Babb launches campaign for school board

Sandra ClarkWest Knoxville

Virginia Babb hosted a spirited kickoff for her campaign for Knox County school board in 2018. Friday was the first day for candidates to pick up a petition to run.

“I met her when Will entered kindergarten,” said Martha Hill, retired principal of Sequoyah Elementary School. “And the next year when the twins came along, we had three wonderful kids and two wonderful parents.”

Martha Hill, retired principal at Sequoyah Elementary School, introduces Virginia Babb at her campaign kickoff.

Hill called Babb a leader, part of the initial group that started the Sequoyah School Foundation. “She went on to Bearden Middle and to West High. She would always say yes.”

Babb was joined by husband Ned, son Will, a senior at West High, and daughters Helen and Elizabeth, juniors at West.

Virginia Babb is a Realtor with Coldwell Banker – Wallace and Wallace. She supports better pay for teachers and staff.

She asked her supporters to vote on May 1, to get their 18-year-olds registered to vote, and to volunteer for the campaign. Typically well-organized, Babb had convenient, self-addressed envelopes for anyone who wanted to contribute or volunteer.

“This is an important county election,” she said. Because of term limits, the county mayor and several county commission seats will be up. Lynne Fugate, who has represented District 2 including West High School, is not seeking re-election. She attended Babb’s kickoff, as did Commission Hugh Nystrom, Trustee Ed Shouse and clerk candidate Charlie Susano.

Nystrom said afterwards he was taught never to overlook anything in his own backyard. “This (event) is literally in my backyard,” he said. The Nystroms’ yard backs up to the parking lot of The Lighthouse on Baum Drive where the reception was held.

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