Author Archives: Andy Spears

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Lamberth-Watson’s Cruelty Defeated

The Education Wars picked up the story of a cruel bill that sought to deny education to the children of immigrants based on the legal status of their parents. The measure, led by Sen. Bo Watson and Rep. William Lamberth, did not advance despite the persistence of its two leading advocates.

Then there is Tennessee, where odious legislation that would have given public schools the right to turn away undocumented students, or charge them tuition, collapsed this week due to widespread opposition. A broad coalition of groups, sixty five strong, including the Tennessee Chapter of NAACP, Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowerment (SOCM) — one of my favorite grassroots organizing groups—and an array of immigrant rights organizations helped bring this thing down.

Local school officials played a key role too. The Hamilton County School Board, representing the largest school system in the home district of Bo Watson, the sponsor of the Senate version of the bill, voted unanimously to condemn the legislation last week, and every one of the district’s 79 school principals came out in opposition.

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How Vouchers Kill Local Public Schools

Money Matters for Schools

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Vouchers Rejected in Utah, Missouri

As Tennessee moves forward with expensive voucher scheme, other states are rejected the bad idea

The effort to divert public funds to unaccountable private schools ran into roadblocks in Missouri and Utah last week.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe’s plan to rapidly enlarge a scholarship program for private and religious schools with an infusion of state tax funds was cut out of the budget Wednesday as the Senate Appropriations Committee finished revising spending plans for the coming year.

The Republican Senator who stripped the voucher funding said public schools should be the state’s top funding priority.

In Utah, a judge came to the rescue of the state’s students:

Utah’s $100 million school voucher program violates the state’s constitution, a judge ruled Friday.

“[Because] the Program is a legislatively created, publicly funded education program aimed at elementary and secondary education, it must satisfy the constitutional requirements applicable to the ‘public education system’ set forth in the Utah Constitution,” Third District Judge Laura Scott wrote in her ruling. “The Program is not ‘open to all children of the state.’”

The judge said public education funds in Utah must be used to support schools that accept all students – and that private schools may restrict admission, so cannot be recipients of public education dollars.

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Texas Advances Costly Voucher Scheme

Elon Musk Takes Millions from TN Farmers and Kids

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Nashville Public Education Foundation Announces Hall of Fame Honorees

The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) announced the newest recipients of their Hall of Fame honor.

Janet Miller, this year’s Nelson C. Andrews Distinguished Service Award honoree. Janet has served as a real estate and development leader in Nashville for over 30 years. She is currently the CEO and Market Leader as well as the incoming Vice Chairman of Colliers Nashville. Janet proudly declares the foundation for her success is the public education she received in Nashville, which has guided and inspired her service to our community throughout her career

We are also excited to announce this year’s Distinguished Alumni honorees. These individuals have shown exemplary leadership and service in our community and are inspiring examples of the incredible talent cultivated by Metro Nashville Public Schools.

Martesha Johnson Moore, a graduate of Whites Creek High School, is the Nashville Metropolitan Chief Public Defender.

Marlene Eskind Moses, a graduate of Hillsboro High School, is an internationally recognized family law attorney at GSRM Law.

Tom Parrish, a graduate of Hillwood High School, now known as James Lawson High School, is the Chief Operating Officer at the Scarlett Family Foundation where he manages the day-to-day operations and relationships with grant seekers, recipients, and key business partners.

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Voucher Scheme Rejected in Utah

Missouri Legislature Deals Blow to Vouchers

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A Note on the “Success Sequence”

Perhaps an unintended consequence?

Chalkbeat reports:

Tennessee public schools could soon be required to teach the “success sequence” – that the keys to future success are to graduate high school; enter the workforce or pursue postsecondary education; marry, and then have children. The state joins others around the country introducing legislation around the controversial education idea.

That’s all well and good, but Peter Greene digs a little deeper to explain:

The clear, logical implication of the sequence is that teenaged girls should be on birth control until they have reached the proper moment in the sequence. Heck, the success sequence is practically a full-on endorsement of the “I’m not ready for a child yet” case for legal abortion. If you are pushing the sequence as a practical plan for success in life, then it only makes sense to allow teenagers the practical tools that will help them postpone having a child until they’re at the right point in the sequence.

Yes, many sequencers like to use the idea to sell abstinence, and that tips the hand of the real idea for many sequencers–that the success sequence is not a practical plan to achieve desired outcomes, but a moral test to see who deserves those “success” outcomes. For some it is another way to make the argument that poor folks are poor because of their own lousy choices, and if you don’t want to be poor, make better choices.

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Vouchers are Bad: Very Bad

Christian Nationalism and American Public Schools

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Williamson County Teachers Speak Out on Disrespect from School Board

The Williamson County School Board recently made science textbook selections. In an unprecedented move, the Board rejected the science textbooks that received the most votes from teachers. Instead, the Board chose to implement/adopt material that was the last choice.

