Bill Baxter - Profile in Courage

Bill Baxter TVA Board of Director demonstrated real leadership yesterday in casting the lone NO vote on the TVA budget. Mr. Baxter after examining the budget noted that the debt was not adequately being reduced and offered amendments to the budget, they were rejected. It takes courage to stand for what you believe in, even when you are the only one or in the minority. Great Job, Bill Baxter.

Mayor Ragsdale's Commitment to Education

Mayor Ragsdale has a similar doctorate degree in Education like the Superintendent of Schools. Mayor Ragsdale has committed more funds to public education in his two years than Tom Schumpert (a former schools central office administrator) did in 8 years. Mayor Ragsdale has involved more people in the schools with the Education summit (this was the community input into what became the Every School a Great School) and with Read with Me (that has received a national award. Mayor Ragsdale is committed to a new high school in Knox County. Sam Anderson School Board Chairman on September 8th stated at the County Commission meeting that the school board would vote on a capital plan before the end of the month. With the mid-month agenda (Sept. 20th, 2004) set and NO vote scheduled on a new capital plan. When will the board act?

President Woodrow Wilson's 5 self-evident truths about commitment and responsibilty to public schools

• As Americans, we are owners of the public school system.
• As owners, we bear a responsibilty to participate in the system.
• Accountability for our public school, their safety, and its employees and its funding rests with us and the rest of the system's owners.
• Our children's future depends on the improvement of the public schools.
• And this improvement depends on our participation.

Gibbs Elementary whines about No Cafeteria

The "concerned" uninformed masses in the Gibbs community have begun to whine about not having a cafeteria. Let's get the facts straight.

The children at Gibbs have a serving line and eat in the gymnasium.

The children west of Gibbs at Cedar Primary and Intermediate do not have a cafeteria. That would mean the the affluent West Knox County, has two schools without cafeteria's

The difference is that at the two Cedar Bluff's, they can not use the gymnasium because of Physical Education classes being conducted. So the well to do West Knox County students must eat at their desk. How many of you would want to sit at your desk for 7 hours without an adequate break. Sounds like a violation of federal law to me.

Cedar Bluff Primary was built as a temporary 30 years ago. In January 2004 architectural drawings were presented to the staff and PTA leadership for a NEW Cedar Bluff Primary. Both Cedar Bluff and Gibbs are worthy of replacement. I only wish the whiners would get their facts straight.

Gibbs and Carter Communities waging Class Warfare

It is interesting to read the letters about how Gibbs and Carter have gotten NOTHING. Lets get the facts straight.

• $1 million dollar Sports fieldhouse at Gibbs - they promised $400,000.00 and didn't deliver on the promise - the school board had to bail them out
• Extremely expensive Football Stadium at Carter - far larger than they will ever need
• Land on Tazwell Pike between their middle school, Elementary and High School
• Land and Architectual drawings for a NEW Gibbs Elementary immediately across the street
• Land for a Carter Elementary / Middle School on Strawberry Plains Pike
• Renovation and expansion of $10 million at their middle school - Holston
• Renovation and expansion at Ritta Elementary - it is NOT at capacity - the school board should rezone the Gibbs Elementary kids to Ritta - that's the solution imposed on everyone else in Knox County
• Renovation and expansion at Halls Elementary School
• A NEW Brickey Elementary School

I can locate all the Knox County improvements for libraries, parks, law enforcement, Three Ridges Golf course, roads etc. that have been and are proposed for the Gibbs and Carter communities.