THIS WEEK'S TENNESSEE EDUCATION REPORT
EDUCATION POLITICS AND POLICY IN THE VOLUNTEER STATE
The Truth about TISA
by Andy Spears / 3d
Gov. Bill Lee is proposing a significant change to the way the state funds public schools. His proposal would replace the decades old BEP formula with something he calls TISA – Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement. Except, well, the plan does nothing to invest in student achievement. Rather, it is a complicated system of weights applied to students that supposedly will lead to improved stu
Intellectually Lazy
by Andy Spears / 7d
A Chattanooga mom accurately describes the approach of Moms for Liberty at a Hamilton County School Board meeting. Here’s video: WATCH: “They don’t support our schools & teachers, and they SURE AS HELL don’t care about our kids.” Fired up Chattanooga mom rips @Moms4Liberty ’s “disgusting, intellectually lazy” attacks on librarians & educators while ADMITTING they want to steer kids out of public
An Open Door to Grift and Corruption
by Andy Spears / 15d
Members of the Tennessee Public Education Coalition spoke out in opposition to Gov. Bill Lee’s education agenda which includes sending public money to private schools by way of school vouchers and charters. In an OpEd, the group said: We have a clear choice in Tennessee. We can choose to adequately fund our public schools, pay our teachers a fair wage, and support our neighborhood schools — or we
Bill’s Besties
by Andy Spears / 17d
NewsChannel5’s Phil Williams has been following the money to find out who is behind efforts to privatize Tennessee’s public schools. It’s no suprise that Lee’s longtime friend Betsy DeVos is among the key backers of privatization. Bill and Betsy: A Tennessee School Voucher Story As Williams notes, among the big spenders on school privatization efforts when it comes to lobbying the General Assembl
Of Vouchers and School Takeovers
by Andy Spears / 18d
Nashville education blogger TC Weber has a couple of pieces out that break down Gov. Lee’s proposed school funding reform. The bottom line: Be afraid, be very afraid. I mean, if you like using public money to fund private schools OR if you’re a fan of the state taking over districts, this funding scheme is for you. Here are a couple hits from TC’s analysis: While we are on the subject of the fund
Frequent Flyer?
by Andy Spears / 20d
Gov. Bill Lee has come under fire for a controversial plan to invite Hillsdale College in Michigan to run 50 or more charter schools in Tennessee. Exceptionally Bad Now, WKRN in Nashville reports that taxpayers funded a trip by Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn to a conference at Hillsdale. With the governor’s new education spending plan, that could mean public dollars going to Hillsdale, a pr
Who Knew?
by Andy Spears / 22d
Tennessee Textbook Commissioner and potential House of Representatives candidate Laurie-Cardoza Moore testified before House subcommittee yesterday that she believed the commission on which she serves should have expanded authority to be able to regulate books that appear on school library shelves. Here’s video of her remarks and a montage of clips about her background: HEADS UP TN — lost in the
Privatizers of a Feather
by Andy Spears / 24d
Flock together. And there it is. All the groups trying to dismantle K-12 public education in TN are finally locking arms publicly with the Koch Bros. They’re not even trying to hide it anymore. This dispels the myth of so-called “good” charter schools. They’re all part of the same sordid cabal. pic.twitter.com/e71ITaAX5Q — Will Pinkston (@WillPinkston) March 1, 2022 More on SCORE: Bill Frist and
THE TENNESSEE HOLLER – “Always YELL The Truth.” - https://tnholler.com/
GEORGIA’S GOV. KEMP TO SIGN GAS TAX PAUSE GOV. LEE WOULDN’T
by Staff / 8d
Last week Tennessee Democratic representatives Bo Mitchell & John Ray Clemmons held a press conference calling for Governor Lee to impose a 90-day gas tax moratorium to help Tennesseans with the pain of higher gas prices – which is a global issue Republicans have incorrectly blamed on Biden. (Oil production is UP under Biden , so the idea that he’s choking off supply is ridiculous on its face) By
Baum Eliminates Local Control of Charter School Recruitment (After Lying About His Bill)
by Justin Kanew / 10d
WATCH: “You’re eliminating the school boards’ power.” @RepMikeStewart calls out Rep. Charlie Baum (R-Murfreesboro) for his bill ENDING LOCAL CONTROL of charter schools recruiting across county lines… which Baum previously had lied about repeatedly (and ran from us ) pic.twitter.com/alFu0xyNSn — The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) March 15, 2022
TN Republicans (Cepicky, Ragan) Go To Bat For Hitting Kids 😳
by Justin Kanew / 15d
WATCH: TN Republicans ( @CepickyTn64 @RepRagan ) Go To Bat For Hitting Kids They blocked @HakeemForHouse ’s corporal punishment ban, claiming “local control” — but TN Republicans violate that premise daily. It’s outdated, discriminatory, ineffective: https://t.co/MknAHFjpaL pic.twitter.com/OG4JbUt0Kd — The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) March 10, 2022
