Knox County Schools elections (2016)

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Knox County Schools Elections
Primary election date:
March 1, 2016
General election date:
August 4, 2016
Enrollment (13–14):
59,236 students

Four of the nine seats on the Knox County Schools Board of Education were up for by-district general election on August 4, 2016. A primary election was held March 1, 2016.[1][2] Before the primary election, District 2 candidate Jennifer Owen filed a complaint with the IRS against a nonprofit director after he sent an email through his foundation's account supporting her opponent Grant Standefer as well as District 5 candidate Reuben "Buddy" Pelot.[3] No incumbents ran for the District 2 and 5 seats, leaving them open to newcomers. The winners of those seats were tasked with choosing the district's next superintendent. Superintendent Jim McIntyre announced that he would be stepping down after his three biggest supporters on the board declined to run for re-election.[4]

Owen defeated Standefer for the District 2 seat in the primary election. She went on to win the general election unopposed. The District 5 primary featured Pelot, Lori Ann Boudreaux, and Susan Horn. Both Horn and Pelot received enough votes to advance to the general election, where Horn defeated Pelot for the seat. The District 3 seat was left open for a newcomer. Tony Norman won that seat after running unopposed in both the primary and general elections. Michael McMillan, the only incumbent who sought re-election, ran unopposed in District 8 and won another term.[1][2][5][6]

The high number of open seats in this race was not unusual for Knox County. Three newcomers were also elected to the board in 2014, and only one defeated an incumbent to win a seat.

Elections

Voter and candidate information

Knox County Schools logo.png

The Knox County Board of Education consists of nine members elected by district to four-year terms. Members are elected on a staggered basis every even-numbered year. Districts 1, 4, 6, 7, and 9 were on the ballot in 2014, and Districts 2, 3, 5, and 8 were on the ballot in 2016. There was a primary election on March 1, 2016. The top one or two vote-getters in the primary advanced to the general election that was held on August 4, 2016. The top two candidates advanced if neither earned 50 percent of the vote, but if one candidate did take more than 50 percent of the vote, only that candidate advanced to the general election.[2][7]

Candidates for the board of education must be 18 years old, citizens of the United States, and residents of the district. They must also file proof of graduation from high school or receipt of a GED with the Knox County Board of Elections.[8]

To vote in this election, residents of the district must be U.S. citizens and at least 18 years of age. Citizens who have been convicted of a felony cannot vote unless their rights of citizenship have been restored or they have been given a pardon. Voter registration is due 30 days before the date of the election.[9] On election day, voters must present a government-issued photo I.D. in order to cast a ballot.[10]

Candidates and results

District 2

General election

Results

Knox County Schools,
District 2 General Election, 4-Year Term, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Jennifer Owen  (unopposed) 100.00% 2,240
Total Votes 2,240
Source: Knox County Election Commission, "Cumulative Report — Official," accessed November 28, 2016

Candidates

Jennifer Owen Green check mark transparent.png

Jennifer Owen.jpg

Primary election

Results

Knox County Schools,
District 2 Primary Election, 4-Year Term, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Jennifer Owen 65.82% 5,028
Grant Standefer 34.18% 2,611
Total Votes 7,639
Source: Knox County Board of Elections, "Presidential Preference Primary and County Primary — Official Ballot for Knox County March 01, 2016," accessed March 28, 2016

Candidates who lost in the primary

Grant Standefer

Grant Standefer.jpg

  • Graduate, Lubbock Christian University, Abilene Christian University and Lipscomb University
  • Executive director, Compassion Coalition

District 3

General election

Results

Knox County Schools,
District 3 General Election, 4-Year Term, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Tony Norman  (unopposed) 100.00% 1,770
Total Votes 1,770
Source: Knox County Election Commission, "Cumulative Report — Official," accessed November 28, 2016

Candidates

Tony Norman Green check mark transparent.png

Placeholder image.png

  • Graduate, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • Stormwater project manager, Knox County
  • Former commissioner, Knox County Commission, 2006-2014

