Mind Your Business

The Johnson City Press is not impressed with Gov. Bill Lee’s conduct as it relates to comments by education adviser and Hillsdale College President Larry Arnn regarding teachers.

Here’s what they had to say in a recent editorial:

After Bill Lee’s education adviser’s thoughts about teachers were revealed, we think he should stay on the campus of his private Michigan college and keep his nose out of Tennessee’s business.

At a private event in Franklin, Tennessee, last month, with our governor sitting silently on stage with him, Hillsdale College president Larry Arnn said, “The teachers are trained in the dumbest parts of the dumbest colleges in the country, and they’re taught that they’re going to go and do something to those kids.”

We aren’t sure where Arnn has been observing teachers in their classrooms, but we know it isn’t in our region.

Here’s more on Lee’s history of disrespecting public schools and their teachers:

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Garrett Announces Endorsements in School Board Race

Williamson County School Board Chair Nancy Garrett recently announced a slew of endorsements for her re-election bid.

More from a story originally published at NewsBreak:

District 12 School Board candidate Nancy Garrett announced today that her campaign has the support of more than 100 public education leaders as the incumbent board member seeks re-election in August.

In a statement, Garrett said:

“I’m honored to have the support of these school leaders who are the backbone of our community. These citizens have worked together to build the positive national reputation of WCS schools in the arts, athletics, and academics.”

These endorsements include current and former parent volunteers from many school support organizations, former and retired local teachers, and former WCS and FSSD school board members and administrators.

Garrett, the incumbent District 12 representative for the Williamson County Board of Education, has also been elected by her fellow Board Members to serve as Board Chair since 2020. Prior to that, she served two terms as Vice Chair. A Williamson County Schools graduate, and daughter of a WCS teacher, she was appointed to the Board in November of 2016, and elected to the Board in 2018. She was a PTO leader every year of her son’s school career and has had 15 family members graduate from WCS.

Among the endorses is Lauren Sullivan, a former PTO President at Oakview Elementary, who said:

“Nancy Garrett loves her community and its citizens. She has a passion for our schools and children. I trust her to keep our students and teachers at the forefront of her decision-making process, and I enthusiastically endorse her for the District 12 school board seat.”

Kent McNish, a former Franklin Special School District (FSSD) Board Member said of Garrett:

“The voters of FSSD elected me to the Board of Education five times between 1994 and 2012. I was privileged to know and work with Nancy Garrett. She has a strong commitment to the children of the WCS. Her record of service is outstanding. I hope the voters of the 12th District will return her for another term. A good Board member brings no bias to the work of a school board–only what is in the best interest of children. She supports principals, teachers, and she supports families. I am proud to support Nancy Garrett for another term on the Williamson County Board of Education.”

For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport

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This IS Who He Is

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee has never been a fan of or advocate for Tennessee’s public school teachers. Now, he confirms that in a revealing moment reported on by NewsChannel5’s Phil Williams.

In it, a key education advisor to Lee disparages teachers repeatedly while Lee sits in silence and nods in agreement.

Responses to Lee’s public confirmation of his disregard for teachers were swift, including this from his home county of Williamson:

The Democratic Party in Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee’s home county is calling on the governor to repudiate remarks made by a top education advisor. The Williamson County Democratic Party is also noting its stance in support of teachers in Williamson County and across Tennessee.

In an emailed statement, the group notes that it “stands in solidarity with public school teachers across Tennessee, especially those in Williamson County. Yesterday, Governor Bill Lee, a graduate of Franklin High School in Williamson County, nodded his head in agreement while an advisor of his was openly mocking public school teachers at an event for charter school teachers.”

Jenn Foley, chair of the Williamson County Democrats, said:

“We will not stay silent when our public school teachers have had two of the hardest years in recent history during the Covid pandemic. They have risked their lives to teach our children, and we must boldly stand up and support them now and every day. I have three kids in our wonderful public schools, and I know firsthand how hard they work for our families. We cannot allow our leadership to decimate our public schools.”

Courtenay Rogers, vice chair of the party and candidate for Williamson County Commission said:

“Families move to Williamson County because of the great quality of life and the excellent public education we provide our children. Our schools are one of the main reasons businesses choose to relocate to our community as well, and we need to be focused on increasing funding and improving teacher salaries and benefits, not calling our teachers dumb.”

JC Bowman, head of Professional Educators of Tennessee (PET) said in a tweet:

Newly elected Tennessee Education Association President Tanya Coats said:

“Tennessee educators worked tirelessly through the past three school years to keep their students engaged, safe and healthy during a global pandemic. Many did so at the expense of their own health and wellbeing. To now witness their governor stand silently alongside out-of-state privatizers as they are cruelly and unfairly attacked feels like a punch to the gut. There is no excuse.

Our public school educators and teacher prep programs are the foundation of our state’s great public schools. Our governor would do well to remember that the continued success of our state is intrinsically tied to the success of our system of strong public schools, not charter schools.”


Lee’s silence and complicity in the denigration of teachers should come as no surprise. He’s repeatedly demonstrated his priority is on privatizing public schools. He’s also consistently shown his lack of respect for and appreciation of teachers.

Bill Lee ran a campaign predicated on the idea that our public schools were failing and the solution was/is charters and vouchers. He’s made good on that commitment as Governor. At this point, no one should be surprised that Bill Lee is nodding along as Tennessee’s public school educators are under attack.

For more on education politics and policy in Tennessee, follow @TNEdReport

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