presstalk 671-TALK (8255) or editor@farragutpress.com
• I cannot find any place to recycle newspapers in the Town of Farragut. Does anyone know of a place that’s not too far away where we can recycle our newspapers? It’s usually one of those large, green dumpsters.
• Is the only thing we care about testing? It’s a seemingly “cold” and un-heartfelt thing to do when teachers cannot even be appreciated on the appointed week — but it is put off because of testing. Who made that decision, and was it another one with input from everyone? Some of the parents who brought gifts that designated week, were they confused? Or maybe they just agree the emphasis on testing has gotten to be more than ridiculous.
Next are we going to put off and delay something like eating or even Easter or Christmas and other warm, necessary or even humanly caring days because of testing? Not only the schools and districts, but the state needs to look at this kind of mentality (or lack of it), too. Teachers are true heroes and work so very hard, and in this pandemic year we delayed and put off celebrating them. Oh yes, we can say in our minds we celebrated them every day. Get real — to put off celebrating teachers was just wrong in my opinion, and in the opinion of some others, and it definitely demonstrates more of the “off-base” thinking regarding the over -importance of testing and data. Students and teachers have value beyond a test score, and the testing data is not the only way to value or show the worth of students and teachers.
• The Presstalk comment on May 20 about the Board of Mayor and Aldermen (Vice Mayor) Louise Povlin and (Mayor) Ron Williams devaluing (former Farragut Mayor) Eddy Ford’s property after he served eight years as vice mayor and 16 years as mayor, was an excellent point. You would have thought the Town would have had more respect for the private property rights of a man — and his wife, Linda — who diligently served for over 24 years as an official of the Town, and was a graduate of Farragut High School. I think he was valedictorian of his class.
• Kudos to (state) Rep. Justin Laferty (R-District 89, which includes Hardin Valley) for his articulate floor speech in support of (state Rep.) John Ragan’s (R-Oak Ridge) “block (Critical Race Theory) legislation. Also note that Jason Zachary, our (District 14 state) representative, was on board with CRT blockage as a co-sponsor for House Bill 580. Again, thank you to Reps. Reagan, Lafferty and Zachary. West Knox area was well represented.