Primary election

Results

Knox County Schools,
District 3 Primary Election, 4-Year Term, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Tony Norman  (unopposed) 100.00% 5,804
Total Votes 5,804
Source: Knox County Board of Elections, "Presidential Preference Primary and County Primary — Official Ballot for Knox County March 01, 2016," accessed March 28, 2016

District 5

General election

Results

Knox County Schools,
District 5 General Election, 4-Year Term, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Susan Horn 61.07% 2,210
Reuben "Buddy" Pelot 38.93% 1,409
Total Votes 3,619
Source: Knox County Election Commission, "Cumulative Report — Official," accessed November 28, 2016

Candidates

Susan Horn Green check mark transparent.png Reuben "Buddy" Pelot

Susan Horn.jpeg

  • Elementary education coordinator, Christ Covenant Church

Reuben "Buddy" Pelot.jpg

  • Graduate, University of Tennessee at Knoxville and Vanderbilt’s Institute for Public Policy Studies
  • Lawyer

Primary election

Results

Knox County Schools,
District 5 Primary Election, 4-Year Term, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Susan Horn 44.86% 4,364
Green check mark transparent.png Reuben "Buddy" Pelot 30.14% 2,932
Lori Ann Boudreaux 24.99% 2,431
Total Votes 9,727
Source: Knox County Board of Elections, "Presidential Preference Primary and County Primary — Official Ballot for Knox County March 01, 2016," accessed March 28, 2016

Candidates who lost in the primary

Lori Ann Boudreaux

Lori Ann Boudreaux.jpg

  • Graduate, Millersville University, Florida International University, the University Of North Florida and the University of the Cumberlands
  • Guidance counselor and psychotherapist

District 8

General election

Results

Knox County Schools,
District 8 General Election, 4-Year Term, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Michael McMillan Incumbent (unopposed) 100.00% 1,284
Total Votes 1,284
Source: Knox County Election Commission, "Cumulative Report — Official," accessed November 28, 2016

Candidates

Michael McMillan Green check mark transparent.png

Michael McMillan.jpg

  • Incumbent
  • Member from 2010-2016
  • Graduate, University of Tennessee
  • Retired teacher
  • Former commissioner, Knox County Commission

Primary election

Results

Knox County Schools,
District 8 Primary Election, 4-Year Term, 2016
Candidate Vote % Votes
Green check mark transparent.png Michael McMillan Incumbent (unopposed) 100.00% 6,183
Total Votes 6,183
Source: Knox County Board of Elections, "Presidential Preference Primary and County Primary — Official Ballot for Knox County March 01, 2016," accessed March 28, 2016

Additional elections on the ballot

See also: Tennessee elections, 2016

The Knox County Schools primary election shared the ballot with the state's presidential primary election as well as elections for Knox County commissioner seats, the assessor of property, and the county law director.[11] The district's general election shared the ballot with primary elections for the 2nd Congressional District seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, the District 6 seat in the Tennessee State Senate, and the District 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, and 89 seats in the Tennessee House of Representatives.[12]

Key deadlines

The following dates were key deadlines for the Knox County Schools election in 2016:[1][13]

Deadline Event
December 17, 2015 Candidate filing deadline
February 10, 2016 - February 23, 2016 Early voting period for primary election
February 23, 2016 Pre‐primary campaign finance report due
March 1, 2016 Primary election
April 11, 2016 1st quarter campaign finance report due
July 11, 2016 2nd quarter campaign finance report due
July 15, 2016 - July 30, 2016 Early voting period for general election
July 28, 2016 Pre‐general campaign finance report due
August 4, 2016 Election Day
October 11, 2016 3rd quarter campaign finance report due
January 25, 2017 4th quarter campaign finance report due

Endorsements

District 2 candidate Grant Standefer and District 5 candidate Reuben "Buddy" Pelot were endorsed by the Knoxville News Sentinel and by J. Laurens Tullock, president of the nonprofit Cornerstone Foundation of Knoxville.[3][14]

District 2 candidate Jennifer Owen and District 5 candidate Susan Horn were endorsed by the group Students, Parents, and Educators Across Knox County (SPEAK).[15][16] Owen, Horn, District 3 candidate Tony Norman, and District 8 incumbent Michael McMillan were endorsed by the Knox County Political Action Committee for Education (PACE).[17]

Do you know of an official or organization that endorsed a candidate in this race? Let Ballotpedia know by email at [email protected].

