Tim Boyd
County Commissioner Tim Boyd on Wednesday charged that UnifiEd "is using students in the Department of Ed as a crutch for their political agenda."
He also said the group's APEX Project is "the most far left, liberal document I have ever read. It does not represent the values of Hamilton County and I am insulted and disrespected by it."
Commissioner Boyd said, "This is not an organization pushing for better education in Hamilton County. It is pushing to change our way of life and the way we continue to do good things in this community."
Commissioner Boyd, at a commission meeting, said the report does not recommend but "demands things" and "54 times tells elected officials, community leaders and people on this dais that we must comply with this document."
He said, "I'm offended by it. I don't endorse it. I don't think the people of this community endorse it."
Commissioner Boyd said the report praises some New York City officials for coming to Chattanooga and helping facilitate the study process. He said, "There's not a whole lot from New York City that I want to bring to Chattanooga. New York City has one of the nation's worst school systems."
He said the program "promotes community schools, but at the same time it proposes programs that would defeat and destroy community schools."
The commissioner said a survey mentioned in the report had 30 percent of the respondents who were under age 18 and 40 percent with high school degrees or less.
He said, "I certainly don't agree with UnifiEd's hateful remarks they have aimed at Rhonda Thurman and Joe Smith. Joe Smith is one of the kindest, most respected people in this county. His taking in 19 foster children, I can't even fathom that."
Commissioner Boyd said, "The UnifiEd PAC spent $14,700 to try to defeat me, but the people in District 8 were not fooled by UnifiEd. We beat their candidate 2-1."