League of Women Voters of Knoxville/Knox County

League of Women Voters of Knoxville/Knox County This is a non-partisan space. LWVKKC reserves the right to delete any posts endorsing or attacking political candidates and/or parties.

The League of Women Voters has two separate and distinct roles.

>Voters Service/Citizen Education: we present unbiased nonpartisan information about elections, the voting process, and issues.

>Action/Advocacy: we are also nonpartisan, but, after study, we use our positions to advocate for or against particular policies in the public interest.

Today, our wonderful leadership team met to reflect on our year of accomplishments and discuss goals for the future.
08/16/2026

Today, our wonderful leadership team met to reflect on our year of accomplishments and discuss goals for the future.

Great conversations, community & connection at our member social tonight. As a volunteer-led organization, everything we...
08/13/2026

Great conversations, community & connection at our member social tonight. As a volunteer-led organization, everything we do and achieve is thanks to our amazing members and volunteers. Already looking forward to the next one!

Congratulations to all of the State and Federal Primary Election winners!
08/08/2026

Congratulations to all of the State and Federal Primary Election winners!

Congratulations to all of our local election winners!
08/07/2026

Congratulations to all of our local election winners!

The August 6th election is here! If you want a say in where you live, work, and play, for the next several years, go vot...
08/05/2026

The August 6th election is here! If you want a say in where you live, work, and play, for the next several years, go vote! This election determines the future of Knox County, so make your voice heard! Your vote counts!

Reach out to three friends to remind them to vote, and ask them to do the same.

Highlights:Kori Lautner, Asst. Superintendent of Strategy, and Dr. Brad Carr, Director of Inclusive Services and Support...
08/05/2026

Highlights:

Kori Lautner, Asst. Superintendent of Strategy, and Dr. Brad Carr, Director of Inclusive Services and Supports, presented the long-awaited KCS Special Ed study results, five-year vision, and action plan. Data showed a sharp,15% proportional increase; from 2021–26 KCS added 1,383 students with IEPs while overall enrollment declined by 1,159. More students with IEPs are now spending over 80% of their day in general education classrooms, reflecting progress toward the Least Restrictive Environment. While achievement has improved, students with IEPs still lag behind their peers. Action items include increasing collaboration among educators to better support students in inclusive settings. Final plan will be presented to the SPED Council, principals, and the BOE in September.

3 policies governing library and instructional materials were amended to create a more formal, transparent review process under the Age-Appropriate Materials Act. Changes to Policy I-212 include an expanded district review committee, a required challenge form, and a one-time review of all currently removed materials. Two review options were approved: Option 1 is a student-specific resolution, allowing parent concerns to be resolved locally with school staff. Option 2 requires a formal challenge/submission and district committee review. If no prohibited content is found, and no action taken, the title remains on shelves. If the committee finds the material violates AAMA, removal is scheduled and reported to the board. The board may review and vote on the title; otherwise, it will be removed. Formal reviews must be completed within 60 days to comply with state law.

Asst. Superintendent of Business & Talent Ms. Hemmelgarn presented a Certified Retirement Incentive Plan providing eligible staff a $470.80 direct payment to retire, intended for medical insurance costs, with no spending requirement. With slowing revenue growth, rising fixed costs, and declining enrollment, the plan aims to provide budget flexibility. 741 employees are currently eligible, and 12% participation is projected to generate approximately $8M in savings.

full report: https://www.lwvknoxville.org/observer_corps

Did you miss the 7/27 County Commission meeting? The LWVKKC Observer Corps was there to observe, take notes, and report....
07/29/2026

Did you miss the 7/27 County Commission meeting? The LWVKKC Observer Corps was there to observe, take notes, and report. Check out the top observations:

1. Commissioner Thompson made a motion to add an emergency ordinance to the agenda with the purpose of “establishing limitations on the deployment of surveillance technology within Knox County while preserving legitimate law enforcement and emergency response capabilities.” Since the vote was not unanimous, the emergency motion failed; however, resolution R-26-7-905, which expresses the Commission’s request for transparency, accountability, and informed legislative oversight regarding the implementation of significant new surveillance technology, passed 11-0. There will be publicly held workshops scheduled with Commission and KCSO to review the list of topics included in the resolution.

2. After a vote by Commission in June 2026 to divert $4M to cover raises for government employees, which was originally allocated to Knox County Schools, generated a public outcry, Commissioner Jackson proposed Ordinance O-26-7-103, which would require the budget to be adopted in two readings, at least seven days apart, to provide ample opportunity for the citizens to provide feedback before the budget is adopted. The ordinance passed on first reading 10-0 with Commissioner Russell abstaining, and it will need to pass a second reading in August.

3. Ordinance O-26-7-102 cited as the “Knox County Homes not Hedge Funds Ordinance” prohibits housing market manipulation by large institutional investors and restricts the purchase of more than 100 single-family homes for rental purposes by certain business entities. Although the request by several Commissioners to remove some or all exceptions included in the ordinance was declined by Commissioner Rawls, it passed with a vote of 9-2. It will be required to pass a second reading in August.

Check out the full report at our website:
https://www.lwvknoxville.org/observer_corps

Looking for ways to get involved in your community? Love volunteering?📒✍🙋Join us for Observer Corps at the 7/27 County C...
07/26/2026

Looking for ways to get involved in your community? Love volunteering?📒✍🙋
Join us for Observer Corps at the 7/27 County Commission meeting! Please email Tanya Phillips ([email protected]) if you can attend.

Highlights:Proposed changes to I-212 would formalize the AAMA prohibited content review process. If concerns can’t be r...
07/25/2026

Highlights:

Proposed changes to I-212 would formalize the AAMA prohibited content review process. If concerns can’t be resolved at the local level, a title will go to a district committee.Starting with a yet-to-be-made form, the name of the individual, and the concerning passage(s). The committee would meet bi-monthly, per the state's 60-day review requirement, and determine whether a title meets the 7 AAMA criteria. If not, it remains on the shelf, if it does, it’s pulled. Board members wishing to elevate must announce it at least 10 days to put it on the agenda, or the flagged title will be removed. The committee would serve as the final step in the proposed appeals process. Proposed sunset clause will take effect in the summer of 27, allowing the current 123 books to be reevaluated under the new process.

Board members discussed the proposed district committee's composition, raising concerns about representation. Ms Templeton questioned a potential lack of a required qualified librarian and adequate representation across the county/various groups (educators, students, parents, KCS board.) The committee will combine volunteers from various groups who may be appointed by KCSBOE. Ms Lautner said 5 reps from each district would suffice, any more being too large, impacting consensus.Reps would have to be trained in state law and applicable criteria for AAMA. Mr Triplett questioned term length and limits; 2 years max limits, while some of the initial group will peel off after 1 year so that 2-year limits are staggered to maintain continuity and semblance of institutional knowledge.

Internet safety/device usage policy change for K-5. Social media access controls used across all grades. Use of some websites (like youtube) continue with strict “instructional usage only”. Comment sections and rolling videos are disabled. 1-to-1 devices continue in primary grades, allowing efficiency of use for login and minimizing screen time. Notably, these students use touchscreen or mousepads and not keystrokes. Ms Morgan urged reporting screen usage on a routine basis. Supe Rysewky and Dr Adams say KCS does not have the staff, bandwidth, or budget to assess software for this.

Need a ride to the polls? Call Knoxville NAACP. 👏🏽👏🏼👏🏽👏🏼
07/24/2026

Need a ride to the polls? Call Knoxville NAACP. 👏🏽👏🏼👏🏽👏🏼

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P. O. Box 31825
Knoxville, TN
37930

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