[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6373013,"mediaKeyId","2146507-6e45960e3ad5c3cb4119cc7ebea9c8fa","parentId",2146507,"title","Rutherford County board approves midyear budget changes, gym repairs and personnel actions; adopts resolution urging federal action on borders and Title III","audioSeconds",391,"startMs",3761000,"endMs",4152000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2146507-6e45960e3ad5c3cb4119cc7ebea9c8fa&start=3761&end=4152","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2146507-6e45960e3ad5c3cb4119cc7ebea9c8fa/thumbnail_3761000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6373013/Tennessee/Rutherford-County-board-approves-midyear-budget-changes-gym-repairs-and-personnel-actions-adopts-resolution-urging-federal-action-on-borders-and-Title-III","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373013-e0f665402b7258d48bba5071fc41753e/orig.mp4?Expires=1775355001&Signature=mFZa2RnOfeZmU~RH8YT3307-o61EcBexGiCm0nphejC-RpEMDA78T2YrUBfvgsBa2RqmuNDs0whUSfPrxBNK0X3-R7uBxpXGr0MFz4Y7SBpmOGc~jBUOfLaOEpCdHrlU-4g13yWwntVEe13FOI~rrZqf5a9A~KhqIosdy5e-qNUWI95oePxJ-c035MuOWHAxp9A9D1nM0iTNu~~w7grsZ7aEfRsJwgdd0hxztBW5lfSnNarZMOsUtsRUYSuh~hxt~pPUAu~VYwd9eIloBkMVlYDYTgLo4iyqdrLDlRpziEPytGrVrcl9-AnIZG7pZIBjuYYzDK8~8kVX9rSPax-~pg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Rutherford County Schools","date","2025-01-23T20:41:07Z","article","The Rutherford County School Board on Jan. 23 approved midyear budget adjustments, funded an auxiliary gym floor replacement at Stewarts Creek High and confirmed personnel and policy items, while adopting a resolution urging state and federal officials to push for faster border closures and additional Title III funding for English‑learner services.

The board moved several finance and personnel measures by voice and roll‑call votes, and approved a resolution — introduced by board member Miss Rosales — that asks Tennessee’s state delegation and governor to press the federal government both to expedite border closures and to increase Title III funding for English‑learner (ESL) services the federal government requires.

Why it matters

Board approvals affect near‑term repair and operating budgets and set administrative permissions that will shape services for students this school year. The fund transfers and project approvals authorize staff to begin or complete repairs and allocate existing grant and fund balances to cover replacement costs.

Key financial and project votes

- Fund 141 amendment (midyear cleanup): The board approved a budget amendment that increases both current‑year revenue and expenditures by $1,370,000 to reflect state grant allocations and to clean up midyear expenditure lines (security, maintenance, instructional supplies, transportation equipment and others). Motion approved by voice vote.

- Fund 177 amendment (capital/fund balance movement): The board approved moving $200,000 from Fund 177 committed capital projects into account 91300‑335 (maintenance and repair services — buildings) to pay for the Stewarts Creek High (SCHS) auxiliary gym floor replacement after a water‑main failure. That transfer passed on a voice vote.

- SCHS auxiliary gym floor replacement: Engineering and construction staff told the board the gym floor could not be repaired after October 19, 2024 plumbing failure; the board approved using $200,000 from Fund 177 fund balance to replace the floor. The board noted the district’s insurance deductible for such a claim is $250,000, making the $200,000 replacement more economical than filing an insurance claim. Motion approved by voice vote.

- Locker replacement at Whitworth Buchanan (materials only, labor donated): Principal request for $2,800 in materials to replace basketball lockers was approved at no cost to the board; engineering reviewed and raised no objection.

Personnel and policy approvals

- Strategic plan: The board approved the Rutherford County Schools strategic plan for 2025–2030 by voice vote.

- JROTC job descriptions: Two new job descriptions — Junior ROTC senior army instructor and army instructor — were approved and will be added to the district’s human‑resources classifications.

- Tenure recommendations: The board approved tenure awards for teachers who met the statutory criteria (valid Tennessee license, minimum service and required performance evaluations). The motion was approved by voice vote; the board noted that teachers who hold leadership roles retain tenure in their classroom roles, not administrative positions.

- Transfer student discipline decisions: Under policy 6.318, the board considered requests to admit students transferring from other districts while under discipline. In two separate cases — one involving an assault allegation and another involving a student expelled for bringing/using a taser — the director of schools recommended denial and the board approved denials by motion and vote.

