Parents praise marching band, complain about field conduct; others question use of BCE/CE in textbooks

Benton County —Several parents used the board's public comment period to praise the marching band's competitive results and to raise safety and curriculum concerns.

A band parent lauded the band and boosters for extensive work and competition success, saying, "I can't stress enough how exceptional they are under the direction of mister Schulz," and reported safety concerns at a recent McKenzie homecoming where football players returned to the field while the band was still performing, creating risks for students on the field.

Jenny Mansfield, a parent with three children in the band, questioned why sixth-grade social studies uses "BCE/CE" rather than "BC/AD," asking, "Then why is it being taught to our children?" She said community expectations favor the religiously phrased dates. Another commenter, Abigail, urged accuracy in teaching government, saying she was concerned students were being taught that "The United States is a democracy when it is actually a constitutional republic."

Board members and Director Mark Lawrence responded that textbook adoption and approval are handled through the state textbook adoption process and encouraged the public to identify the exact pages for review. Lawrence said the board would take the concerns to the state adoption team and check the materials. "Textbooks are adopted through the state of Tennessee," he said, and the board will follow state procedures for review.

The board did not take formal action on either the band incident or the textbook questions but said staff would check with officials and the state textbook adoption team and report back.