Today, the Republican supermajority in the Tennessee legislature rammed through a disastrous school voucher scheme that will funnel taxpayer dollars away from public schools and into the pockets of unaccountable, out-of-state private interests. The Washington County Democratic Party (WCDP) strongly condemns this attack on our students, our teachers, and our communities, especially since Tennessee families, ... Read more
There are two issues I hear frequently from Republican voters in Tennessee as to why they vote for Republican candidates: guns and abortion. You see, I’m intimately familiar with the narrative: “Democrats only want to take away my guns and kill babies.” Propaganda works. First of all, plenty of Democrats own guns. They enjoy hunting, ... Read more
I like to fall asleep with the television on Nick at Nite. This morning I woke up to a commercial for Tennessee Connections Academy. Connections Academy runs online K-12 “public” schools in all 50 states. At least that’s how it was advertised. Here’s their website for Connections Academy. And here is the website for Tennessee ... Read more
American democracy is dependent on free and equally accessible quality public education. Without that, the bedrock of what we hold dear would deteriorate. The founding principle of everyone is equal with equal opportunities, a principle we currently aspire to achieve, is only possible by fully funding public education. The first American public school opened in ... Read more
This morning, WCYB Reporter, John Engel, interviewed Tennessee’s First Congressional District Representative, Phil Roe, where Congressman Roe stated that “many” of the students taking English as a Second Language (ESL) classes in the Johnson City School System are here illegally. John Engel asked: “Congressman, if they’re hiring English learning language teachers, that doesn’t necessarily mean ... Read more
Keyana Miller
Black History MonthEducationLeadershipWomenFebruary 8, 2018
Keyana Miller is a junior at East Tennessee State University, dual majoring in English and Political Science, and she is also the President of the Student Government Association. Originally from Nashville, Keyana graduated from Cordova High School in Memphis. She plans on attending law school in the fall of 2019. Upon graduation with her Juris ... Read more
Herb Greenlee
Black History MonthEducationLeadershipOpportunityFebruary 6, 2018
Many in Washington County, Tennessee know Herb Greenlee for his work with the Boys and Girls Club of Johnson City and now for his work at Carver Recreation Center. He worked to establish a memorial scholarship, the Melvin Stevens Scholarship, established in 1991 in memory of the previous director of Carver Rec. Herb has made ... Read more
Joy Fulkerson
Black History MonthEducationLeadershipWomenFebruary 5, 2018
Joy Fulkerson has inspired students to be leaders in their communities through her work at East Tennessee State University. After receiving her Bachelor’s Degree from ETSU in 1998 in Mass Communications and Public Relations, Joy was hired by ETSU to work with students interested in civic engagement through Volunteer ETSU and Alternative Spring Break as ... Read more
Reverend Vincent Dial
Black History MonthEducationLeadershipFebruary 4, 2018
Reverend Vincent Dial is a minister at Bethel Christian Church in Jonesborough, Tennessee since he retired from the Johnson City School System. He is a strong advocate for the youth of Washington County, Tennessee and works to bring positive change to our community through his social justice ministry and community engagement. After graduating from Carson-Newman ... Read more
Michelle Treece
Black History MonthEducationLeadershipWomenFebruary 1, 2018
Michelle Treece has lived in Northeast Tennessee all of her life and has been involved in our community, working to make a difference every single day. Michelle did this through her work at Science Hill High School as well as at Topper Academy, formerly known as the Alternative Center, in Johnson City. Every single student ... Read more