Campaign finance

Campaign Finance Ballotpedia.png
See also: List of school board campaign finance deadlines in 2016

Candidates received a total of $117,654.41 and spent a total of $100,594.22 in the election, according to the Knox County Clerk.[18]

District 2

Candidate Contributions Expenditures Cash on hand
Jennifer Owen $5,279.32 $5,279.32 $0.00
Grant Standefer $39,535.00 $32,768.47 $6,766.53

District 3

Candidate Contributions Expenditures Cash on hand
Tony Norman $3,550.00 $706.34 $2,843.66

District 5

Candidate Contributions Expenditures Cash on hand
Lori Ann Boudreaux $13,450.09 $13,450.09 $0.00
Susan Horn $15,465.00 $15,465.00 $0.00
Reuben "Buddy" Pelot $32,925.00 $32,925.00 $0.00

District 8

Candidate Contributions Expenditures Cash on hand
Michael McMillan $450.00 $0.00 $450.00

Past elections

What was at stake?

2016

Issues in the election

Candidate files complaint with IRS
District 2 candidate Jennifer Owen

District 2 candidate Jennifer Owen filed a complaint against J. Laurens Tullock with the IRS after the president of the nonprofit Cornerstone Foundation of Knoxville sent an email through his foundation’s account supporting her opponent, Grant Standefer, and District 5 candidate Reuben "Buddy" Pelot. The email also supported candidates for other offices in the primary election and included a call for donations to all of the candidates' campaigns.[3][19]

Owen said the email violated IRS regulations that govern nonprofits' abilities to endorse political candidates. The Cornerstone Foundation of Knoxville is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which has strict regulations on participating in the political process. “A nonprofit cannot endorse candidates. They can’t be involved in the political process. They can’t ask for campaign donations. They can’t do any of those things that I think were happening in that email,” said Owen.[19][20]

Tullock said he made a mistake in sending the email and apologized. He said he meant to send it from his personal account, not his account with the Cornerstone Foundation of Knoxville. "I should have sent that on my personal email address; I sent it on my office email address, which is the one that I use most often. I have resent [sic] that and made it clear to those folks," said Tullock.[3]

As of February 16, 2016, every donor who had “maxed out” donations to Standefer and Pelot had received Tullock's email, according to the Shopper News. The maximum amount a couple can donate is $3,000.[21] Standefer and Pelot had raised over $20,000 more in contributions than any of their opponents, according to campaign finance reports submitted to the Knox County Clerk in February 2016.[18]

Standefer was defeated by Owen in the primary election. Pelot advanced to the general election after he received the second-most votes in the primary, but he lost in the general election.[5][6]

Candidate forum
League of Women Voters logo.PNG

At a candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters for the contested races in Districts 2 and 5, candidates discussed their views on class size, classroom technology, special education, and college and career readiness.

Class size vs. classroom technology

Candidates were asked which they would prioritize given limited funding: class size or classroom technology. District 5 candidate Susan Horn said she would prioritize class size. "The key to success for our students is having great teachers in the classroom. Smaller class size allows the teacher to focus on individual student needs," she said. Her fellow candidate in District 5, Lori Ann Boudreaux, disagreed. “Of course I would like smaller class size, but my research has shown that is not cost effective,” said Boudreaux.

District 2 candidate Grant Standefer and District 5 candidate Reuben "Buddy" Pelot both emphasized classroom technology. They said it was "essential to student success," according to The Knoxville Focus. District 2 candidate Jennifer Owen said that the district needed to inventory what it had before it allocated more funds to technology.

" We have a great deal of technology that is not being utilized, because we don’t have enough support to keep that technology running. There are literally computers stacked in closets because they haven’t had time to assign them, figure out what to do with them, or repair them. Knox County doesn’t know what they have – there is no central inventory.[22] ”
—Jennifer Owen (2016)[23]

Special education

On the subject of improving special education in the district, Horn said it was important for special needs students to be included with all students in the regular classroom as much as possible. She said it was important that individualized education programs (IEPs) were followed and accommodations were set up in order to help students experience success.

