Knox County teacher defends comments in viral anti-evaluation video
By DREW GARDNER
6 News Reporter
6 News Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) - A Knox County teacher defended her comments Friday after a video of her speech to the school board went viral.
Halls Elementary teacher Lauren Hopson was at themeeting to voice her concerns over the rigorous demands by recent changes to their evaluations.
"Thank you for allowing me to speak this evening. I am a teacher who loves teaching, but unfortunately what I have to say tonight isn't warm and fuzzy," said Hopson in her speech.
That speech began Hopson's unlikely journey to viral fame among teachers around the country. The video of that speech was posted to YouTube under the title "What Tennessee teachers really think about new evaluations."
The video continues to gain support with 86,000 views and growing.
"I just got really angry," said Hopson. "Several teachers that I know who are excellent teachers have been threatened with 'conference of concern' letters that say if their test scores don't go up, they could lose their jobs next year."
Hopson stopped by Knox Talk Radio Friday morning to elaborate on the challenges teachers face in the classroom and to take calls from listeners, most who shared Hopson's feelings.
"This situation is not about me," said Hopson. "It's about thousands of teachers so I hope that I really don't have to do anything else that it will take on a life of its own and we'll get some real changes made for the better."
Fellow teachers aren't the only ones standing behind
Halls Elementary teacher Lauren Hopson voiced her concerns at a school board meeting over the rigorous demands by recent changes to their evaluations. The video went viral. (source: YouTube)
"This situation is not about me," said Lauren Hopson. "It's about thousands of teachers so I hope that I really don't have to do anything else that it will take on a life of its own and we'll get some real changes made for the better."
"When you talk to a teacher that says she spends twelve hours working on a lesson plan, there is something wrong," said Knox County Mayor Tim Burchett.