KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Rumors have been circulating online about Knox County Schools' Clothing Center. It provides school-appropriate clothing to eligible children across the county, serving 2,000 students and distributing around 60,000 articles of clothing.
The rumors claimed that the center was closing. Knox County Schools leaders held a meeting with the PTA board on Friday and said they were committed to keeping the center open.
"It helps the child be able to learn better, to fit in better, to grow and become a successful adult. I mean, that's what we do with schools is we take children and help mold them, teach them and give them that self-esteem. And that's what we do with the clothing center," said Sylvia Woods, chair of the PTA board.
Both groups said they agreed it is an important resource for students, and during the meeting, leaders said changes to the center caused miscommunication. That miscommunication caused rumors to spread among many Knox County families.
The district recently moved the location of the Clothing Center from its Central Avenue location to Cedar Bluff — the same location as the Knox County Schools Teacher Supply Depot. District leaders also said they want to give funding to the PTA board and make it responsible for managing the staff who work at the center.
Board members said they are concerned because Knox County Schools has not revealed the exact amount of funding they plan to provide.
"We're in that state of transition, and relying on the PTA board to come in and identify what they want that space to look like. But, we'll have staff starting back up in August, and we'll be serving families the same way we always do," said Kori Lautner, the Assistant Superintendent of Strategy.
During the meeting, the board and district also discussed whether parents could go to the clothing center to pick up clothes, or if they could be delivered to families. Discussions like those are ongoing, but the district said there were no discussions about closing the center.
To be eligible for clothes from the center, families must meet income level requirements for the free and reduced meal program, with the exception of families experiencing emergencies like home fires or displacement.
Students need to get a clothing card from the school they attend, and it must be completed and verified for eligibility by an administrator before being signed by the principal. Families should reach out to their child's school directly to start that process.
They should then call the clothing center on a Thursday to schedule an appointment to get clothes. Appointments are given on a first-come, first-served basis and it starts taking calls at 8 a.m. The center's phone number is 865-594-3791.