Owen also emphasized the importance of following IEPs and making sure students are in the best possible environment. Pelot said his background in law could bring a better understanding of special education legal requirements to the board.

College and career readiness

When asked how the district could improve students' college and career readiness, Pelot and Boudreaux emphasized the need for more technology in the classroom. Boudreaux also said students need to learn "everyday life skills," such as how to set up a bank account. Horn emphasized the importance of improving ACT scores, as they were the benchmark for college and career readiness.

Pelot joined Horn and Owen in saying there was not enough classroom time dedicated to instruction. The three candidates said the amount of testing required with the state's TNReady assessments disrupted the classroom.

" Teachers need autonomy to teach the curriculum and organically review in a spiraling method throughout the semester so that students get to the end of the term, have a couple days of review, and take the end of the course test.[22] ”
—Susan Horn (2016)[23]

Owen said the district needed to stop focusing solely on college and career readiness and instead focus on making students "society ready." She said, "It doesn’t matter what they score on a test, if they go to the work place and can’t get along with other people … they’re not going to keep that job.”

Standefer said he supported the expansion of the district's community schools programs. He said it was important to get the community involved in a student's early life.[23]

Issues in the district

Testing suspended in wake of state terminating TNReady contract

After the Tennessee Department of Education terminated the contract with the provider of the state's new TNReady test assessments on April 27, 2016, Superintendent Jim McIntyre suspended the district's assessments for students in grades three through eight. Education Commissioner Candice McQueen said the contract was terminated with North Carolina-based Measurement Inc. after it failed to deliver all of the testing materials by its deadline.[24]

McQueen called Measurement Inc.'s performance "deeply disappointing" after months of delivery delays and a failure to roll out the assessment online in February 2016. "We’ve exhausted every option in problem solving with this vendor to assist them in getting these tests delivered. Districts have exceeded their responsibility and obligation to wait for grade 3-8 materials, and we will not ask districts to continue waiting on a vendor that has repeatedly failed us," said McQueen.[25]

Measurement Inc. President Henry Scherich said the contract termination was a disappointment. "It has been a very difficult job, and we were within a couple days or so of having all the tests in the state," said Scherich.[26]

Scherich said that the company had been put in a "difficult, and even impossible, situation" after they were required to switch to a paper test in response to the failed online assessment, according to Chalkbeat Tennessee. McQueen said the state's contract had included provisions for paper tests in the case of technical difficulties.[25] The state first contracted with Measurement Inc. in 2014 in response to displeasure with the Common Core standards. As of the termination, the state had paid $1.6 million toward the $108 million contract.[26]

The state decided to continue testing high school students, as those materials had been received, but it suspended the tests for younger students. School districts that received the needed materials for testing younger grades were allowed to choose between continuing the assessments or suspending them.[24][25]

“I believe it’s the right decision that we made here locally from Knox County Schools to pull the plug and say ‘look we’ve had too many delays, we’ve had too many challenges, we’ve had too many frustrations,'” said McIntyre.[24]

Due to the suspension, accountability measures related to test scores, such as teacher evaluations, were also delayed for one year. Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R) said that despite the delay, the state was still moving forward.[25]

" The failure of the testing vendor to deliver the tests and meet its own obligations does not take away from the fact that Tennessee has created our own, higher standards, we have an improved assessment fully aligned with those standards, and we remain committed going forward to measuring student performance fairly and ensuring accountability for those results.[22] ”
—Gov. Bill Haslam (R)[25]
Buzz Thomas accepts position as interim superintendent

The board voted to appoint Buzz Thomas as the district's interim superintendent after Superintendent Jim McIntyre stepped down in July 2016. “I am honored to be chosen by the board of education for this incredibly important position,” Thomas said after the vote. “I know how dedicated each board member is to the well-being of our children and the success of our schools.”[27]

Thomas was the president of the Great Schools Partnership, which had offices in the same building as the superintendent. He said he would leave his position and give the district "100 percent," but he said he did not want to become the district's permanent superintendent as he intended to return to his role with the Great Schools Partnership. His disinterest in the permanent position worked well for the board, as district policy did not allow an interim superintendent to be a candidate for the full position.[28]

