WKRN, Nashville, Tennessee News, Weather, and Sports |School Board members explain vote for rezoning

School Board members explain vote for rezoning

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The second week of testimony in the rezoning lawsuit against Metro schools ended with the plaintiffs still presenting their case.

They claim the student assignment plan for the city's schools approved in 2008, re-segregates the school system.

The lawsuit asks the court to throw out the rezoning plan.

Friday, two School Board members took the stand and explained why they voted in favor of the zoning changes.

Chairman David Fox said one reason he liked it was the extra resources it provided to some schools in the inner city zone of Pearl-Cohn, which includes more teachers to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio, and extended school hours.

The district has repeatedly failed to meet standards set under No Child Left Behind, although it did show improvement in the past year.

Fox says he has been supportive of providing extra resources and "doing something different."

He says if it is effective academically in the Pearl-Cohn schools, it can be taken district-wide.

School Board member Karen Johnson, the only African American board member to vote for the rezoning plan, told the court she did so because she liked the process.

A citizen's task force studied the Metro School zones and developed the rezoning plan.

Johnson said, "I am a very open-minded, inclusive person. I want to see more parents, more people involved in the school system."

The rezoning plan was approved by the Metro School Board in July of 2008. It went into place at the beginning of this school year.

The city has a long list of witnesses to call once attorneys begin presenting their defense.

However, some of those witnesses are the school board members being called to the stand by the plaintiffs.

Board Member Mark North, who chaired the Student Assignment Task Force, spent two days testifying earlier this week.

Previous Stories:

• Nov. 10, 2009: School board member defends rezoning plan
• Nov. 9, 2009: NAACP officials testify in rezoning lawsuit
• Nov. 4, 2009: Experts testify in rezoning lawsuit
• Nov. 3, 2009: Arguments begin in Nashville school rezoning case
• Sept. 23, 2009: Enrollment shows more diversity in Metro schools
• Sept. 16, 2009: Metro zoning legal battle continues
• Sept. 9, 2009: School officials say textbook shortage not unusual
• Sept. 4, 2009: Additional families could be added to lawsuit against Metro schools
• Sept. 1, 2009: Federal judge rules against Metro Schools
• August 31, 2009: Metro Schools sued over rezoning plan
• August 20, 2009: NAACP meets about filing desegregation lawsuit
• August 14, 2009: Wharton Elementary will call Brookmeade home for first year
• July 21, 2009: Crews work to relocate teachers, staff in Metro
• May 21, 2009: 4 Metro schools close for good
• Jan. 26, 2009: Parent upset over rezoning files complaint with Dept. of Education
• Nov. 7, 2008: Rezoning letters sent to Metro parents
• Sept. 24, 2008: Rezoning plan revisited at board meeting
• August 4, 2008: NAACP urges board to reverse rezoning
• July 15, 2008: NAACP speaks out against controversial rezoning plan
• July 15, 2008: School board member criticized for voting to rezone
• July 9, 2008: Metro says they'll help parents understand rezoning
• July 8, 2008: Metro school board approves rezoning, 5 to 4
• July 4, 2008: School rezoning plan heads to Metro School Board