Robert Taylor talks about sacrifices, dedication to his school students

I'm willing to bet that there is absolutely no one - no one - in that educational ivory tower who has sacrificed like Robert Taylor, a special education teacher for the past eight years at Amherst Elementary School, has.

I met Taylor awhile back when I was working on a story regarding the school system. I've got a pretty good BS meter. This guy is genuine, the real deal.

The following is from Monday's form the Knox County Commission hosted to listen to teachers talk about some of the problems they face from the school system.

Stokes campaign ad touts experience

Billy Stokes’ campaign for Knox County Circuit Court Judge (Division 1) released its first Internet advertisement (I guess this is the second – heh) called “Experience.” The add, according to a release “exclusively details Bill’s Knoxville roots, 30 years of trial experience, and dedication to the people of Knox County.”

You can find it right smack here, and you can find the full release and script right here.
As always, send me your political stuff and I'll post it. Maybe. Heh.

The county primary is set for May with the general elections in August.

In addition to Stokes, Ray Jenkins, Kristi Davis and William "Bill" Ailor, all Republicans, also have picked up nominating petitions to run for the seat.

Jones, Knight raised a TON of coin

Well, the Man with the Badge turned in his campaign financial disclosure forms today and he might need a new nickname: Sheriff Money Bags!

Jimmy “J.J.” Jones has apparently raised some $169,400 in his bid for re-election. He faces Robert “Bobby” Waggoner and Charles “Sam” Hammett Jr. in the May Republican primary.

Democrat Tracy “T.A.” Clough also has taken out a nominating petition to run for the seat but hasn’t turned it in. So, too, has Donald Wiser, an Independent. But, Wiser also took out a nominating petition to run for the Register of Deeds seat, so I wouldn’t take that one too seriously. Heh.

The general election, which – come on, let’s face it, it’s really over after the Republican primary – will be held in August.

The disclosure forms are due Friday, but, technically, they can be late or pretty much filed whenever you like, because it’s not like the state Ethics Committee, which is supposed to punish such ne’er-do-wells, actually has any guts.

Heh.

Additionally, I’m also hearing that Charme Knight, a Republican and the only candidate so far to run for the open District Attorney General seat, has raised about $120,000 in folding paper.

Now, you’re not going to find any of this on the election site right now, because the office is closed. So, check back tomorrow.

In the meantime, it appears that Jones isn’t done raising money. He also has plans to host a meet-and-greet/minor fundraiser/pizza party on April 15 at the Expo Center. The event is designed to boost his election base.

Note that April 16 is the first day of early voting.

As always, send me your campaign stuff and I’ll post it.

BOE campaign kickoffs for this week

A couple of campaign kickoffs to mention:

Sally Absher, who is running for the 4^th District School Board seat, will hold her first campaign shindig from 5 to 7 tonight at Calhoun’s on Bearden Hill. Her slogan, according to her flyer, is “a voice for students, teachers, parents, and taxpayers.” She notes that contributions are appreciated.

Absher is expected to face incumbent Lynne Fugate and Jeffrey “Scott” Clark” in the election. In addition, Laurel Alford has picked up a nominating petition to run, but hasn’t turned it in.

Terry Hill, who is running for the 6^th District School Board seat, will host her first shindig on Thursday from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Barrington Subdivision Clubhouse on 5716 Bridgehampton Drive.

Her campaign email to me this morning noted that she’s been campaigning for several months, meeting with parents, teachers, principals and business leaders.

Hill said she is running “to bring real ideas and real solutions to the challenges facing public education in Knox County.”

“Together we can make sure our children receive the education they deserve while providing the taxpayers the return on investment they deserve,” she added.

Hill is expected to face Bradley Buchanan and Tamara Shepherd in the elections. In addition, Ronald Hennen and Sandra Rowcliffe have picked up nominating petitions to run for the seat, but haven’t turned ‘em in.

The county primaries are set for May, and the top two vote getters in school board races will move on to the August elections. The school board races are non-partisan.

As always, send me your campaign stuff and I’ll post it, so long as you return my calls if you win. Heh.

