2022: NEW SUPERINTENDENT, NEW MAYOR
One was elected by members of the Hamilton County Board of Education, and the other will be elected in August by the voters of Hamilton County, but it’s hard not to connect the fates of the superintendent of the Hamilton County Schools and the mayor of Hamilton County, who must offer a general budget that will include the budget for those schools.
Justin Robertson, an administrator in the school district for the last 13 years, was named superintendent last week. And, prior to his being elected, we offered advice for the next schools leader, regardless of the choice. You can read our editorial below. Meanwhile, the race for mayor grew to three contenders last week with the candidacy of current commission chairman Sabrena Smedley. Our take on her entrance into the race is also below.
One of the other subjects we explored last week was a bill state Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R-Chattanooga, was to file for the upcoming legislative session on equalizing the pay of county commissioners and school board members. We’re not quite ready to endorse that step, and you can find out why below. Also, check out the weekly Ron Hart musings – albeit a brief one this week (he’s Christmas shopping) – and Bret Stephens’ take on how the 80th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor bombing should remind us of how unready we are as a country to take on the challenges of Russia, China and Iran.
– Clint Cooper, editor, Chattanooga Free Press opinion page, ccooper@timesfreepress.com
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