Video blog: BEP Change Lauded in Hamilton County

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May 23, 2007

Video blog: BEP Change Lauded in Hamilton County

Local educators, elected officials, and concerned parents and citizens crowded inside Waterhouse Pavilion at Chattanooga's downtown Miller Plaza this morning to hear Governor Bredesen promote his proposed half-trbillion [pardon my math] dollar overhaul of the Basic Education Plan, or BEP, which promises to deliver millions in new funding to the Hamilton County school system.

Yours truly was there, and will update this site with details from the event, including video clips (as I can get them edited), and with the sort of personal reaction to the straight news that is well afforded by this medium.

The County Commission, the School Board, and the aforementioned parent, teacher, and citizen groups are staring down the Legislature, hungrily eyeing the re-formulation of existing and new monies.

Now, to the video clips.

House delegation chair Rep. Gerald McCormick gives an update on the cigarette tax bill; Sen. Bo Watson responds about the Senate's current ambiguity, while Sen. Crutchfield looks on

Dr. Jim Scales, Superintendent of Education

Just as applause broke out at the end of Gov Bredesen's remarks, a Hamilton County school bus drove by in view

Here's Normal Park PTA leader Alison Lebovitz issuing a challenge to news organizations around the county to spread the word about school successes:

Finally, here's a "highlight reel" of the overall proceedings. I threw it together in haste, so accept my apologies for the lack of production values.