17-Year-Old Girl COOKS School Board Members
"Beta Boi" Butch Vaughn Fires Back
Chase Matheson - October 25, 2024
RUTHERFORD COUNTY -- Books have been a hot topic in Rutherford County School Board meetings as of late, and last night's meeting was no exception.
During public comment, 5 members of the public spoke on the subject, though no books were up for debate this meeting. First was a female who supported keeping adult material in school libraries. The next 4 were citizens in opposition to the books remaining in school libraries.
The 2nd speaker offered a harsh rebuke of specific school board members, questioning closed-door collaboration of members which he said could violate the Tennessee Open Meetings Act. he also raised questioned about why the Director of Schools is given the seat next to the Chair, though he is not a member of the board. Then, the 3rd took it to an entirely different level.
Image credit: Rutherford County Schools Livestream; Youtube
17-year-old Hannah Faulkner delivered a short speech that generated a round of applause and included challenging the masculinity of board members who she called "beta bois (boys)" and "Soy Bois (boys)".
"What does masculinity mean, when you aren't willing to stand up for the innocent? As a 17-year-old, I call men who dont stand up for the innocent and don't stand up for my generation, I call those beta bois, soy bois." Said Hannah Faulkner.
Board Member Butch Vaughn
Image credit: Rutherford County Schools Livestream; youtube
Ms. Faulkner also challenged Board Member Frances Rosales for walking out of the room during one of the last votes--a move Rosales defended later on in this meeting. Ms. Faulkner also thanked the members of the board who voted to remove the books.
The final two speakers were more teenage girls who also spoke against obscene material in the library.
That's not where it ended though. Some members of the board couldn't help but respond.
Immediately after Faulkner's speech, Butch Vaughn snapped back "she's supposed to be a Christian" before Chairwoman Claire Maxwell stopped him from going any further.
The rest of the meeting went on with a little tension in the air, until it reached the "General Discussion" portion at the end. That is when the Board Members were given their opportunity to respond.
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Frances Rosales justified her absence during the last vote, claiming it was part of a conflict of interest. We believe this has to do with her previous employment with a book publishing company. But it was Butch Vaughn's responses which drew the ire of the crowd.
"I'd also like to address the gentleman that spoke tonight." Butch starts off. "If what you spoke tonight is all you see at Rutherford County Schools, you've got blinders on... When you find negativity in a positive environment, it makes me throw up, and it makes me want to sell clown uniforms to certain people."
Butch finished his diatribe by saying, "I wish you the best, but as far as I'm concerned you gonna have hell to pay, okay? 'Cause I'm going to stand up against everything you say."
And that's when it happened. That's when it seems someone cut Mr. Vaughn's microphone off.
Board member Katie Darby then challenged Vaughn, telling him not to speak to constituents like that. Maxwell got the meeting under control, and allowed Butch to finish his point.
"My boss is a Jewish Carpenter, not a teenage young lady." Butch said, addressing the 17-year-old Hannah Faulkner. "Don't make judgement on people, cause I know that you don't want us to make judgement on you.