School board member Terry Hill, who nominated Thomas for the position, called him "a strong person to rely on and bring all the facets together."[28]

After a request from Thomas, the board voted to lower his salary as interim superintendent on June 1, 2016. Though the board originally approved a $235,200 compensation package, the vote decreased the amount to a total of $220,200 including salary and benefits.[29]

Federal judge tosses out Knox County teachers' lawsuit against evaluation system

U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr. ruled against a lawsuit filed by two Knox County teachers that challenged the state's teacher evaluation system. Mattice said the issue had to be taken up at the ballot box rather than in court.[30]

Teachers Lisa Trout and Mark Taylor filed the lawsuit in 2014 and were later supported by the Tennessee Education Association. The lawsuit challenged the use of Tennessee Value Added Assessment System (TVAAS) scores in evaluating teachers in order to determine bonuses, promotions, and firing decisions. The evaluation system was set up by the state in order to secure federal Race to the Top grants. Though not every grade level takes the TVAAS, the scores accounted for 35 percent of teachers' evaluations, whether or not they taught the students who took the tests.[30]

In their lawsuit, Trout and Taylor said using test scores from students they did not teach was "unfair, unreliable and a violation of their constitutional due process rights," according to the Knoxville News Sentinel. Trout had been denied a bonus after her evaluation was tied to student test scores involving algebra II, though she was only certified to teach algebra I. Taylor was also denied a bonus due to poor test scores from students he did not teach. Both teachers appealed to Superintendent Jim McIntyre, but their requests were denied. McIntyre helped Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) draft the proposal for the Race to the Top grant in 2010.[30]

Mattice said the teachers' complaints were "not unfounded," but he said their problems were with the Tennessee State Legislature rather than the U.S. Constitution.[30]

" The judiciary is not empowered to second-guess the wisdom of the Tennessee Legislature's approach to solving the problems facing public education but rather must determine whether the policy at issue is rationally related to a legitimate government interest.

While the court expresses no opinion as to whether the Tennessee Legislature has enacted sound public policy, it finds that the use of TVAAS as a means to measure teacher efficacy survives minimal constitutional scrutiny. If this policy proves to be unworkable in practice, plaintiffs are not to be vindicated by judicial intervention but rather by democratic process.[22]

”
—U.S. District Judge Harry S. Mattice Jr. (2016)[30]
Superintendent to step down

In January 2016, Knox County Schools Superintendent Jim McIntyre announced he would be stepping down on July 8, 2016. The announcement came one month after the board approved his two-year contract extension with a 5-4 vote.[4][31]

Knox County Superintendent Jim McIntyre

McIntyre was the superintendent for nearly eight years before he announced his resignation. He said that serving as the leader of Knox County Schools was the highlight of his career. "I'm saddened. I love doing this job. This is the best job I've ever had," he said.[32] His years serving the district, however, were not without conflict. McIntyre said he was leaving due to facing years of controversy.[4]

" The current political environment has become increasingly dysfunctional, at times overtly antagonistic, and seemingly untenable. At recent months the focus of the conversation has all too often become about me, or the school board or other elected officials, rather than around the effective education of our children.[22] ”
—Knox County Schools Superintendent Jim McIntyre (2016)[4]

McIntyre also said he was stepping down because he did not think he would get along well with the school board members elected in 2016. Doug Harris, Tracie Sanger, and Karen Carson, the three board members who most often voted in support of his proposals in meetings, did not run for re-election in 2016, which guaranteed three new members would join the board. In response to McIntyre's resignation, unopposed District 3 candidate Tony Norman said, "I think there are a huge number of teachers who will receive an immediate boost in their morale."[4]

McIntyre had an uneasy relationship with the district's teachers. Many questioned the method of his evaluations and the amount of required student testing. He helped Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen (D) draft the state's grant for the federal Race to the Top program in 2010, which instituted new testing requirements and a new teacher evaluation system that was challenged in federal court by two Knox County teachers.[30] McIntyre and Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett also had a history of disagreement. Burchett once went as far as asking for McIntyre's resignation.[4]

