Hamilton County School Board Dist. 8
Term: 4 yearsThe school board develops school policies and adopts a budget for school buildings, staff, materials, and equipment. It evaluates the effectiveness of school policies and develops goals for educational improvement in alignment with the TN Board of Education. It keeps citizens informed about the schools and keeps the schools informed about the needs and wishes of the public. It works to pass laws advancing the cause of improving education, and to repeal or modify existing laws and defeat proposed laws impeding that cause. Members should understand relevant laws and regulations and vote and act impartially for the good of the school system.
Click a candidate icon to find more information about the candidate. To compare two candidates, click the "compare" button. To start over, click a candidate icon.
-
Betty J. Duggan
(Dem)
-
Katie Perkins
(Dem)
How long have you lived in Hamilton County?
What is the greatest challenge you anticipate facing if you are elected?
What characteristics do you possess and/or what life experiences have you had that make you believe that you are the most qualified person for this office?
26+ years. My first 21 years were spent mostly in East Brainerd and Apison, with strong connections to Brainerd Hills (now in District 8), where our family business was for 50+ years. In my 30s, I worked from UTC for 3 years, serving 19 East Tennessee counties as the Tennessee Humanities Council's Tennessee Community Heritage Scholar-in-Residence. I moved back to the Chattanooga area 10 years ago to be near family and have lived in the Concord community for the past 2 years (in District 8).
I believe the greatest challenge we currently face in Hamilton County is keeping focus and control of our public schools local. We cannot be unduly influenced by national politics or passing educational trends. We--parents, teachers, School Board, HCDE, and our physical, social, and business communities--must work collaboratively and creatively and be informed by best research and practices to create the best public schools and learning atmospheres for every child in Hamilton County and for our collective futures. This will include thinking broadly and comparatively to find proven ways to improve and fully fund our local educational system every year.
As a lifelong educator, I bring extensive teaching, course creation, project administrative, community-partnered research, student mentoring, volunteer and personal skills and commitment to this position of public trust. For the last five years, I have taught reading in three Hamilton County schools (including East Ridge Elementary, District 8), a public charter school and in a grant-funded, YMCA after-school enrichment program, and have substituted in 12 more schools, including all four in District 8. I am a cultural and applied anthropologist, retired university professor and research museum curator. Over decades of funded anthropological practice, I collaborated extensively with Appalachian (including in Chattanooga and East and Middle Tennessee), Native American, African American and Hispanic communities. As a classroom teacher and community and church volunteer, I taught Spanish to English- speaking students and English to Spanish-speaking and Maya-dialect students and laborers.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
Candidate has not yet responded.
To make a selection for a candidate you must first find your races. Would you like to find your races now?
You have already selected the maximum number of candidates for this race.
You must uncheck an existing selection before making another selection.