a new set of eyes (or no preference)?

No preference. Just get the best person and learn from our mistakes.

Testing and relationships between teachers and the administration have been a source of local controversy over the last few years. What, if anything, would you change about the district’s approach on either of these topics?

No response.

The school board has briefly considered abandoning block scheduling and switching to a balanced calendar, but put off those decisions. Would you like to pursue either initiative?

I don’t have a position on block or balanced calendar, but both have significant financial consequences and education is famous for going forward and back.

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District 5
COVER_v2i06_Susan-HornSusan Horn

Age: 44
Family: Husband, Brad, two daughters
How long in Knox County? 22 years
Job: Elementary education coordinator, Christ Covenant Church
Education: Bachelor’s degree, University of Tennessee (1993)
Political experience: None

What stoked your interest in running for this political office?

In 2006, my older daughter began kindergarten at Farragut Primary School and I discovered a love for serving as a PTA volunteer. Since then, I have held various positions in the Farragut PTAs and PTSOs. I served as PTA president at both Farragut Primary and Farragut Intermediate, and I currently serve on the PTSO Board of Managers at Farragut Middle and Farragut High schools. I served on the Knox County Schools District Advisory Council 2011-2013.

Having been in these positions, parents often come to me when school policies or situations arise that concern them. Over the last several months, some of these same parents have encouraged me to run for the school board. Like them, I believe in public education and want to see the viewpoints of the 5th District’s students, teachers, and taxpayers represented on the board. My desire has always been to support teachers and administrators so that they have the needed resources to provide the high-quality education our children deserve.

What are the two most important issues for you and how will you address them if elected?

At the top of my list is the environment of testing and the negative impact of an assessment-driven school system. Quality instructional time is being exchanged for test prep, practice testing, and changes made to schedules during the testing window. I will recommend students be given the minimal number of state-mandated tests and advocate that the current TNReady test be replaced.

Another issue facing our schools is the perception of a lack of a cohesive agenda between the school board, the superintendent, and the community. The Board of Education and the superintendent must work together to set goals for the district that are always student-focused. For every decision I will ask the question, “How does this impact and help our students and teachers in the classroom?”

Are you thumbs up or thumbs down on Superintendent Jim McIntyre’s departure?

I think Dr. McIntyre made the right decision by stepping down. Our focus needs to be on educational excellence for every student. My hope is that a new board and new superintendent will bring about an atmosphere of harmony and partnership that has been missing for some time now.

What are the three characteristics you believe are most important in the next superintendent?

A superintendent must possess strong leadership and communication skills. He or she must have the ability to collaborate with and satisfy the demands of the school board, central office staff, administrators, teachers, parents, and community stakeholders. I believe we need someone with vast classroom and administrative experience who has a vision of providing students with a stimulating, engaging education that encompasses all areas of a child’s learning experience, from academics to art, music, and athletics.

For superintendent, do you prefer a local or a new set of eyes (or no preference)?

I would love to see a superintendent from the region. Understanding our communities, culture, and history would be a great asset. This would provide the ability to quickly focus on the issues facing our students and teachers.

Testing, and relationships between teachers and the administration, have been a source of local controversy over the last few years. What, if anything, would you change about the district’s approach on either of these topics?

As I stated earlier, I’m very concerned about the environment of testing and the effect it has had on our students and teachers. It is a shame that teaching has become so demanding that talented teachers have chosen to leave Knox County Schools over the last few years. A highly qualified, happy teacher in every classroom is key to student success! To attract and keep top teachers, Knox County must increase the teacher pay scale, provide for autonomy in the classroom, and respect teachers as the professionals they are. Honest educator feedback must be welcomed and encouraged so that a harmonious team effort can be utilized to fix the problems in our schools. 

The school board has briefly considered abandoning block scheduling and switching to a balanced calendar, but put off those decisions. Would you like to pursue either initiative?

I am in favor of keeping block scheduling since this system allows for Dual Enrollment classes. In addition, students are able to take eight different courses each school year, which is advantageous to individualized learning. Longer class periods allow teacher the flexible time needed to engage students in active learning, experiments, and writing. I think it is wise that Knox County high schools offer several year-long core classes that allow an option for students needing a slower pace.

