TENNESSEE EDUCATION REPORT
EDUCATION POLITICS AND POLICY IN THE VOLUNTEER STATE
10 Cents on the Dollar
100+by Andy Spears / 14h
That’s what Gov. Bill Lee is proposing for teachers in his COVID-19 package for education. This is just the latest in what has become a pattern of showing blatant disrespect for educators in his budget proposals . The Tennessee Education Association (TEA) breaks down the proposal and what it will mean for educators: “Tennessee’s educators have worked hundreds of additional hours during the fall s
Another F
300+by Andy Spears / 1d
The Education Law Center recently published its annual analysis of school funding in the states. Once again, Tennessee received a grade of “F” in both funding level and funding effort. I could actually write this exact same story every single year. Tennessee doesn’t adequately fund our schools. The bipartisan group TACIR – Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations – says the st
Voucher Vulture Kelsey Named Chair of Education Committee
39by Andy Spears / 2d
Lt. Governor Randy McNally has named long-time school voucher advocate Brian Kelsey chair of the Senate Education Committee. Kelsey sponsored Gov. Bill Lee’s voucher scheme (ultimately ruled unconstitutional) in 2019. He’s currently involved in litigation attempting to validate the scheme. He even mentioned it in his Christmas card this year. The move could signal that legislative leaders will jo
A Tale of Two Bills
29by Andy Spears / 3d
House Speaker Cameron Sexton has named Laurie Cardoza-Moore as his appointment to the state Textbook Commission. In addition to being virulently anti-Muslim, Moore also encouraged participation in an insurrection. Here’s what’s interesting. Back in 2013, Betsy Phillips wrote in the Nashville Scene about then-Gov. Bill Haslam’s weak response to Moore’s constant badgering regarding the selection of
An Unwelcome Pause
20by Andy Spears / 4d
Even as state lawmakers push for an accelerated return to in-person learning, the State of Tennessee is announcing that teachers will not be able to receive COVID-19 vaccines as quickly as planned. Chalkbeat has more : Tennessee teachers, school staff, and child care workers must wait for COVID-19 vaccinations until after people age 70 and older receive their shots, state officials said Friday. T
Carrots and Sticks
41by Andy Spears / 4d
Even as Tennessee’s COVID-19 numbers continue to surge, some leading lawmakers and Gov. Bill Lee are considering using the state’s funding formula (BEP) to create incentives for districts to return to in-person learning sooner rather than later. The Tennessee Lookout reports on House Education Committee Chair Mark White’s remarks regarding the creation of a “carrot-and-stick” system designed to p
Sexton’s Appointee to State Textbook Commission Urged Participation in Insurrection
100+by Andy Spears / 5d
House Speaker Cameron Sexton announced in November his appointment of Lauria Cardoza-Moore to the state Textbook Commission. Not only is Moore’s organization financially shady, she also actively encouraged participation (and participated in) the insurrectionist “rally” in Washington, DC last week. Here’s more from her various social channels: To be clear, if nothing happens at her confirmation he
Voucher Vultures Face FBI Raid
100+by Andy Spears / 7d
Former House Speaker Glen Casada and other members of the House GOP as well as some staffers woke this morning to FBI agents searching their homes and offices. The raid appears to be targeting those involved in a plot to
Dad Gone Wild – Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it.
THIS WEEK'S WILDNESS Dad Gone Wild Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it.
THIS WEEK'S WILDNESS
Dad Gone Wild
Nobody reads it, everybody quotes it.
WELL, THAT’S A SPECIAL KIND OF DUMB
by TC Weber / 17h
“What gets us into trouble is not what we don’t know. It’s what we know for sure that just ain’t so.” ― Mark Twain Years ago I worked at a bar down in the Elliston Place area of Nashville. Five days a week you could find me slinging drinks to people as they got off of work. My bar didn’t adhere to the rule of never discussing politics or religion, the only rule was that you respect each other. As
WHAT COMES FIRST, UNITY OR JUSTICE?
by TC Weber / 4d
“Upon the conduct of each depends the fate of all.” ― Alexander the Great I tell you, I could go a long time without another week like last week. Unfortunately, early indicators are that more of the same with increased peril lies ahead. This morning I scrolled through my Twitter feed with a deepening horror, recoiling from visages of last week and reactions from both sides. What finally stopped m
ARE BETTER TIMES REALLY AHEAD?
by TC Weber / 7d
“I think the world honestly would be a much healthier place if instead of trying to find rationalizations for our bad behavior we would just say, “I was an asshole. Sure, there were reasons behind it, but that doesn’t matter.” ― Colin Quinn Somebody forgot to give 2021 the memo. This year was supposed to be better. We were supposed to be better. This past week casts doubt on those suppositions. I
EDUCATION MYTHS OF 2021
by TC Weber / 11d
“The music we play has to be tomorrow’s, the things we say have to be today, and the reason for bothering is yesterday.” ― Pete Townshend, Who I Am 2021 is now officially underway, and unsurprisingly, it’s coming in as noisily as