Resolution on borders and Title III funding

The board passed a resolution, proposed and moved by Miss Rosales, asking the district’s state delegation and governor to advocate to federal authorities for expedited border closures and for additional Title III funds so Rutherford County can meet federal requirements for ESL services. The resolution passed on roll‑call vote (yes: Miss Darby, Miss Rosales, Mr. Vaughn, Mr. Tidwell, Miss Maxwell; no: Miss Sharp; members absent: Mr. Vaught and Mr. Stanvault). The transcript records the board’s action as a formal resolution to be communicated to legislators and the governor.

Other business and finance context

Board members reviewed the district’s midyear financials in detail. District staff said the school year was roughly 56% complete for budget timing; some accounts show higher percentages because payments are made upfront (for example, insurance and some contracted services). Staff highlighted several line items that will be adjusted in the end‑of‑year cleanup, including contract payments for private agencies and maintenance accounts.

Public comment and contractor concerns

Public commenters included several bus contractors who told the board they were seeking significant contract increases because operating costs have risen sharply in recent years. Those comments were recorded during public comment but no immediate motion to change bus contracts was brought before the board at the Jan. 23 meeting.

Ending

Board members directed staff to implement the approved budget transfers and the SCHS gym replacement and asked that formal policy language and follow‑up materials (for tenure and JROTC job descriptions) be placed on upcoming agendas. The board clerk will send the approved resolution on border policy and Title III funding to the governor’s office and the district’s legislative delegation as requested.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting - January 23, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The Rutherford County School Board on Jan. 23 approved midyear budget adjustments, authorized a $200,000 floor replacement at Stewarts Creek High and confirmed personnel and policy items, and — separately — adopted a resolution urging state and federal officials to press for faster border closures and increased Title III funding for ESL services.","taxTitle","Rutherford County, School Districts, Tennessee","taxId",13507,"location","Tennessee","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6373018,"Rutherford County board removes nine library titles, adopts parental opt‑in and shelving changes",284,4314000,4598000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2146507-6e45960e3ad5c3cb4119cc7ebea9c8fa&start=4314&end=4598","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2146507-6e45960e3ad5c3cb4119cc7ebea9c8fa/thumbnail_4314000.jpg","/articles/6373018/Tennessee/Rutherford-County-board-removes-nine-library-titles-adopts-parental-optin-and-shelving-changes","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6373018-32fe78ed279b8ba3b9703f33f69d450b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775355001&Signature=ON0D5DvdMalMkiSjGrda-akvKVza9MHbgGC7hPaz-n76yf77FrI0WSZPQLnqdqK0i~CseqP6eQeosw8I~65ect7I3zi7suIdFTNvb37MGVsmWKXuz36ekUPaq-ruZ~iBZ4P8aIOcNWUAB6cZKxXccfDrpR7zmvJJ0fFfKFwuXAS-IpM0WDcGTBKaMScKpelRdIM4f4-aUrPhw7tIwK2rgmlcpivvYrACPRqeA2gpPQ-v4XzecB1S2Vpj-PE3aboy-FaoyD-NReAssBd~qI-BtjYbqngXfpZshik1-oxKZQh8T36qiLsASL3fi15CDh7W7Q1Neu1qge2HYWtQmEPISw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Rutherford County School Board on Jan. 23 voted to remove several contested books from school collections, approved a parental opt‑in requirement for a small set of retained titles, and directed that opt‑in books be removed from open shelving and held in the library catalog pending parental consent.

The actions came after roughly an hour of public comment from students, parents and community members and multiple roll‑call votes by the board. Supporters asked the board to keep books they said help young readers confronted with trauma or identity questions; opponents urged removal on the basis of state law restricting sexually explicit material in schools.

Board members and staff framed the votes as a balance between legal compliance, parental involvement and librarians’ professional judgment. The board approved a district procedure that requires parental consent before a student may check out any book designated as opt‑in; the board also directed librarians to move opt‑in titles off open shelves and keep them in the catalog so they can be checked out only after written or phone consent.

Public comment and concerns

Public speakers described the issue as sharply consequential for students. Hannah Stromgren, identifying herself as a Rutherford County graduate and pediatric critical‑care worker, said books offer comfort to children who lack other supports and urged the board not to remove titles that can help vulnerable youth. Ellen Myrick and Elizabeth Shepherd, both speakers with public‑library and school‑library backgrounds, argued that titles such as Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson help young readers recognize and survive abuse and urged the board to preserve access for students who need them.