Jenkins for judge sets Feb. 7 kickoff

Got this in the email today:

The campaign of Ray Jenkins for Judge of the Knox County Circuit Court, Division I announced its official Kickoff event is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 7 at the Downtown Crowne Plaza from 5-7 p.m.  Light hors d'oeuvres will be served.  Contributions welcome but not required.

“We are looking forward to a big turnout and a great night of fellowship with friends and supporters.  This is First Friday, so come out and celebrate with us and then enjoy First Friday in downtown Knoxville,” Jenkins, a Republican, said in a statement today.  “We have a large number of volunteers and supporters signing up and as the old saying goes – ‘the more, the merrier!’”

As always, send me your political stuff and I'll post it. Maybe. Heh.

The county primary is set for May with the general elections in August.

In addition to Jenkins, Billy Stokes, Kristi Davis and William "Bill" Ailor, all Republicans, also have picked up nominating petitions to run for the seat.

McMillan for judge releases first ad

Checking email this morning and noticed I received something from the Greg McMillan campaign. He’s a Republican running for the 4^th Circuit Court Judge seat against Democrats Daniel Kidd and David L. Valone.

In addition, Republican Patti Jay Lane has picked up a nominating petition but not yet turned it in.

McMillan’s email noted that he’s releasing his first ad, dubbed “Knoxville: My Hometown.”

You can read the full release right smack here.

As always, if you’re running for office, shoot stuff my way and I’ll put it up. The primary is set for May and the General in August.

'Inside Tennessee' debates vouchers

Tune in at 9:30 a.m. Sunday (Channel 10, WBIR of course) to catch the latest Inside Tennessee program and the discussion we had about the merits of school choice in the state.

The guest were Justin Owen, president and CEO of the Beacon Center, and Joan Grim, a UTK professor and voucher skeptic. Myself, local attorney Dennis Francis and PR/consultant Mike Cohen joined the panel.

This was one of the more lively episodes and there was some good back and forth banter between Grim and Owen, as well as between Francis, a Democrat, and Cohen, a Republican.

Course that meant we weren't able to ask everything we had planned, but, well, whatever . . . .

Tune in. Good stuff.

McCroskey stepping down? Not so fast

The rumors are picking up again in the old Death Star that the embattled Joy McCroskey, Knox County’s criminal court clerk, is contemplating stepping down from office or even not running for re-election.

This comes after a robo call to voters last week that asked residents who they would pick in the upcoming race: McCroskey or Mike Hammond, a county commissioner who plans to run for the seat.

(Steve Williams, a local attorney who also has picked up a nominating petition, was not a choice in the survey.)

Awhile back, when we first broke the story about the many of the problems in McCroskey’s office, she did ask at least one employee whether she should step down. That person told her no.

My guess is that she won’t now, either. McCroskey can be pretty defiant, so I don’t expect her to give up so easily. Plus, she's still got plenty of supporters and there's a lot of folks out there who will vote for her if only to vote against Hammond. (Also, Williams might take votes away from Hammond, and it's the top vote-getter - you don't need "50 plus 1" - in the Mayor Republican Primary who moves on to the August General Election.)

Another rumor is that she won’t turn in her petition by the Feb. 20 due date, a move that would essentially signal her resignation (although she’d still serve until the end of August).

I doubt even that happens.

We’ll see. Stranger things happen in that building.

Knox County school coverage roundup

Full disclosure: I'm totally ripping off this blog post from Randy over at the hippie site. Randy, by the way, will be on our 5 p.m. 10News show tonight to talk about his blog.

Anyhoo, as predicted the County Commission bumped the teacher discussion ahead a week. But, there was plenty to talk about during the school board's meeting. You can find the roundup right here.

In addition, here's the results of the anonymous teacher survey, and the comments from the teacher survey, and Superintendent Jim McIntyre's action plan memo.

These are problems that have been lingering for a long, long time. Too bad it took an election year to actually get something done.

Hopson endorses Rountree for BOE

Lauren Hopson might not run for office this time around, but it certainly looks like she’s endorsing a fellow educator.

Hopson, the third grade teacher from Halls Elementary who kicked off the whole so-called “revolt” last October by having the guts to say what probably almost every teacher in this county thinks, is currently serving as the political treasurer for Amber Rountree. (If this isn't an endorsement I don't know what is.)

