Letter to the Editor

The recent school board meeting raises major red flags for our county. As a county commissioner and someone who has been apart of school board and city council meetings, I have never seen any of these bodies of government post 4-5 signs during a public meeting that essentially read if you speak out or cause a disruption we can charge you with a misdemeanor. At the county level and from my involvement with the city council as well, we are always welcome to public opinion and citizen concerns. I feel as a citizen and elected official it is a major concern when you refuse to hear or address the problems of a large group of people. I also find it alarming that you have to submit your request to speak 72 hours prior to school board meetings and even that has to be approved before you can go before the board to express concerns. I do feel this is a complete disconnect between the superintendent/BOE and the parents and teachers of Lewis County. I have also never been a part of a meeting in which so many people have made passionate pleas to a governing body only to be ignored and bypassed. A meeting in which the largest portion of attendees were teachers, parents, former and current students. It appeared that this governing body not only did not want to hear the people of Lewis County but took active measures to limit input. I do not say any of these things lightly as I have individuals on this board that I consider friends and others who I think very highly of. But I also feel that by fundamentally ignoring the concerns and posting hush pamphlets on the entrances to the board room that this group has failed us as a community. I love this county and could never imagine raising my family anywhere else. This sometimes means we have to speak up and bring light to problems in an effort to eventually have better outcomes that are more in line with the values of Lewis County.

- Caleb Feichtinger

Hohenwald, Tennessee