An ever-changing educational climate has state officials looking to make a stand to secure the future of public education.
Tennessee School Boards Association recently announced their “Stand Up For TN Public Schools” initiative to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining public education.
Stressing the importance of public education has garnered attention nationally following the U.S. Department of Education’s focus on voucher programs and school choice, which could reportedly pose a threat to public education, according to the TSBA.
Multiple school districts have pledged support for the initiative, including the Elizabethton City Schools System.
“Elizabethton City Schools continue to support the initiative led by TSBA in support of public education and the need for community control,” said Rita Booher, ECS Board of Education chair.
TSBA’s campaign “seeks to enlist the support of community members from across the state of Tennessee to ensure that the future of public education remains in the hand of the community,” according to information received from the association.
Stand Up For TN Public Schools’ campaign encourages residents to contact legislators to share their opinions about the status of education.
City BOE members were able to make their voices heard, explaining the importance of keeping public education in control of the community.
“We are fortunate to have officials who understand the value of public education,” Booher said. “Local school boards are the voice of the community and not special interest groups. We appreciated our officials listening to our voices and supporting public education.”
As action looks to pick up in Washington, Booher added the locals can look to make an impact by contacting legislators.
“Contact our officials in Nashville,” Booher said. “Let them know how important public education is. Public education serves all students regardless of background, class or ability. I would encourage anyone contacting our elected officials to thank them for their service. Often it is a thankless job and they continue to serve us well.”
Individuals can visit www.standupfortnpublicschools.org/take-action online to learn more about the TSBA campaign.