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Overton County board grants tenure to multiple teachers; district union offers warning on proposed vouchers
Summary
The board granted tenure to teachers from Livingston Academy, Rickman and several elementary schools and held a recognition ceremony; a representative from the Overton County Education Association urged the board to oppose a state voucher proposal during public comment.
The Overton County Board of Education approved tenure for multiple district teachers and recognized them during the Dec. 10 meeting.
Board members voted to grant tenure to educators recommended by their principals and district staff. Tenure approvals cited recommendations for teachers at Livingston Academy, Livingston Middle School, Rickman Elementary, Wilson Elementary, Allens Elementary, Hillham Elementary and countywide positions. Names listed in the board’s motion and public acknowledgments included Natasha Collins, Linda Lemuris, Megan Kessel, Carol Sampling, Rebecca Hooks, Laura Baker, Lisa Gavin, Isaiah Walker, K. Stout, Melissa Cumby and others submitted by principals; the meeting transcript contains the full set of names presented by school administrators.
The board chair and members offered public congratulations to the newly tenured teachers. On behalf of the board, a member said, “I want to say congratulations to everybody for being here tonight.” The Overton County Education Association also addressed the board during the recognition portion.
Jennifer Highlander, speaking for OCEA, congratulated the teachers and then urged the audience and board to oppose a state voucher bill. Highlander said the governor is “very much pushing a voucher bill” and warned that the proposal would hurt rural districts by diverting public funding away from public schools. Highlander told the board that removing funds from public education “hurts us just as bad as it hurts anybody else.”
No formal board action on vouchers occurred at the meeting; Highlander’s remarks were part of public comment and a special recognition segment.
The board did not state implementation steps tied to the tenure approvals beyond the ceremonial recognition; staff said the board would provide formal documentation to those granted tenure.
