DKG Newsletter

DKG Sisters,

I recently wrote a letter to Lt. Governor McNally, and I’d like to share it with you because each of us has something at stake in keeping our representatives aware of our witnessing their decision-making. The unmentioned question in this letter is ‘Who are you representing and why?’

• Sunday, January 26, 2025

Lt. Governor McNally,

As a resident of Oak Ridge for some 47 years, I have followed your career and voted for you to represent us as a senator and now in your most recent office. I still believe what Dewey Bilbrey, your ORHS Physics teacher, said about you - that you were bright, understood the scientific theory, and he wished you’d teach your fellow legislators how to think better. You laughed at the time…. I remember Dewey fondly and I miss him.

What brings me to write is your stance on vouchers. I know you support Governor Lee’s bill, but I also know that you have long been keenly supportive of the state’s financial stability. A statewide voucher bill like Lee’s may irreversibly shake that stability. Here are the reasons that reversal may occur:

-The rising cost nationwide of vouchers - The first state to adopt statewide vouchers was Arizona, and now they are facing bankruptcy because of the programs’ increasing expenses. According to the National Education Association, “voucher programs’ skyrocketing costs will divert funding g not only from public schools but also other critical public services.”

-Another concern is the double dipping of parents of a student, one who starts the school year at a public school but then decides to leave for a private school. Since the state will already have paid the public school for his enrollment, will the state be obligated to pay the private school the promised $7,000?

-We should also pay attention to the fact that about 70% of students using vouchers were always planning to attend private schools anyway. Lee’s voucher bill would create an “entitlement program” for more affluent Tennesseans. We already have too much social and economic division in this state.

Please consider these financial concerns by thinking about them like Dewey Bilbrey said you could.

Sincerely,

• Kay Moss, former ORHS Teacher

P.S. Please don’t reply with a form letter!

I may never get a reply. He may never read it.

What concerns me about our elected representatives is that many are ignoring what their constituents care about. Until each realizes that s/he is being monitored and realizes we are witness to what they do in our behalf, nothing will change. That’s what I used to think.

Often now our representatives ARE being held accountable, but it’s by PACs and lobbyists who threaten to bide by their terms or else. Club for Growth is a US Political Organization funded by billionaire whose goals are “to tort reform, school choice, and deregulation." (Wikipedia) Americans for Prosperity’s lobbyist Michael Lotfi “circulated a memo strongly indicating primary threats to lawmakers who don’t support the TN Education Freedom Act.” How can these influencers override us, the constituents? I think we all can answer that question. $$$$

Kay and Melissa

Please join us next Tuesday, February 11th at Robertsville Baptist Church at 4:30 for social gathering and at 5:00 for our presentation by a representative from the OR Police Department - School Resource Officers. Bring your questions about student safety in our school buildings and in the community.

There are so many upcoming events, deadlines and activities. Instead of copying them all here (whew!) let me just put in a link to our TNDKG web site and the latest Leadership Links. You'll find the link to register for the State Convention May 29-31 and other important information about scholarship deadlines and such. I hope several of you will want to attend the conference, especially if you've never been to Sewanee. It's such a beautiful campus!

We can always count on Kris Light to have something interesting to share.

Last week she was a presenter at the 33rd Annual Wildlife Week in Pigeon Forge at the Ramsey Hotel. She gave two presentations - "Jewels from the Sky" about her snowflake photography and "Birds and Bees and Wildflowers" about pollination strategies. She is a wealth of information about so many topics!

Hours of operation at the Oak Ridge History Museum have changed to include Tuesdays from 10:00 until 4:00. Your webmaster and newsletter editor (Nancy Witick) will be at the museum on Saturdays from 10-3 and you can find Karla Mullins there quite often as well.

At our last meeting a proposal to change the amount of dues was discussed. The reasons for the increase were offered and were accepted by the members present. It was put to a vote, and passed to raise annual dues to $90.00 for regular members and $50.00 for Reserve members. Those dues are payable by April or before.

Our presenter was Rose Weaver, Poet Laureate of Oak Ridge. Yes, there was poetry, but the focus of her presentation was her efforts to commemorate the Scarboro 85 and Oak Ridge Schools being the first in the southeast to integrate. She spoke of the challenges students faced as described to her in personal interviews with the former students. Just a few are still living and she hope the new monument to be built in Bissell Park will be in place soon enough for some to see it happen. She shared images of the Scarboro Monument Project and it will certainly be an impressive addition and a wonderful educational exhibit that will inspire current and future generations.

At our next meeting, Lisa Weathers will be talking about the most recent School Board Meetings and Tennessee Legislation with regards to Oak Ridge addressing Vouchers and other issues.

Kay Moss is organizing a group of ladies to go to the following event as well as working towards receiving the Legislative Award. Contact Kay Moss for more information: carolynnemoss@gmail.com

It will be grand if you, your chapter, friends of education, and stakeholders in education, attend in person, Tuesday, FEBRUARY 25 " An Evening with Missy Testerman", the 2024 National Teacher of the Year from Rogersville, TN. She will share her stories of the experience of travels across the nation and the impact educators can have in the classroom and as active participants in the civics of a city, county and state. There will also be a brief time of updates on current legislation in the Legislature presented by a TEA lobbyist. The evening is from 7-9 PM at the Tennessee Education Association building 801 Second Avenue, Nashville 37201-1099. Parking is free. Please come and help us fill the room to celebrate one of our own nationally recognized veteran teachers from Tennessee.

International Women's Day is March 8, 2025! In 1977, the United Nations established International Women's Day to promote eliminating discrimination against women and advancing gender equality globally. Celebrated annually on March 8, IWD honors women’s contributions and highlights the ongoing challenges they face without regard to national, ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic, or political divisions. Have you ever wanted to express gratitude to the women who’ve inspired and guided you? Here’s your chance to honor them meaningfully. The DKG International Educators Foundation (DKGIEF) is offering its second IWD pin fundraising initiative to support our mission of educating the world. The 2025 pin features a red tulip – red symbolizing courage and determination and tulips presented as a symbol of empowerment to women worldwide. The IWD pin campaign will begin on January 15, 2025, and end on March 1, 2025. Please contact Dr. Elaine Vaughan

TN DKG: https://www.tndkg.org

Alpha Epsilon Web Site: https://sites.google.com/site/alphaepsilonoakridge/home

Submit Member News to Nancy Witick: nwitick@gmail.com