Letter to the editor

Mari Brooks is former educator and KCS parent. Her children who went to Sequoyah Elementary, Bearden Middle, and West High. She helped found Bearden Middle School Foundation in 1996, worked with West High Foundation from 1999 through 2014, taught German at West High from 2001 through 2017 full time and part time since then, plus subbing at L&N Stem Academy through last school year. She is a proud supporter of public education and submitted the following letter to the editor of the Knoxville News Sentinel:

In a conversation with KCS School Board candidate Will Edwards, he stated to me that he favors the State school voucher program proposal and the creation of more Knox County charter schools "with guardrails for accountability".

Who will Mr. Edwards represent as a school board member? Knox County families who support public schools? Or people who wish to leave them and take tax dollars to private and parochial schools? As a veteran Knox County high school teacher and decades long advocate/fundraiser for excellence in public education here, I believe that Mr. Edwards' ideas will undermine our public schools by draining resources and students from them.

Katherine Bike supports fully funded public schools. She wants parents to be more involved and she wants teachers and staff to be supported "so they can deliver the best outcome for students". Our new superintendent supports innovations. Let's elect school board members who share a vision of excellence for all students. Please vote for District 4 school board candidate Katherine Bike.

Mari K. Brooks