To The Rutherford County Community:

Once again, our Rutherford County School System/Board has made the national news, and most certainly not in a good way.

As a seven-year school board member here in Rutherford County, I am deeply saddened and embarrassed by what took place at our RCBOE's special-called meeting this past Tuesday, Sept. 7.

The subject being discussed at that meeting was without question one of the most argued and contentious matters that has ever faced our school board, and sadly the division and anger was on broad display that night. Regardless of our differences, the behavior displayed by some of the adult members of our community that night was reprehensible.

We all have 20-20 hindsight from time to time, but there’s never been a time where I’ve looked back and regretted not having acted on something as much as I am now regarding the events of that evening. So, through this communication I wish to express my deepest and sincerest apology to all the community members that were interrupted and, in some cases, downright heckled by members of the audience while they were trying to speak during their allotted time, and most emphatically so to the young man/student from Central Magnet.

The behavior from some of the audience that night was inexcusable, unprofessional and something that I strongly denounce. No one can control another’s behavior, however we as a Board should have taken much swifter and stronger action to stop it.

Even though I am not a member of the Leadership team of the Board, recognizing that we are all community leaders, and given the fact that I am the second most-tenured board member, I deeply regret I did not speak up myself to try and address and put an immediate stop to the rude behavior.

My hope is that we can all learn a valuable lesson from this, and that our student from CMS who had the courage and conviction to step up in such a public meeting to speak, along with anyone else that was interrupted while speaking at that meeting will accept my heartfelt apology.

Lisa Moore, RCBOE Board Member, Zone 3