Bill Kilbride, Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, welcomes guests to the 2016 Mayors Business Breakfast at the Chattanooga Trade and Convention Center on Jan. 13, 2016."Why is it called Chattanooga 2.0?" asked Commissioner Joe Graham. "The city of Chattanooga got out of the school business voluntarily many, many years ago and we had no choice whatsoever but to take their schools."
Several commissioners shared Graham's sentiments, saying they support the initiative to improve public education, but find the name troubling because Hamilton County is responsible for the school system.
Bill Kilbride, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce, said he understood their concerns. He promised to share them with other leaders of Chattanooga 2.0, and ask them to consider changing the name.
Commissioners burst out laughing when Kilbride told them the name "was probably not well thought out very late one night."
Chattanooga 2.0 is an initiative to improve public schools here and better prepare the workforce for good jobs arriving in the county. A sobering report about the state of education was released in December, and people across the county are in the midst of a 100-day planning period, brainstorming ideas to help address some of the problems the report detailed.
Commissioner Sabrena Smedley brought the resolution and urged her colleagues to support Chattanooga 2.0, reiterating they were not supporting a tax increase.
Hamilton County Mayor Jim Coppinger also spoke in favor of the initiative.
"I support 2.0, regardless of what it is called," Coppinger said.
He said there are good things taking place in every county school, and that the report pinpoints some things that need to be improved.
"Public education will always be a work in progress," Coppinger added.
After the meeting, Kilbride said he appreciates Coppinger and the commission's support.
As a way of engaging the community in the ongoing work of Chattanooga 2.0, a screening is being held tonight of "Most Likely to Succeed," a new documentary about the innovative, project-based learning approach at a school in San Diego.
The documentary will begin at 6 p.m. at the Camp House, and will be followed by a panel discussion considering what types of educational environments will best equip students here to succeed.
Contact staff writer Kendi Anderson at kendi.anderson@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592. Follow on Twitter @kendi_and.