Harris, Sanger, and fellow board member Lynne Fugate spoke in support of McIntyre's years leading the district. "The respect that I’ve got for this man, it exceeds anything that I can describe," said Harris. He called the job of superintendent "the toughest job in any county." Sanger said, "I'm sad to see him go and I think he's done great work for the district, and in the long run, I think it'll be a great loss for our students." According to Fugate, McIntyre "has been an excellent superintendent to move our district forward to levels of achievement we've never seen before."[4]

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R)
Tennessee Commissioner of Education Candice McQueen

Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam (R) and Tennessee Commissioner of Education Candice McQueen also spoke in support of McIntyre's career with Knox County Schools. Haslam called McIntyre "one of the best superintendents in the state." McQueen said:[4]

" Just last year, the Knox County School system was named the first urban school district in the state to receive Exemplary District status. The district has also exceeded growth expectations for multiple years in a row. These accomplishments are outstanding and will serve Dr. McIntyre well in whatever he chooses to pursue next.[22] ”
—Tennessee Commissioner of Education Candice McQueen[4]

The board approved a $227,256 severance package that included a one-year salary and 18 months of health benefits for McIntyre with a 7-1-1 vote on January 19, 2016. Board members said they will next pick an interim superintendent to help with the transition. A permanent superintendent will be chosen after the newly elected school board members are sworn in.[32]

McIntyre said he and his family planned to stay in Knox County. He also said he hoped to remain in the education field, though he had no specific job offers as of his announcement.[33]

The board said they would appoint an interim superintendent by the first week of April 2016.[34] Buzz Thomas was officially appointed to that position.

Election trends

School Board Election Trends Banner.jpg
See also: School board elections, 2014

Three newcomers were guaranteed to join the Knox County Board of Education after the 2016 election. One of the four incumbents whose terms were on the ballot ran to retain his seat, and he ran unopposed. The other three incumbents did not file to run for additional terms. Three newcomers also joined the board in 2014. One defeated an incumbent to win a seat, but the other two took open seats. Newcomers took 45.98 percent of school board seats on the ballot in Tennessee's largest school districts in 2014, which was lower than the percentage of seats taken by newcomers in both 2014 and 2016 in Knox County.

The 2016 election in Knox County attracted fewer candidates per seat than there were in the district's 2014 elections. That year, an average of 2.6 candidates ran per seat on the ballot, compared to the average of 1.75 candidates who ran per seat in the district's 2016 primary election. The 2016 average was also lower than the average of 1.94 candidates who ran per school board seat up for election in 2014 in the state's largest school districts.

Half of Knox County's school board seats up for primary election in 2016 were unopposed. This was a higher percentage than the 20 percent of seats that were unopposed in the district's 2014 election. It was also higher than the 36.78 percent of seats that were unopposed in school board elections in the state's largest districts in 2014.

Issues in the state

Transgender bathroom bill withdrawn
Rep. Susan Lynn (R-57)

State Rep. Susan Lynn (R-57) proposed legislation in January 2016 that would require public school students in kindergarten through college to use the bathroom and locker room that corresponded with the sex listed on their birth certificates. Four months later, she withdrew the bill. "I am still absolutely 100 percent in support of maintaining the privacy of all students. But I'm going to roll the bill over until next year so we can work on those issues," Lynn said.[35][36]

House Bill 2414 drew criticism from local media and some companies threatened to withhold business from the state if the bill were passed. Lynn said that was not why she withdrew the bill; instead, she put it on hold in order to further study the issue. She said school districts in Tennessee were "largely following what the bill says."[35][37]

While HB 2414 was still in committee, Gov. Bill Haslam (R) expressed concern about the bill. “I’m hearing that our school boards have figured out how to adjust to each situation that arises, and to date, I’m not hearing parents say we have [a] problem in our schools today,” said Haslam.[38]

Attorney General Herbert Slatery (R)

State Reps. Mike Stewart (D-52) and Harry Brooks (R-19) asked for an opinion on the issue from Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery (R). Slatery responded by warning that the state could lose federal Title IX funding if the bill were passed.[39]