Opponents including Brian Shuster and Jeffrey Linseck urged the board to apply Tennessee law on explicit content strictly and to remove any titles that meet the statute’s definitions. Several speakers called on the board to audit the entire collection against the state standard rather than adjudicating titles one by one.

What the board voted

The board took a sequence of roll‑call votes on individual titles and policy changes. Key outcomes recorded in the meeting transcript:
- Motion to remove Forever by Judy Blume — passed (yes: Miss Darby, Miss Rosales, Mr. Vaughn, Mr. Tidwell, Miss Sharp, Miss Maxwell).
- Motion to remove Glass by Ellen Hopkins — passed (yes: Miss Rosales, Mr. Vaughn, Mr. Tidwell, Miss Sharp, Miss Darby; no: Miss Maxwell).
- Motion to remove Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson — passed (yes: Miss Rosales, Mr. Vaughn, Mr. Tidwell, Miss Sharp, Miss Darby; no: Miss Maxwell).
- Motion to remove Ready Player One — passed (yes: Miss Rosales, Mr. Vaughn, Mr. Tidwell, Miss Sharp, Miss Darby; no: Miss Maxwell).
- Motion to retain Smoke by Ellen Hopkins for high school only with parental opt‑in (11th–12th) — passed (yes: Miss Rosales, Mr. Tidwell, Miss Sharp, Miss Maxwell; no: Mr. Vaughn, Miss Darby).
- Motion to retain Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson for 11th–12th grade with parental opt‑in — passed on a subsequent roll call after an earlier tied vote (final yes: Miss Rosales, Mr. Vaughn, Mr. Tidwell, Miss Darby, Miss Maxwell; motion passed).
- Motion to remove The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis — passed (majority yes; Miss Maxwell voted no).
- Motion to remove The Kite Runner (graphic novel) — passed (majority yes).
- Motion to remove 13 Reasons Why — passed (majority yes; Miss Maxwell voted no).

In addition to the title‑by‑title decisions, the board adopted a procedural motion that opt‑in titles are to be removed from open shelving and remain discoverable in the catalog; students may access those titles only after explicit parental consent by phone or written confirmation. That policy motion passed on a roll call vote.

Board members’ remarks and rationale

Board members repeatedly referenced Tennessee law when explaining their votes. Miss Rosales, who brought the set of challenged titles forward for review, said the process was intended to follow district policy and state standards while seeking a workable middle ground. Miss Maxwell and others highlighted mental‑health concerns and said some titles could be valuable teaching tools for older students if access is restricted to 11th‑ and 12th‑grade students with parental approval.

Miss Darby and other board members said the district will test a Skyward integration that can notify parents automatically when a student checks out a book; the board also directed staff to return policy recommendations at a future meeting to standardize parental‑consent workflows and vendor options that would allow parents to preselect restricted titles.

What the decisions mean now

Books removed by the board will be pulled from school collections. Books retained under the opt‑in designation will remain in school catalogs but not on open shelves; librarians will require parent consent before checkout. The board asked staff to draft formal policy language reflecting the votes and to present options for parent notification (email, phone confirmation or a third‑party vendor that allows parent controls).

Votes at a glance

- Opt‑in shelving policy: approved (move opt‑in titles from open shelves into catalog; require parental consent for checkout).
- Retained with opt‑in (11th–12th): Speak (Laurie Halse Anderson), Smoke (Ellen Hopkins — high school, opt‑in).
- Removed from school collections: Forever (Judy Blume); Glass (Ellen Hopkins); Grown (Tiffany D. Jackson); Ready Player One (Ernest Cline); The Female of the Species (Mindy McGinnis); The Kite Runner (graphic novel); 13 Reasons Why.

Ending

Board members asked librarians and district technology staff to return a policy proposal that sets the mechanics for parental consent and notification and to explore vendor integration options to let parents manage access. The board’s votes make clear that Rutherford County intends to couple parental control measures with limited retention of some titles for older students rather than an across‑the‑board preservation or removal.

","After hours of public comment, the Rutherford County School Board voted to remove multiple titles from school collections, keep a small number for high‑school students under parental opt‑in, and adopt a procedure to pull opt‑in titles from open shelves into the library catalog.","actionData","errors"]

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Rutherford County board approves midyear budget changes, gym repairs and personnel actions; adopts resolution urging federal action on borders and Title III

Rutherford County board removes nine library titles, adopts parental opt‑in and shelving changes