In Response

Below is a copy of a letter I sent to Loudon County school board members, commissioners and others. I'm really fed up with hearing that Loudon County doesn't support education.

To whomever cares,

This letter is in response to the News Herald article in the May 26-27 issue included below.

I have read and reread the article several times and if the report is accurate I'm just about as mad as I've ever been. Two quotes stand out in particular.

Quote #1

At present, education is a low priority in Loudon County, according to Honeycutt.

How could anyone make such an outlandish statement, that education is a low priority in Loudon County. The Loudon County education system is sucking the financial life out of Loudon County tax payers and has been doing so for a very long time.

Currently the school system takes 65% of all county property taxes while the rest of the county operations must get by on the leftover 35%. But I guess if it were up to our administrators they would take it all. The Loudon County School system has become a bottomless money pit. Any financial challenges whether real or perceived are not due to a lack of money but from horrendous mismanagement of the millions of tax payer dollars wasted by the school system.

If anyone has a low priority for education in Loudon County it's the current and past boards and administrations who have literally thrown away millions upon millions of dollars and continue to do so. To insinuate county commissioners and/or the tax payers have a low priority for education is just wrong.

And to Dr. professor Ubben, the reason Loudon County voters/tax payers overwhelming voted down the wheel tax and a sales tax increase is because they are a lot smarter than you and your kind think they are. They have seen just how irresponsible the school board has been with their hard earned tax dollars and refuse to willingly hand over any more and who can blame them.

Quote #2

Honeycutt said the school district continues to struggle to prevent drop-outs, but the county statistics paint a different picture, because the numbers are for education levels and economic conditions are skewed by the Village.

Honeycutt explained, "Many retirees are well-educated - it looks like there's a higher education level than represented by homes the children come from.

If correct, the above statement is even more egregious than the first. If the implication is what it seems, every Loudon County parent with a child in the school system should be outraged. The suggestion that people in one part of the county are better educated or smarter than people from other areas of the county is beyond the pale and a slap to the face of every Loudon County resident. Then to try to blame the schools financial issues on less than educated parents, there are no words.

And finally, I've had it right up to my eyeballs with these prissy little social organizations who hold their tea's and brunches, clap their hands, stomp their feet and try to point out what the issues are. Mostly you have no idea what you're talking about. You have speakers who come in and spout out incorrect and false facts and figures and you take it as gospel never checking for the truth or as Rush Limbaugh says, you just drink the Kool-Aid.

The Loudon County school system will never improve till the day we have a majority of board members, administrators and educators who are willing to put their own self centered, self serving agendas aside and take the education of our children seriously.

If you really want the facts, just let me know.

Thank You

Van Shaver
Loudon County Board Of Education

Loudon County Schools in danger of losing state funding

Author: Vicky Newman News Herald

Wayne Honeycutt, Loudon County director of schools, said some state funding cutbacks may be coming this fiscal year.

Honeycutt delivered the news at the meeting of the P-16 Council, a group of Loudon County citizens who are working to develop goals and objectives to improve education and thereby strengthen the local economy. The council seeks to make education the top priority in Loudon County, and support education from preschool through four years of college (P-16).

At present, education is a low priority in Loudon County, according to Honeycutt.

Loudon County ranks in the top 10-15 percent of Tennessee counties in terms of ability to pay for education funding, but in terms of per-pupil expenditures, Loudon County is ranked 85th, Honeycutt said. "That's considerably below the state average," he said.

Honeycutt explained, "Many retirees are well-educated - it looks like there's a higher education level than represented by homes the children come from. The state looks at it like we are able to pay. The powers that be don't see Loudon County as needing additional help. They look at us as able to pay; say you should have money to support education. ... Next year, they may be dropping our BEP (Basic Education Plan) funding by $9,800."

Dr. Margaret O'Donnell, a Village resident who is facilitating the P-16 Council meetings, said the information shared is invaluable to the P-16 Council's planning efforts. O'Donnell was instrumental in the P-16 Council established in Hamblin County in 2003. "This is the kind of discussion we need," said O'Donnell. "Now, how do we get the information out to the people?"

Locally, the P-16 Council was initiated by Leadership Loudon County Alumni Association. Education and awareness are key elements to the educational priority initiative. According to discussions at Friday's council meeting, about $7.5 million in funding would be needed to get Loudon County up to the state average in per pupil expenditure. Raising that kind of money would require either a property tax increase or sales tax increase, or a large amount of growth in population or sales.

O'Donnell noted that low property taxes is a drawing card for the county. Gary Ubben, Loudon County School Board vice chairman, added that tax initiatives traditionally do not go over well. "Over the last four years, the Loudon County Commission has floated two voter referendums - one for a sales tax and one for a wheel tax - and neither received support from the community," he said.

Growth requires economic development and economic development hinges on a qualified workforce, said O'Donnell. "It's that chicken-and-egg thing," she said. "You need both."

Although about 60 community members attended a Feb. 11 stakeholder's forum, at First Baptist Church in Lenoir City, the organizers have not yet found a good time to schedule meetings. About a dozen people attended the noon meeting Friday, May 21. An April meeting, held after work hours did not work well for many original attendees either. The next meeting will be at 8 a.m. June 16 at First Baptist Church Lenoir City.

Anyone interested in education or community is welcome to attend.

O'Donnell said, "Education is important because it impacts the economy and development of the whole county. If you can continue to bring in new business, shops and economic activity, you can increase the tax base. We're trying to move toward that."

The $500 million Race to the Top federal funding came to the state of Tennessee in part because of collaborative efforts at the local level, such as the statewide P-16 initiative, O'Donnell said. "Tennessee has demonstrated to people that they can work together ... We want to be behind education."