You can find the appointment right smack here.

Rountree, so far, is the only South Knoxville candidate to turn in a nominating petition. At this point four others, including incumbent Pam Trainor, have picked up the paperwork to run but haven’t completed it.

However, two of them – Larry Clark and Jim McClain – have suggested that they won’t run. (I’m not quite sure anyone has even heard from William Hiscock, who also picked up a petition and coincidentally lives in Rountree’s neighborhood.)

I’m guessing that Trainor is in, since her website now says “re-elect” her. Still, she’s in for a tough race. Trainor lost a ton of support in the 9^th District, particularly after her episode in Bizarro World.

Teacher 'revolt' at BOE not commish

The Knox County Commission holds court today at 2 p.m. over at the old Death Start. Despite what the other guys think, don't expect a whole lot to happen today.

There's been some talk about a teacher "revolt," a craftily worded description no doubt penned by Commissioner Tony Norman to strike at his arch nemesis Jim McIntyre. Heh.

Anyhoo, there's probably not going to be a discussion, or at least a deep discussion about teacher issues today.

BUT, some commissioners are lining up speakers so expect some fireworks during NEXT Monday's commission get-together.

Further, Do expect some fireworks tonight as officials talk about the anonymous teacher survey and some other teacher-related stuff during the Board of Education meeting. I'm sure you'll find a few teachers there. Heh.

Rowcliffe's ironic email to PTA

So, Sandra Rowcliffe, president of the Knox County Council PTA, picked up a nominating petition to run for office – specifically the 6^th District school board seat.

Now, picking up a petition doesn’t necessarily mean you’re actually going to run. (You have to get the signatures and turn it in to the Election Commission to get on the ballot.)

But, roughly a week later she sends an email to PTA members, telling them not to get all political. 

Maybe I’m the only one who sees the irony in this. You know: Do as I say, not as I do.

Naw, I doubt it.

Here’s the email (Subject: protocols to follow):

Hello Knox County Principals and Local Unit PTA Leaders-

Because we find ourselves in what seems to be a fairly active political climate in Knox County, I wanted to take this opportunity to remind you all of several protocols to be followed with regard to elections, candidate debates, and legislative positions.  These are NOT rules and regulations enforced through PTA but rather through the IRS if an organization is considered a 501(c)3 not-for-profit group. 

Therefore, Principals, I would ask that if your parent group is a PTO as opposed to a PTA that you inform them as well if they are, in fact, a 501(c)3.

Representing PTA
As a PTA leader, you represent PTA wherever you go.  It does not matter where you are - on Facebook, the grocery store, your church or your school - people look at you and think “PTA.”

It is also important that you know when you can publicly speak for PTA and when you may not. Only the president of a PTA or the Board/Executive Committee may authorize you to speak for PTA. No one else has that authority. This is true for a local unit, council, district, state or the National PTA. If you are contacted by any media sources or outlets regarding statewide issues, you should refer that person to the state PTA President or executive board. Likewise, if you are contacted about county issues, you should refer that person to the county PTA President.  It is important that you only make statements that represent Board approved PTA position statements when representing your local unit PTA.

Policy
PTA is a non-commercial, non-sectarian and non-partisan organization. Because PTAs are 501(c)3 tax-exempt organizations, the IRS rules regulating some types of legislative activities of non-profit organizations must be followed.

Certain political activities are absolutely prohibited: supporting or opposing political parties or candidates for federal, state, or local public office. PTA may only engage in non-partisan, issue-oriented advocacy. PTA members are encouraged to be informed voters. Likewise, PTA units are encouraged to take an active role in informing both their members and community members about pertinent educational issues.

In an effort to maintain a non-partisan effort, it is strongly encouraged that all candidates be invited and allowed equal time to address the public and answer questions when legislative forums and candidate debates are hosted.

PTAs must be careful not to be used by other individuals, groups or organizations to promote non-PTA interests. In voter surveys, PTA is widely respected for its positions on children’s issues.

Thank you for your time, and please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns. 

Kindest regards,

Sandra Rowcliffe, President
Knox County Council PTA