Web Hearings Will Connect Governor with Tennessee Students

Nashville, TN – High school students from four U.S Government classes across the state will participate in a conversation with Governor Phil Bredesen tomorrow as Tennessee’s open budget hearings get underway. The budget hearing for the Department of Education will provide the basis for a real life civics lesson, with the Governor and Education Commissioner Lana Seivers responding to questions submitted by the students via email following the hearing.

“We’ve made a point of beginning the budget process for the coming year with education to reflect my belief that education is the most important priority in state government,” Bredesen said. ““My hope is this exchange will help students better understand how the state’s budget process directly impacts what takes place in their school and thousands of pre-K through grade 12 classrooms. The better all Tennesseans understand how government operates, the more they will understand how to get involved, have a voice and influence the future of their communities.”

The Governor’s budget hearings for all departments are broadcast live on the Web and archived online at www.tn.gov/budgethearings. The Tennessee Department of Education has a multi-billion dollar budget for overseeing the education of nearly one million public school students. Governor Bredesen has provided nearly $1 billion new dollars for education during since taking office in 2003.

“Students often learn best through taking an active role in the concept at hand,” Commissioner Seivers said. “While Governor Bredesen’s budget process has always been transparent, by being personally accessible to students, I hope it will help them gain new insight into how carefully Tennessee tax dollars are allocated.”

Students from Central High School in Memphis, Farragut High School in Knoxville, Happy Valley High School in Elizabethton and Hixson High School in Chattanooga will participate in Tuesday’s civics lesson on the budget hearings.

For more information, contact Rachel Woods at (615) 253-1960 or Rachel.Woods@state.tn.us.