The Johnson County School Board voted unanimously to accept a petition from the Johnson County Education Association (JCEA) asking the district to begin the state process for collaborative conferencing, often called PECA, after the association presented a petition signed by 114 county educators.

The petition "will help us assist in the establishment of maintenance of an educational climate and working environment that will attract and retain a highly qualified professional staff," Casey Southerland, president of the Johnson County Education Association, told the board before submitting the signatures.

Under Tennessee law explained during the meeting, once a petition is submitted the board must appoint an equal number of board members and professional employees to a special-question committee to set the terms for a confidential poll of eligible professional employees. Southerland asked that the board appoint her and two other educators—Michael Eggers and Kayla Hensley—to that committee if the board agreed.

Board members moved and seconded a motion to accept the petition; the roll call returned unanimous approval (Miss Brown: yes; Mister Graeber: yes; Mister Robinson: yes; Mister Long: yes). Board discussion noted that representatives must be selected by Dec. 1 and that the committee will meet and then send a confidential survey to certified employees; the survey and any follow-up must be complete prior to Jan. 1.

The action taken at the meeting accepts the petition and starts the procedural steps called for by the statute; the board did not at the meeting announce final committee appointments beyond the petitioners’ request. Further committee scheduling and the confidential poll remain to be completed as required by law.