In any election, public education is going to be the most important issue for me and my family. I have two children in public schools, and Karl Dean’s record as mayor of Nashville was stellar. He increased funding for public education by 37 percent. Teachers’ salaries went up. Test scores went up. Graduation rates went up. Dropout rates went down. Dean will always protect public education when economic times are bad, and invest in it when times are good.
Bill Lee believes in vouchers for private schools, which will gut public education, especially in urban areas.
In this day and age, the safety of our children is tantamount. Karl Dean takes a common sense approach to school safety and gun control. Unlike Bill Lee, he agrees with Republican Governor Bill Haslam and most Americans. He does not want to arm teachers, but rather favors increasing the number of SROs and common sense gun laws, but opposes permitless carry.
Tennessee does not want an extremist. They want common sense and pragmatism. They want and need Karl Dean.
Seth A. Weitz