State Sen.-elect Todd Gardenhire, state Sen. Bo Watson and sState Rep. Richard Floyd, from left, listen to a question from principal LaFrederick Thirkill on Wednesday during the Hamilton County Council of PTAs legislative forum at Orchard Knob Elementary School.The idea of vouchers and charter schools raises an old question for Hamilton County school board member Jeffery Wilson: Would they lead to unequal educational outcomes?
Wilson, who represents District 5, said at the county PTA’s annual legislative forum that state lawmakers need to be aware of Hamilton County concerns including vouchers, and charter schools and school equity.
“What should happen, whether you live in Orchard Knob or Soddy-Daisy or Hixson, your education should look similar across the board,” Wilson said.
“What happens is, unfortunately, some of these schools they have different resources. They’re in the same county, but that educational experience looks totally different. You don’t want that to be the case, but that’s the reality,” he said.
Only three legislators — state Sen. Bo Watson, Sen.-elect Todd Gardenhire and state Rep. Richard Floyd — attended the PTA forum. They fielded questions about a possible school voucher program and improvements to schools, but said they didn’t have many answers.