Karl Dean
Karl Dean received his law degree from Vanderbilt University in 1981. He earned his bachelor's degree from Columbia University in 1978. Dean has served as an adjunct law professor at Vanderbilt for more than 10 years. Dean was elected as Metro’s public defender in 1990, 1994 and 1998. Dean, 51, has served as Metro’s chief attorney since 1999. He resigned as Nashville’s law director to campaign for mayor.
Dean and his wife, Anne, reside in Nashville. They have three children: son Rascoe, 19, and daughters Frances, 13, and Wallen, 11. Anne Dean is an attorney-instructor at Vanderbilt.
Dean has pledged to make public schools his priority if elected as mayor. He said his main role would be to support “support creative management and innovative programs with adequate funding.”
Dean said another area of focus is public safety. He states that while crime is at a 16-year low, violent and youth crimes are too high. Dean said that “reducing crime should be the mission of the Metro government as a whole, not just its law enforcement divisions.”
Dean also said that he will help to continue Nashville’s economic growth. Dean said he plans to do this “by providing an educated workforce for companies to recruit and making common sense decisions about incentives. This will increase our tax base and create jobs.”
Dean also lists the environment as an area of focus. He said he is proud that Nashville is considered a family-friendly city and said that he will work to keep it that way.
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Information courtesy of Karl Dean’s Web site.
