A long-held Republican seat proved consequential for the Knox County School Board yesterday.¶
Brandy Jenkins defeated Republican candidate Bill Sofield to become the new District 9 representative for Knox County Schools (KCS). She will replace Republican Kristi Kristy, who has occupied the seat since 2018, currently serves as board chair, and was defeated in May’s Republican Primary by Sofield. With Jenkins’s upset, Katherine Bike fighting off Republican challenger Ashley Sartelle, and the addition of Breyauna Holloway as the new District 1 representative, Democrats now hold a 5-4 majority.¶
The board added Republican Lee Ann Eaves as its third and final new member. She will succeed Knox County mayor-elect Betsy Henderson.¶
Who is Brandy Jenkins
Jenkins is a 39-year-old senior manager of operations for Phoenix Glass, an auto glass shop that her parents created more than 40 years ago. She has a history of advocacy for public education, specifically fundraising, classroom volunteering, and coaching youth sports.¶
“Brandy is running for Knox County School Board, District 9 to bring thoughtful, community-focused leadership to South Knoxville,” an excerpt from Jenkins’ campaign website reads. “She believes in listening first, communicating honestly, and keeping taxpayer dollars in public classrooms. Above all, she is committed to putting students at the center of every decision and strengthening the neighborhood schools that help every child thrive.”¶
Jenkins’ policy priorities include advocating for teacher recruitment and retention by improving pay, reducing burnout, and addressing staffing issues; investing in early literacy and academic intervention through evidence-based instruction; improving school safety; opposing book-banning legislation; and making school board decisions that focus on student outcomes over other partisan issues.¶
Why This Matters
In recent months, the board has addressed a number of challenges, including scrambling to avoid laying off more than 100 district employees, including 17 teachers, after an unexpected $7.8 million budget shortfall and the controversy over a decision to ban the book “Roots” in May, under the parameters of 2024’s Age-Appropriate Materials Act.¶
Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk decided to unban the book after speaking with legal officials. During its June 4 meeting, the board voted 5-4 to ask state lawmakers to revise the law, including allowing school boards to replace the current uniform K-12 book-removal standard with a grade-band framework that allows districts to restrict library materials at each grade level.¶
The new Democratic majority could be more inclined to shift decisions regarding the Age-Appropriate Materials Act toward student access and away from pulling books from school library shelves.¶