" As things currently stand, we must, as a practical matter, assume that H.B. 2414 would violate Title IX, because the enforcer of Title IX has clearly interpreted — and enforced — Title IX to prohibit as 'discriminatory on the basis of sex' what H.B. 2414 is designed to accomplish.[22] ”
—Attorney General Herbert Slatery (April 2016)[39]

Stewart said Slatery's opinion was the "final nail in the coffin" for the bill. He and State Rep. John Ray Clemmons (D-55) said the bill could also hinder the state's goal of creating a business-friendly climate.[39] Executives of dozens of companies had signed a letter to state lawmakers asking them to reject the bill on the grounds that it was discriminatory.[40]

David Fowler, former state senator and president of the Family Action Council of Tennessee, objected to Slatery's opinion. He said the attorney general had used settlement agreements rather than court decisions to warn the state legislature away from passing the bill. "Settlement agreements have no persuasive value as a matter of law, unlike the court decisions that have actually ruled in favor of sex-designated bathrooms," Fowler said.[39]

After the bill was withdrawn, Fowler issued a statement:

" But we join the thousands of parents across the state who are profoundly disappointed that at this point in the process Rep. Lynn has decided not to proceed with a bill that would have simply protected the privacy of the children they have entrusted to our public schools.[22] ”
—David Fowler (April 2016)[35]

In addition to receiving support from the Family Action Council of Tennessee, the bill was backed by approximately 30 pastors from the Tennessee Pastors Network. At least 67,000 state citizens opposed the bill, as two transgender high school students turned in that many signatures to the governor's office. They were joined by the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee, the Tennessee Equality Project, the Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition, and the Human Rights Campaign.[35]

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About the district

See also: Knox County Schools, Tennessee
The Knox County school district is located in Knox County, Tennessee.

The Knox County school district is located in Knox County in eastern Tennessee. Knox County was home to 448,644 residents in 2014, according to the United States Census Bureau.[41] The district was the third-largest school district in the state in the 2013–2014 school year and served 59,236 students.[42]

Demographics

Knox County outperformed Tennessee as a whole in terms of higher education achievement from 2009 to 2013. The United States Census Bureau found that 34.3 percent of county residents aged 25 years and older had attained a bachelor's degree, compared to 23.8 percent for Tennessee as a whole. The median household income was $47,694, compared to $44,298 for the state of Tennessee. The poverty rate in Knox County was 14.6 percent, compared to 17.6 percent for the entire state.[41]

Racial Demographics, 2014[41]
Race Knox County (%) Tennessee (%)
White 86.3 78.9
Black or African American 9.0 17.1
American Indian and Alaska Native 0.4 0.4
Asian 2.2 1.7
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0.1 0.1
Two or More Races 2.0 1.7
Hispanic or Latino 3.9 5.0

Presidential Voting Pattern,
Knox County[43]
Year Democratic Vote Republican Vote Other Vote
2012 59,399 109,707 3,401
2008 70,215 113,015 2,856
2004 66,013 110,803 1,603
2000 60,969 86,851 2,766

Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

Recent news

The link below is to the most recent stories in a Google news search for the terms 'Knox County Schools' 'Tennessee'. These results are automatically generated from Google. Ballotpedia does not curate or endorse these articles.

Knox County Schools elections (2016) - Google News

See also

Knox County Schools Tennessee School Boards
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External links

