County Commission Fails to Weigh In on Governor’s Education Freedom Act

March 31, 2024
By: Dwayne Page

The county commission failed to take up a vote Monday night, March 25 on whether to go on record opposing Governor Bill Lee’s proposed “Education Freedom Act” voucher plan.

Seventh district commissioner Beth Pafford made a motion to add the issue to the agenda for consideration under new business but during a roll call vote it failed to receive the seven votes needed. Commissioners Pafford, Tony Luna, Greg Matthews, Andy Pack, Daniel Cripps, and Tony (Cully) Culwell voted to add it to the agenda, but Commissioners Larry Green, Glynn Merriman, Jeff Barnes, and Sabrina Farler voted no. Commissioners Myron Rhody, Susannah Cripps Daughtry, and Tom Chandler were absent.

Pafford, who is also a local educator and opposed to the Governor’s voucher proposal, first raised the issue during a committee of the whole meeting of the county commission on Thursday, March 21.

“This is a huge issue because public schools are the heart of any community, especially rural communities, and having good public schools are important to the present and future of any community. We all benefit when everybody gets an education and right now the way that freedom act is private schools don’t have to take kids with special needs or keep kids for any reason. They don’t have to meet certain standards on state tests,” said Pafford.

The resolution was similar to what Cumberland County had adopted earlier in March.

“Be it resolved that the County Commission holds that Tennessee tax dollars should support public schools or other public entities; and diverting any Tennessee tax dollars shouldn’t be an option to pay for private school tuitions … The County Commission is opposed to diverting any Tennessee tax dollars to pay for private school tuitions and urges the Tennessee General Assembly to also oppose this use of Tennessee tax dollars”.

Under Lee’s plan, the state would create a new tier of school vouchers called “education freedom” scholarships. The first year of the program would cost $144 million to offer 20,000 scholarships to Tennessee families. Half of those scholarships would be available to families who meet certain income requirements, while the rest would be open to anyone, according to the Associated Press.

Lee proposes to give each recipient $7,075 this fall, which would cover about 62% of the average $11,344 cost of attending a private school in Tennessee, according to Private School Review.

March 31, 2024
By: Bill Conger

A car show will be held to benefit the DCHS Class of 2024 Project Graduation event on Saturday, April 6 from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. at DeKalb County High School.

All funds raised will go to Project Graduation, an all-night drug-free, alcohol-free graduation party for members of the DCHS Class of 2024 committed to having a safe, wholesome, yet entertaining celebration together for the last time as a class.

The registration fee is $25.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. Judging starts at 11:30 a.m. and awards will be presented at 1 p.m. Vendors and a DJ will be present.

Come show off your car!

For more information call or text Veronica Johnson at 615-971-0804

March 30, 2024
By: Bill Conger

The annual DeKalb West School STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) Fair was a huge success this year. The Family Engagement Night that was held Feb. 27 brought together faculty, staff, students, parents and other caregivers. It also featured vendors from the DeKalb County Health Department, Drug Coalition Prevention, Oakley STEM Center at Tennessee Tech, Wilson Bank and Trust, Skill Up Tennessee, and the school’s Coordinated School Health program.

“The STEAM Engagement Night this year was one of the best,” Principal Sabrina Farler said. “I saw a lot of smiling faces, and it seemed like everyone had a great time. We had over 450 in attendance. The students worked so hard on their projects. The faculty and staff had stations set up throughout the building for the students to participate in.”

Students in K-8th grades entered exemplary tri-fold board projects that combined the subjects of Science, Literature, and Social Studies. Judges named the following winners in their respective categories:

8th grade literature: Autumn Crook, 1st place, Lucy Moore and Zoey Skeen tied for 2nd, Akacia Walker, 3rd place; Honorable Mentions: Millie Barton, Adin Hernandez, Katie Beth Swearinger;

6th-7th grade Social Studies: Zane Griffith, 1st place, Landon Holmes, 2nd place, and Kaden Harbaugh, 3rd place.

6th-7th grade Literature: Kaden Mullinax, 1st, Tori Harbaugh, 2nd, and Alyssa Cecil, 3rd; Honorable Mentions: Grady Thomason and Levi Reynolds.

4th-5th grade Social Studies: Bradi Turney, 1st, Abram Bratten, 2nd place and Noah Hall, 3rd place; Honorable Mentions: Lorenzo Johnson, Luke Johnson/Ivy Melton, Carson Maynard, and Annalyn Garrett.

4th-5th grade Science: Aler Organ, 1st place, Holden Leiser and Mabry Organ tied for 2nd place; Honorable Mentions: Kayla Sebolt, Sylar Hickman, and Jaxson Murphy.

4th-5th grade Literature: Cameron Pursell, 1st place, Karson Mullinax, Cash Hancock, and Teigen Saso-Varble tied for 2nd place and Paisely Avera, 3rd place. Honorable Mentions: Addison Harbaugh, Eden Donnell, and Emma Thomason.

2nd-3rd Social Studies: Pipe Avera and Rayleigh Randolph tied for first place.

2nd-3rd Science: Landon Fuson, 1st Zalie Hale and Marley Pyburn, tied for 2nd, and Clair Cripps and Harper Hickman tied for 3rd; Honorable Mentions: Elias White and Fisher Dyer.

2nd-3rd Literature: Weston Hancock, 1st place, Evie Taylor, 2nd place, Ty Vickers, 3rd place; Honorable Mentions: Ripley Barnes, Maddie Kitts, Katie Jo Prichard, Miguel Ramirez, and Maddie Moore.

K-1 Science: Connor Clark, 1st place and 2nd grade Encore, 2nd

K-1 Literature: Ariel Justice, 1st, Davis Barnes, 2nd, and Emma Sharp, 3rd; Honorable Mentions: Jase Nokes and Mattie Taylor.