It’s not entirely clear why this choice was made, though it is worth noting that the Board is now solidly controlled by influences from Moms for Liberty and Americans for Prosperity.

One blogger took the time to review teacher responses to this action. I’ll note some examples here:

“During my time teaching in the district, we’ve lost many excellent teachers to other districts because of pay, climate, and decisions like those made at last night’s meeting regarding textbook adoption. How can you spend the first part of the meeting discussing things like increasing teacher pay and then come back from break so blatantly disregarding us as professionals?” – WCS high school AP teacher

“In my 18 years in public education, I have never witnessed a school board go against teacher input for a textbook adoption. This raises red flags as an employee, parent, and community member.” – WCS middle school instructional coach

The general vibe: Teachers are not happy. They feel disrespected. The school board asked them to do a job and then completely ignored their recommendation.

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Vouchers Kill Local Public Schools

Bill Lee Opposes Feeding Hungry Kids

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Small Business Group Criticizes Lamberth/Watson Anti-Kids Bill

Lawmakers have turned cruelty into legislative proposals

The Tennessee Small Business Alliance celebrated a House subcommittee move that may signal delay or even defeat of legislation sponsored by Rep. William Lamberth and Sen. Bo Watson. The Lamberth/Watson bill in question would allow public schools to exclude certain children from access to education because of the perceived sins of their parents.

What better time than Holy Week for a rebuke to powerful oppressors?

In a statement to the media, the Small Business Alliance said of the committee’s move to place HB793 “behind the budget” –

“This is an admission that Sen. Watson and Rep. Lamberth’s attack on children isn’t just morally indefensible—it’s fiscally reckless,” said the Tennessee Small Business Alliance. “So we want to know: will they finally drop their crusade against these children?”

Some Republican lawmakers are also speaking out against Watson and Lamberth’s cruelty:

“Keeping immigrant families away from education and economic opportunities ultimately costs the state more than just providing an equal education,” said Rep. Mark White of Memphis.

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Vouchers and the Death of Public Schools

What the “Dismantling” of Dept. of Ed Means for Schools

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Pastors Dismayed as Senate Votes for Anti-Immigrant Education Bill

Lawmakers seek to punish kids to appease Trump

A group of Tennessee pastors affiliated with the Southern Christian Coalition is speaking out against cruel anti-immigrant legislation sponsored by Senator Bo Watson and Rep. William Lamberth. The measure passed the Senate this week.

In a statement released to the media, the group explained their opposition to the measure that would allow public schools and charter schools to refused to educate the children of immigrants unless they can prove their legal status.

Rev. Monica Mowdy, United Methodist minister and former educator, said:

“As a Christian pastor and former teacher, I believe the words of Jesus when He tells us to care for the vulnerable and the children in our communities. I’m ashamed that Senator Bailey’s vote yesterday was in direct violation of our call as Christians. He refused to even hear the concerns of a constituent and pastor he’s represented for over 20 years.”

The group expressed hope that the vote will go differently in the House:

“It’s my hope and prayer that things go quite differently in the House,” said Rev. Mowdy. “We are called, above all, to love our neighbor and protect the vulnerable. This bill fails that test.”

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How Vouchers Kill Local Public Schools

Money Matters for Schools

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Vouchers: Terrible Policy, Terribly Expensive

Bill Lee’s signature achievement as governor will be the destruction of TN public schools

Over at The Education Report I wrote about a new policy analysis exploring how vouchers impact local public schools.

The answer: It’s not good.

As if we needed even more evidence that vouchers are a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad policy idea – Public Funds for Public Schools is out with a new policy brief that includes case studies focused on the financial impact of school voucher schemes.

The bottom line: Voucher budgets suck limited funds out of education funding allocations and the result leaves public schools behind.

Gov. Bill Lee promoting school privatization

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Elon’s DOGE Takes on Hungry Kids and Food Banks

Trump and Christian Nationalism

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Speaking Out Against Exclusion

Pastors continue to challenge lawmakers on bill that attacks children of immigrants

From NewsBreak:

Rev. Jean Norton of Madison, an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ, released a video statement explaining her opposition.

“My faith tells me that we are to support and welcome the least among us, and among the most vulnerable are children,”

exterior of school building in daytime
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Vouchers are Bad: An Ohio Story

Bill Lee vs. Hungry Kids

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Fairness in Girls Sports

Against Dismantling Department of Education

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What to do About Shelby County Schools?

The legislature seems determined to subvert democracy

Chalkbeat reports that a pair of possible “solutions” are floating around – plans that would allow the General Assembly to intervene in Shelby County Schools:

One proposal in the House would take power away from the elected school board for at least four years, giving oversight of the school district to a state-appointed board of local residents. A proposal in the Senate would give the Shelby County Commission greater control over the school district — at a time when commissioners have already proposed creating an advisory board to consult with the school board.

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Evidence from Ohio Suggests Vouchers Harm Kids

Money Matters for Schools

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Faith Leaders Stand Up for Trans Kids

Pot for Potholes?