Cox Announces House Bid

Sumner County School Board Chair Beth Cox announced yesterday she will challenge 45th district state Representative Courtney Rogers.

The Hendersonville Star News reported:

She will campaign on three major issues: education; business and the economy; and life and marriage issues, she said.
“I think you’ve all seen from my eight years on the school board that I am someone who takes my passion and puts it to action,” she said.

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Hyde and Rogers Take on Voters

Apparently, resoundingly losing an election won't stop Merrol Hyde from trying to meddle in local political affairs. Despite the fact that Hyde's County Commission buddies Frank Freels, Jerry Stone, and Kirk Moser lost in the May elections and that Hyde's once-powerful faction on the Sumner County Commission now can barely muster more than 5 votes on any single issue, Hyde continues to push an anti-voter legislative agenda.

Hyde has partnered with State Rep. Courtney Rogers (the candidate Hyde recruited to run against Debra Maggart in 2012) to advance state legislation that would bar teachers, police officers, and first responders from serving on the Sumner County Commission.

Hyde claims that this is to prevent any "conflicts of interest." Nevermind that voters were fully aware that the candidates they were voting for (or against) in May and August were also serving Sumner County as teachers, sheriff's deputies, and in other capacities. Hyde wants to protect the poor voters from any injustice -- Hyde knows best, after all.

While such a stance may seem hypocritical in light of the fact that Hyde himself was once Director of Schools while at the same time serving as a County Commissioner, hypocrisy has never gotten in the way of Merrol Hyde with a political ax to grind. In fact, when his schools budget was out of balance and he was serving on the County Commission, he voted 7 times in a single night for varying levels of a tax increase -- now, he claims to be an anti-tax champion.

As one might guess, County Commissioners who also serve our community in other capacities have had enough of the 1-2 punch of Hyde and Rogers. Last Monday, they passed a resolution calling on the General Assembly to oppose the ill-conceived Rogers bill.

And one Commissioner, Scott Langford, offered his opinion in the Hendersonville Standard.

Langford said of the Rogers bill:

This bill seeks to undermine free elections by limiting the choice of who can serve and whom voters and whom voters can elect.

For more Sumner County and Hendersonville news, follow @HvilleNews

Courtney Rogers is FOR and AGAINST Vouchers

Depending on who you ask, State Representative Courtney Rogers is an avid supporter of school voucher programs or she is a reliable opponent of vouchers.

Americans for Prosperity sent a mailer to Sumner voters recently giving Rogers a grade of A+ for her support of vouchers.

Then, the Tennessee Education Association sent a mailer saying:

"Privatization groups want to destroy public schools. Courtney Rogers said NO to vouchers!"

So, the TEA is telling its members to support Courtney Rogers in the Republican primary because she opposes vouchers.

And Americans for Prosperity is telling its target audience that Courtney Rogers supports vouchers and thus, deserves a vote.

Then, there's a mailer from the Tennessee Federation for Children -- a division of the American Federation for Children with a very minimal Tennessee presence. This mailer mentions that Courtney Rogers supports "More jobs, less waste, and lower taxes."

It doesn't say anything about vouchers. But TFC is one of the state's loudest proponents of vouchers and a leading member of the School Choice NOW coalition, a group focused on bringing vouchers to Tennessee.

So, what's the story? Rogers did vote AGAINST Governor Bill Haslam's proposal for a limited voucher program that would have effectively only gone to low income students in Memphis and Nashville.

She has expressed support for a voucher program that applies to every district and every student, regardless of income.  A privatization scheme it seems the TEA would likely strongly oppose. And one that could have a devastating impact on the school system in Sumner County.

Curiously, there's not been much mail or public comment from Rep. Rogers on the voucher issue (or any other).

Perhaps she's simply relying on outside special interests to tell her story - or, tell their version of her story.

Silverman to Challenge Rogers in 45th GOP Primary

Incumbent State Rep. Courtney Rogers will face a primary challenge from businessman Len Silverman in the 45th House District.

Rogers defeated incumbent Debra Maggart by a 20-point margin in 2012 in a race largely dominated by ads paid for by out-of-state special interests. 

Now, Maggart has recruited Silverman, who served on the Board of COMPASS (an organization where Maggart previously worked as Executive Director and now works as a consultant) to challenge Rogers.

Silverman claims his business experience and community involvement will be an asset to Sumner Countians if he's elected to the General Assembly.

It's unclear how involved Maggart will be in the race as she now holds a lucrative position with a Nashville lobbying firm.

Silverman Considers Challenge to Rogers in 45th House District

Republican Len Silverman of Hendersonville is considering a challenge to incumbent State Representative Courtney Rogers in the 45th House District.

Silverman owns a Huntington Learning Center franchise. He has also served on the Board of Directors for COMPASS, a foundation that helps raise funds for Sumner County Schools.  Until recently, COMPASS was headed-up by former State Representative Debra Maggart, who lost to Rogers in the 2012 Republican primary - a bitter battle involving thousands of dollars from outside special interest groups.

Cox Named to Education Board

Governor Bill Haslam has named Sumner County School Board Vice Chair Beth Cox to the Southern Regional Education Board.  Cox will serve through 2016 on the regional body representing 16 southeastern states. 

Cox is seen by many as among the most informed and most reasonable members of the Sumner County School Board.  Known for her in-depth research of issues, Cox often consults with teachers and principals before making key votes.

Some have suggested Cox may challenge incumbent State Rep. Courtney Rogers in the 2014 Republican primary for the 45th District State House seat.