Greeson: It's OK to question how schools use taxpayer money

Hamilton County teachers from the Opportunity Zone attended the third Urban Education Institute on Aug. 2. Teachers took part in activities that discussed topics like poverty and race at the workshop, that was only open to teachers who teach in one of the district's 12 Opportunity Zone Schools. Contributed Photo/Times Free Press
Hamilton County teachers from the Opportunity Zone attended the third Urban Education Institute on Aug. 2. Teachers took part in activities that discussed topics like poverty and race at the workshop, that was only open to teachers who teach in one of the district's 12 Opportunity Zone Schools. Contributed Photo/Times Free Press

I am trying to figure out which is more vexing these days, and I wonder if you can help.

Which troubles you more, the modern-day public apology or the outrage about the outrage?

They overlap in our public school system and the fallout from the early-August training session that featured slides on the perils of white privilege and how blacks can't be racist. You may have heard about the controversial training session for the Opportunity Zone teaching professionals.

Well, the attempt to wave away the controversial session has been paramount to the modern P.R. stunt of saying, "I apologize if you were offended."

photo Jay Greeson

Not sorry for what happened. Not sorry for what I did. Sorry for you being offended.

The news releases - and even Dr. Bryan Johnson's video explanation - since the training by former NFL player Robert Jackson have had a ham-handed feel of that approach with phrases like "taken out of context" and "misconstrued" being tossed around.

Johnson has not addressed the matter formally and told TFP reporter Meghan Magnum he does not plan to. He has been invited several times to the Hamilton County Commission meeting to discuss the matter.

Of note, the school district did announce that this presentation is prompting changes in how administrators screen presentations in the future.

Yes, it's fair to wonder why the school system is perplexed by growing public uneasiness about the training session and about the social focus placed on the curriculum by some school board members, the district leadership and the all-powerful UnifiEd.

If this was truly out of context or misconstrued, then why change how training modules are screened or previewed?

Now comes the outrage about robocalls and surveys about Jackson's presentation. The majority of the leaders of the school system - and even Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke - now have their briefcases in a bunch.

Taxpayers being upset about how they feel taxpayer money is being spent is not a left or right complaint. It's a red-blooded American complaint that is fair whether we are celebrating or consternated about recent test scores.

I understand equipping teachers with as many skills and as much insight as possible. That makes sense and is a good use of our dollars and cents.

But shouldn't we do that for all students - regardless of color? There are several folks who would make a hard argument that the biggest divider for students is not racial at all, but economic. Whether you are in the inner-city or the rural parts of the county, poverty is poverty.

If taxpayers are not allowed to have questions and concerns, well, I'm sorry you're offended.

Kind of.

Contact Jay Greeson at jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.

Upcoming Events