CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The Bradley County Board of Education reaffirmed its support tonight for appointed school superintendents.
The board approved a resolution that says superintendents should be appointed to avoid political complications created when superintendents are elected.
The only opposition vote was from Mark Grissom, who said that while he wholeheartedly supports Superintendent Johnny McDaniel, although he didn’t vote for him, that his constituents want an elected school leader.
Other board members, including Troy Weathers and Dr. Richard Baker, agreed with board Chairman David Kelley and Vice Chairman Terry McGuire that elected superintendents must spend time seeking office and will weigh political consequences when they hire or fire personnel instead of what’s best for children.
The state switched to appointed superintendents in 1992 but the issue perennially reappears in the state legislature.
Randall Higgins covers news in Cleveland, Tenn., for the Times Free Press. He started work with the Chattanooga Times in 1977 and joined the staff of the Chattanooga Times Free Press when the Free Press and Times merged in 1999. Randall has covered Southeast Tennessee, Northwest Georgia and Alabama. He now covers Cleveland and Bradley County and the neighboring region. Randall is a Cleveland native. He has bachelor’s degree from Tennessee Technological University. His awards ...
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