A majority of teachers seem to be in favor of a balanced calendar, so I would certainly be open to it. I would seek further input and opinions from parents in my district.

COVER_v2i06_Reuben-PelotReuben “Buddy” Pelot

Age: 52
Family: Wife, Judith Pelot, three daughters
How long in Knox County? Entire life (lived about five years in Chattanooga and moved back in 1996)
Job: Attorney and shareholder, Egerton, McAfee, Armistead & Davis, P.S.
Education: Bearden High School (1982); B.A., University of Tennessee (1986); M. Ed. in Policy Development and Program Evaluation, Vanderbilt University (1987); J.D., University of Tennessee College of Law (1991)
Political experience: None

What stoked your interest in running for this political office?

I am a firm believer in the importance of a good public education system to all facets of our society. My wife and I have been very active participants with our three daughters’ schools. My wife has been president of the parent/teacher organizations at each of our kids’ schools multiple years, currently on her third year leading Bearden’s PTSO. I have spent the last seven years on Bearden’s Foundation Board as vice president and chair of the Grant Committee. With our children beginning to leave the nest, and with the recent contentious atmosphere surrounding our schools, I felt I had the temperament and professional background to be a positive influence on the deliberation of the important issues facing our schools. Offering to serve on the school board is a logical next step for serving our community in a meaningful way.

What are the two most important issues for you and how will you address them if elected?

Obviously, a high priority for the next school board will be selecting a new superintendent while also working with an interim superintendent to provide the best leadership possible to continue the progress being made in the Knox County Schools. If elected, I plan to listen to the input from parents, teachers, administrators, and students in the 5th District and advocate those interests in the search and selection process. Improving student proficiency across the board. If elected, I look forward to the report being prepared by the Disparities in Educational Outcomes Task Force and would continue to seek the input from parents, teachers, administrators, and students, and work with the superintendent and board on developing the best policies to improve student proficiencies and achievement for all Knox County students.

Are you thumbs up or thumbs down on Superintendent Jim McIntyre’s departure?

I prefer to look forward and not back, except for the purpose of learn from where we have been. While I do not have a thumbs up or down on Superintendent McIntyre’s decision to resign, I believe Knox County has a great opportunity to take the lessons learned over the last few years and continue to improve Knox County Schools as it selects new leadership going forward.

What are the three characteristics you believe are most important in the next superintendent?

A passion and vision for achieving excellence in public education based on significant experience in education. Proven experience of the ability to effectively lead a large, complex group of teaching professionals and administrators in a way that enables Knox County to recruit and retain the best educators and administrators. The ability to balance and administer a budget the size and complexity of Knox County Schools’.

For superintendent, do you prefer a local or a new set of eyes (or no preference)?

While I can see advantages that could come from having a superintendent with local knowledge of Knox County and its schools, I would enter the search process completely open to all possible candidates to find the candidate with all of the best characteristics to provide the best leadership.

Testing, and relationships between teachers and the administration, have been a source of local controversy over the last few years. What, if anything, would you change about the district’s approach on either of these topics?

While the local system has to work within state-mandated testing and evaluation requirements, Knox County has the opportunity going forward to address the issues that have led to much contention. If elected, while working with the interim superintendent, I would work to meet with all stakeholders to listen to the issues being raised on all sides to ensure those concerns are communicated and addressed at the board level. In the search for a permanent superintendent, I would look for an applicant with a vision and plan for affirmatively addressing and resolving those issues in a way that empowers Knox County to recruit and retain the best educators and administrators and serves the best interests of Knox County students.

The school board has briefly considered abandoning block scheduling and switching to a balanced calendar, but put off those decisions. Would you like to pursue either initiative?

I understand the cost-benefit analysis led to deferring those decisions. While the search for a new superintendent will be first priority, and I am not running with a pre-determined agenda to pursue either initiative at the outset, I believe the Board should continually evaluate ways to provide Knox County students the best education within the resources available which could include reconsideration for those initiatives.

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District 8
Michael McMillan

No response.

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