Obion County families are facing another disruptive school reorganization — and our children will pay the price if we don’t act now.

The Obion County School Board has voted to convert Ridgemont into the only county-wide middle school (grades 6–8) starting in 2026–27. This plan would:

Force 570+ middle schoolers into one building at Ridgemont.

Overcrowd Hillcrest, Lake Road, and South Fulton Elementary after Ridgemont’s PreK–5 students are displaced.

Skyrocket transportation times — many families face 30–45 minutes each way.

Drain budgets with hidden costs (new buses at $140k+ each, staffing, renovations, labs, lockers, and security upgrades).

We have already lived through the closure of Black Oak in 2024, which caused longer bus rides, dangerous car-line backups, and overcrowded classrooms. Families remember the disruption, stress, and safety concerns. This new plan repeats those mistakes — only bigger.

What’s at stake:

• Children lose valuable family time due to earlier mornings and longer bus rides.
• Parents lose the ability to quickly reach schools in emergencies.
• Communities  lose identity and local K–12 connections.
• Teachers face loss of jobs, larger classes and fewer resources, reducing the quality of education.

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Our Demand

We, the undersigned, call on the Obion County Board of Education to:

1. Reject the Ridgemont centralization plan.

2. Keep schools local by maintaining the current PreK–8 model in each community.

3. Prioritize families and students over bureaucracy and short-term budget claims.

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Closing Statement

Our children deserve schools that are close, safe, and effective. We cannot let them become victims of another costly, disruptive experiment.

📢 Add your name today and stand with families across Obion County. Together, we can stop the Obion County Middle merger and keep our schools strong for the next generation.