For parents or public school employees

[Serious Conversation]

Regardless of whether CRT is or isn't being taught in TN or VA schools, a big issue with moving to the Tri-Cities from an affluent, professional area with generally good schools area-wide like northern VA is that the schools here are not nearly as high-achieving.

There are going to be a handful of exceptions possibly - University School in JC, perhaps Science Hill or D-B in Kingsport.

With that said, this area just does not have the base of educated professionals like a white collar suburban area who would truly demand the best from their schools. The area's percentage of degree holding adults, outside of Johnson City, is woefully low. I'm a Bristol resident and have tons of friends with children in Bristol schools on both sides of the state line. Bristol is a relatively poor community. The tax base isn't going to be there like it will be in a Fairfax or Loudoun County. The teachers aren't compensated as well. It's not the "best of the best" district, so the job candidates a city like Bristol will get are just not the same as what you'll get in a higher-achieving, higher-paying district.

I'm by no means that kids can't get a good education here, but it's going to require more parental involvement, student attention, and keep tabs on academic progress than in a more affluent district where a lot of that comes by "default."