Footnotes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Knox County Board of Elections, "Final County Prim. 3-1-16 and County Gen. 8-4-16 Candidate List," accessed January 19, 2016
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Knox County Schools, "Board Members," accessed January 19, 2016
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Knoxville News Sentinel, "Knox school board candidate cries foul over nonprofit’s endorsing opponent," January 15, 2016
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 WBIR.com, "KCS Superintendent McIntyre to step down," January 4, 2016
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Knox County Board of Elections, "Live Election Results," accessed March 1, 2016
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Knox County Election Commission, "Live Election Results," accessed August 4, 2016
  7. ↑ 13 WMAZ, "Dozens qualify for Knox County, BOE March primary," December 10, 2015
  8. ↑ Knox County Clerk, "Qualifications for Elected Offices in Tennessee," accessed May 6, 2014
  9. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Voter Qualifications," accessed June 4, 2014
  10. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "What ID is required when voting?" accessed January 19, 2016
  11. ↑ Knox County, "Official Ballot for Knox County: Presidential Preference Primary and County Primary," accessed February 12, 2016
  12. ↑ Knox County, "Final Federal State Primary 8-4-16 Petition Pick-Up List," accessed June 13, 2016
  13. ↑ Knox County, "2016 Filing Dates," accessed February 11, 2016
  14. ↑ Knoxville News Sentinel, "Editorial: Standefer, Pelot best candidates for school board," February 7, 2016
  15. ↑ Vote Susan Horn, "Endorsements," accessed February 11, 2016
  16. ↑ Owen 4 Schools, "SPEAK Endorsement," accessed February 23, 2016
  17. ↑ The Pacemaker, "Recommendations for Elections," accessed February 23, 2016
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Knox County Clerk, "Financial Disclosures: Candidate Information," accessed January 25, 2017
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 WBIR.com, "Knox County school board candidate files complaint with IRS," January 18, 2016
  20. ↑ Internal Revenue Service, "Political and Lobbying Activities," accessed July 10, 2015
  21. ↑ Shopper News, "Carringer, Fugate Show Differences," February 16, 2016
  22. ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 22.5 22.6 22.7 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
  23. ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 The Knoxville Focus, "League Hosts School Board Candidate Forum," February 8, 2016
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 WATE.com, "Tennessee Department of Education terminates TNReady testing contract," April 27, 2016
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 25.4 Chalkbeat Tennessee, "Tennessee fires TNReady testmaker, suspends tests for grades 3-8," April 27, 2016
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 The Tennesseean, "Tennessee terminates contract with TNReady test company," April 27, 2016
  27. ↑ WATE.com, "Buzz Thomas accepts Knox County Interim Superintendent position," April 4, 2016
  28. ↑ 28.0 28.1 Knoxville News Sentinel, "Buzz Thomas is nominee for Knox County Schools interim superintendent," April 4, 2016
  29. ↑ Knoxville News Sentinel, "Knox County school board OKs lowering interim superintendent’s salary," June 1, 2016
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 30.4 30.5 Knoxville News Sentinel, "Judge strikes down Knox challenge to state's teacher evaluation system," February 19, 2016
  31. ↑ Knoxville News Sentinel, "Knox County School Board balance about to change," December 12, 2015
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Local 8, "School Board approves McIntyre's severance package," January 19, 2015
  33. ↑ Knoxville News Sentinel, "Governor responds to McIntyre stepping down as Knox schools superintendent," January 4, 2016
  34. ↑ WBIR, "Knox County Board of Education choosing interim superintendent by April," February 18, 2016
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 The Tennesseean, "Transgender bathroom bill dead for year," April 18, 2016
  36. ↑ Open States, "HB 2414," accessed April 19, 2016
  37. ↑ Knoxville News Sentinel, "Tennessee lawmakers should stay out of students’ restrooms," April 3, 2016
  38. ↑ Huffington Post, "Tennessee Governor Skeptical Of Anti-Transgender Bathroom Bill," April 13, 2016
  39. ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 The Tennesseean, "Attorney general: Tennessee bathroom bill threatens Title IX funds," April 11, 2016
  40. ↑ CBS News, "Tennessee lawmakers under fire over transgender bathroom bill," April 13, 2016
  41. ↑ 41.0 41.1 41.2 United States Census Bureau, "Knox County, Tennessee," accessed January 19, 2016
  42. ↑ National Center for Education Statistics, "ELSI Table Generator," accessed November 16, 2015
  43. ↑ Tennessee Secretary of State, "Knox County," accessed July 27, 2015
2016 Knox County Schools Elections
Knox County, Tennessee
Election date:Primary Election: March 1, 2016 • General Election: August 4, 2016
Candidates:District 2: • Jennifer Owen • Grant Standefer
District 3: • Tony Norman
District 5: • Lori Ann Boudreaux • Susan Horn • Reuben "Buddy" Pelot
District 8: • Incumbent, Michael McMillan
Important information:What was at stake? • Additional elections on the ballot • Key deadlines
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