A group of teachers – loosely identified as Hamilton County United – is calling on elected officials to join them for a town hall on Nov. 17 on teacher pay and public education funding.
In an open letter last month, more than 70 teachers called out Commissioners Randy Fairbanks, Sabrena Smedley, Tim Boyd, Greg Martin and Chester Bankston for voting against a wheel tax referendum and a 34-cent property tax increase included in the first round of FY 2020 budget proposals that could have directed more funding to public education earlier this year.
Since going public, organizers of the group say they have been “overwhelmed by a tremendous amount of support from across our community.”
“Hundreds have signed out and asked to add their names,” said an email sent by Kendra Young, a teacher at East Hamilton School, to commissioners and school board members Tuesday evening. “They made the decision to officially stand alongside us because they do not feel their voices are being heard on this issue, nor that their community’s needs are being met.”
In the email, Young notes that many members of the community, as well as commissioners and school board members, have suggested meeting to discuss concerns that include increasing teacher pay, how to fund public schools and if the district should fund additional supports like mental health resources for students.