Rhonda Thurman Archives - Tennessee Star

Legislation Permitting Tennessee’s School Board Members to Run by Party Has Strengths and Weaknesses, Elected Official Says

October 29, 2021October 28, 2021 Chris Butler

Tennessee State Representative Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka) has filed legislation that would, if enacted into law, permit school board candidates in the state to campaign as the nominee or representative of a political party. Cepicky filed the bill for the Tennessee General Assembly’s current special session. The Tennessee Star’s attempts to reach Cepicky on Thursday were unsuccessful.

Vans Transporting Migrant Children to Chattanooga

April 15, 2021June 9, 2021 Chris Butler

Chattanooga is hosting migrant children for their schooling, although they are not attending the Hamilton County Public Schools. This, according to a spokesman for that school district.

Chattanooga Left-Wing Activist Under Criminal Investigation Speaks to Middle School Students About Political Activism

October 29, 2020October 28, 2020 Chris Butler

A left-wing activist in Chattanooga who allegedly vandalized property and allegedly used social media to attack the family of the judge overseeing her case served as guest speaker to middle school students and discussed political activism.

That activist, Marie Mott, is currently running for the Chattanooga City Council, according to her campaign’s Facebook page.

Angry Hamilton County School Board Member Wants the Public to See Teacher Training Sessions After White Privilege Reveal

August 9, 2019August 8, 2019 Chris Butler

The Hamilton County School System ought to have a policy requiring that any professional development or in-service teacher training get recorded on video and posted online for all the public to see.

Most Hamilton County School Board Members Unlikely to Do Anything About ‘White Privilege’ Training

August 6, 2019August 5, 2019 Chris Butler

Taxpayers paid thousands of dollars for the white privilege training Hamilton County teachers recently had to sit through, but most county school board members don’t have enough willpower to provide any oversight over it.

Hamilton County Mayor Seeks 34 Cent Property Tax Hike to Hire 350 School System Personnel That One Board Member Says Are Unneeded

June 5, 2019June 5, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger on Tuesday presented a budget that includes a 34-cent property tax increase for the school system, The Chattanoogan reported. The proposed budget does not include any increase for the county general budget, the publication said. Coppinger had previously talked about including 15 cents for…

Hamilton County Schools May Keep 350 Extra Employees, Regardless of What Results They Bring

June 4, 2019June 3, 2019 Chris Butler

If 350 additional employees don’t help raise the Hamilton County School System’s test scores then those new employees will get to keep their jobs, regardless of results, said School Board member Rhonda Thurman. As The Tennessee Star reported, school system officials have proposed adding that many new employees because…

‘It Takes a Village’ Mindset Prompts Hamilton County Government Schools to Possibly Raise Property Taxes

May 30, 2019May 29, 2019 Chris Butler

At least one Hamilton County School Board member who favors a plan to hire 350 more school employees says government-run schools can do a better job than certain parents tending to a child’s social and emotional needs. As The Tennessee Star reported, many of these proposed new positions pertain to social…

Bill Gates Backs 17 Percent Hamilton County Property Tax Hike For Education, While School Board Member Questions Need for 350 New Non-Teaching Positions

May 27, 2019May 27, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

Bill Gates says he will continue to pour his foundation’s money into Tennessee education initiatives and he seemed to endorse a proposed 17 percent Hamilton County property tax increase, according to an interview with the Chattanooga Times Free Press. The interview is available here. The Bill and Melinda Gates…

Hamilton County May Pay More Property Taxes for School Social Workers

May 25, 2019May 25, 2019 Chris Butler

Hamilton County residents may have to pay 17 percent more in property taxes so the local school system can have enough money to create 350 new positions. And Hamilton County School Board member Rhonda Thurman told The Tennessee Star many of those proposed positions are unneeded. School board members…

Hamilton County’s UnifyEd Officially Expands Into Political Arena

March 23, 2019March 22, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

A Hamilton County education advocacy organization seems to want to have it both ways – as a education reform nonprofit – and as a political action committee. Hamilton County education advocacy group UnifiEd says it wants to make sure every class has a “great teacher,” achieve “universal excellence by guaranteeing…

Pushed by UnifiEd, Hamilton County School Board Uses Consultants, Committees to Tell Community Its Schools Are Unequal in Diversity

March 22, 2019March 21, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

Williamson County and Knox County Schools have been making headlines with their white privilege and “cultural competency” training for teachers, but so far there is no sign that trend has spread to Hamilton County Schools – yet. Williamson County has forced teachers to learn about “white privilege” in required in-service…

Hamilton County Board of Education Passes Costly, Controversial Plan

December 22, 2018December 22, 2018 Chris Butler

Members of the Hamilton County Board of Education want to spend nearly half a million dollars of taxpayer money on consulting work that possibly isn’t necessary, according to The Chattanooga Times Free Press. The money, the newspaper went on to say, will “assess the condition of the district’s facilities,” and…