A Tough Night

For Incumbents

As Armstrong,

Carpenter Lose

By BILL JONES

Staff Writer

Two members of the Greene County Board of Education lost re-election bids in Thursday's county general election.

In the 2nd School Board District race, political newcomer J. David Johnson, Jr., 56, of 1440 Chuckey Pike, Chuckey, defeated Tim Armstrong, 51, also of Chuckey, the incumbent county school board vice chairman.

Johnson, who is a captain with US Airways and a local farm-owner, received 776 votes to Armstrong's 710 votes, according to unofficial returns.

After learning he had won the 2nd District School Board seat late Thursday, Johnson said, he was "very grateful" to the voters and was very "humbled" by the confidence they had shown in him.

"It was a hard-fought race," Johnson said. "Mr. Armstrong certainly did a lot for the county school system. But I think the voters wanted a change of direction."

Armstrong Comments

Incumbent 2nd District board member Tim Armstrong, who had been on the board for four years, said when reached for comment this morning, that he wishes Johnson well.

"I've enjoyed everything I've done on the board and want to wish him [Johnson] the best of luck," Armstrong said. "The people have spoken."

Armstrong said he now will be able to concentrate more on operating his dairy farm.

He also said he plans to remain involved in the Greene County schools even though he won't be on the school board. "I'll still be working with the kids," he said.

Debra Knight Wins

In the 4th School Board District race, political newcomer Debra Knight, 50, defeated R.L. "Tom" Carpenter, an incumbent county school board member and former school board chairman.

Knight received 723 votes to Carpenter's 580 votes, unofficial returns showed.

"I want to thank the Lord, my whole family and my friends," Knight said in giving credit for her victory. "I look forward to helping bring about some positive changes in the county school system."

In addition, Knight said she also looks forward to representing all county school system employees and students.

"I'm glad it's over," she said of the election. "We've worked hard and we're tired."

Knight said she had been concerned because the voter turnout had been low on Thursday.

"But I don't think I have a family member or a friend who didn't help," she said. "I really appreciate my family and friends and the voters as well. "I'll try not to let them down."

Carpenter Comments

Reached for comment this morning, incumbent 4th District board member R.L. "Tom" Carpenter said he enjoyed his tenure on the county school board and remains proud of the county school system's accomplishments in recent years.

"That's why you have elections, to see how the people feeI," Carpenter said. "The people of the Fourth District wanted a change. I just didn't get enough votes. You have to go on with life. The school system will go on."

Carpenter said he believes the county school system is headed in the right direction.

"They've got a good nucleus on the board and the new members will learn as things go along," Carpenter said.

Johnson's Background

Johnson attended Chuckey Elementary School, is a graduate of Chuckey-Doak High School, attended East Tennessee State University for two years, and is a graduate of Embry Riddle Aeronautical University.

He has previously served on the Greeneville-Greene County Airport Authority.

His parents were the late Joe D. Johnson, former owner of Johnson Hardware & Double J Farms in Chuckey, and the late Anna Reece Cable Johnson, supervisor of special education for East Tennessee.

His sister, Linda J. Babb, is a special education teacher at David Crockett High School, and his sister, Brenda J. Saunders, is an accountant/bookkeeper.

In his response to a Greeneville Sun questionnaire earlier this year, Johnson said he was running for a position on the board of education because:

"I have had a lot of influence from family and friends involved in education. They have impressed upon me the importance of everyone serving his or her civic duty. My mother and sister were both in education, and I am currently a pilot instructor. In addition, I have had several relatives involved in the local school systems.

"We have moved from a manufacturing and production country to a service- and technology-oriented country. I feel that the school system is a great venue for the students to become highly-skilled individuals in the areas of manufacturing and business."

Knight's Background

Knight is a Greeneville High School graduate and attended East Tennessee State University.

She is a manager of juvenile probation for CCI, working with the court system under the First Tennessee Human Resources Agency.

Knight has not previously run for public office.

She and her husband of 29 years, Jerry Knight, have one son, Jason, a daughter-in-law, Katie-Jo Knight, and a granddaughter, Emma Grace Knight.