Bob Eby
Robert “Bob” S. Eby, vice chair of the Oak Ridge Board of Education, is resigning March 31 because Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam is appointing him to serve on the Tennessee State Board of Education effective April 1. Eby will represent Tennessee’s Third Congressional District, which includes Oak Ridge, on the state school board, according to his resignation letter.
“This is quite an honor, and I look forward to utilizing all I have learned while serving on the Oak Ridge Board off and on over the past 33 years to serve the governor and the State of Tennessee in the best manner that I can,” Eby said in the February 7 resignation letter, which was written to Oak Ridge Board of Education Chair Keys Fillauer but also copied to other school board members and Superintendent Bruce Borchers.
Eby said Tennessee state law does not allow him to serve on the state school board while also serving as a city, county, state, or elected federal official. Members of the Oak Ridge Board of Education are elected to their positions.
“Therefore, to accept this appointment requires me to resign from my Oak Ridge Board of Education position,” Eby said. “I humbly request the Board (the Oak Ridge Board of Education) to formally accept this resignation.”
Eby said he felt both “excited anticipation” and sadness.
“The Oak Ridge Schools is such a special district,” Eby said. “While I will sincerely miss working day to day with the local Board and staff on Oak Ridge School matters, please know that I will be frequently in touch to gain the local Board’s input to State Board activities. I will also always have a lending ear to issues that the local Board would like heard at the State Board level.
“I have enjoyed working on the ORBOE, particularly with this Board, serving as your vice-chairman since June 2009, as well as, serving as its chairman from 1991 through 1995. I think we can all take much pride in being a part of several meaningful actions to move the district forward and to offer many positive opportunities for our students. My sadness will come from not being an integral part of the district and working closely with the people that make Oak Ridge Schools such an outstanding and unique school system in the state. I thank the citizens of Oak Ridge for allowing me to serve for almost four terms beginning back in 1985.”
More information will be added as it becomes available.
You can see Bob Eby’s resignation letter here.
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