Partisan Politics Meets the Classroom
For the first time in Oak Ridge Schools' history, the Board of Education operates under openly partisan banners. The Anderson County Republican Party has made it clear: local school boards are no longer about serving students or improving education but about furthering partisan objectives. Here we find Mary Crank, the newly elected Republican member, whose introduction to public service was less a step forward and more a stumble into partisan opportunism.
Mary Crank’s campaign was notable—for how little anyone saw of it. She skipped candidate forums, declined to attend board-hosted events, and remained an enigma to the very community she sought to represent. If there’s a rulebook for public service, showing up is on page one. Yet, Crank’s absence was only the prologue. Her first action as a board member spoke volumes: an attempt to quash a resolution opposing Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s "Freedom Scholarships," a voucher program dressed up in euphemisms but designed to undermine public schools.
Tuesday night’s board meeting began as they always do, with approval of the evening’s agenda. It should have been procedural. Instead, Crank opened her binder, read from a prepared statement, and moved to strike the resolution entirely. The reasoning? The bill hasn’t been finalized yet. This was seconded by her ideological ally, "independent" Heather Hartman, who joined Crank in attempting to silence opposition to a policy that jeopardizes funding for Oak Ridge schools. The motion failed 3-2 (McLean, Webb, Craven opposed), but the message was clear: Crank wasn’t interested in listening to families or advocating for public schools. She was there to protect her priorities.
When the resolution itself came up for discussion, Hartman sprang into action, proposing amendments to defang it. One of her edits sought to remove language that rightly pointed out vouchers disrupt local control. Ashley Craven, a board member who has consistently advocated for public schools, challenged this amendment. Craven asked the obvious: isn’t overturning local decisions by a higher authority the very definition of disruption? Hartman disagreed. A diluted version of the resolution did pass 4-1 (Crank the lone vote against), the board officially went on record opposing the voucher program—but not without significant damage done to the integrity of the process.
Crank’s actions are not just troubling; they’re telling. Her very first contribution as a public servant was an attempt to shield a policy that diverts public funds away from public schools. This wasn’t the move of someone focused on education; it was a calculated attack against it. When your first words as a board member effectively say, “Let’s take money away from our schools,” it’s hard to see how you’re working in the interest of Oak Ridge families.
Crank’s discomfort in her new role is painfully evident. The Oak Ridge Board of Education produces a program called "Spotlight on Education," where board members discuss their work. In a recent episode, Crank sat alongside fellow new member Ashley Craven for an interview. When asked to talk about her family, Crank read from a pre-written response. If you can’t articulate why you’re serving without notes, perhaps public service isn’t for you. School boards are not meant to be hobbies or political stepping stones. They are meant to serve students, teachers, and families—not partisan ambitions.
This is why local elections matter. While national politics dominate the headlines, the most consequential decisions for our communities often happen locally. School boards, in particular, hold immense power over the future of public education. When we fail to engage in these elections, we open the door for individuals like Mary Crank—unprepared, uninterested, and unwilling to prioritize the needs of the people they serve.
What can you do? Start by holding the board accountable. Attend meetings. And, if you want to make your voice heard directly, here’s how to contact the Oak Ridge Board of Education:
Chair; Laura McLean: lauramclean60@gmail.com
Erin Webb: erin.s.webb1@gmail.com
Heather Hartman: hh.oakridge@gmail.com
Ashley Craven: voteacraven@gmail.com
Mary Crank: maryorschoolboard@gmail.com
Send Ms. Crank an email to let her know that a school board serves public schools. Demand better. Remind her that public education is not a partisan battleground. Tell her you expect board members to prioritize students, not agendas.
Oak Ridge deserves better than this. We deserve board members who show up, listen, and fight for public education. Let this be a lesson: local elections are not small.
They are where the future of our communities is decided. And it’s up to all of us to make sure that future is in the right hands.
