Author Archives: Andy Spears

Posted on by

AI Alarm Bells

As AI “teachers” come closer to being reality, a warning:

Aura found that kids use AI for companionship 42% of the time, and over a third of those interactions involve talk about violence. Half of those interactions combine violence with sexual roleplay. A study by Common Sense Media finds larger numbers, with 72% of teens reporting they have used an AI companion and 52% saying they use AI companions a few times a month or more.

Humans are built for connection. With other humans.

Children crave companionship – and they are finding it in AI bots.

an artificial intelligence illustration on the wall
Photo by Tara Winstead on Pexels.com

MORE EDUCATION NEWS

Stories to Watch in 2026

A Conservative Dream: The End of Public Schools

Posted on by

Union Time

TC Weber suggests that state lawmakers may inadvertently drive up union membership among educators.

One bill I’m hearing about would eliminate Collaborative Conferencing altogether.

To be clear: they’re not replacing CC. They’re just eliminating it.

Which is rich, because collaborative conferencing already forces educators to do enormous amounts of work to produce guidelines the district is under no obligation to follow.

Teachers will quickly realize that interpreting state law will come down to them versus the district—and they’ll need qualified help.

The unions will be standing there with membership forms.

MORE EDUCATION NEWS

Saying NO to Trump’s Voucher Scheme

The AI Nightmare is Here

Posted on by

Starting Time

Will MNPS change school start times?

TC Weber digs into the latest:

Model 1: Squeeze

High schools shift later by 20 minutes, elementary schools by 10 minutes, middle schools unchanged.

  • High School: 7:25–2:25
  • Elementary: 8:10–3:10
  • Middle: 8:55–3:55

Model 2: Shift

All schools start 15 minutes later.

  • High School: 7:20–2:20
  • Elementary: 8:15–3:15
  • Middle: 9:10–4:10

Model 3: No Change

  • High School: 7:05–2:05
  • Elementary: 8:00–3:00
  • Middle: 8:55–3:55

Now, the district must decide on what (if any) change will be made.

MORE EDUCATION NEWS

Trump Killing the Dept. of Education

A Dark Money Move to End Public Schools

Posted on by

Lost Students, Lost Dollars

TC Weber explains that Nashville’s “lost student” problem also leads to a loss of funding.

Bottom line: MNPS is staring at $16–20 million in lost annual operating revenue from a six-week enrollment shift.

That is not chump change.

And here’s the part that often gets lost:

The fiscal pain is felt by schools, not Central Office.

Using the same baseline numbers, high schools alone account for roughly $10 million of that loss.

READ MORE>

bitcoins and u s dollar bills
Photo by David McBee on Pexels.com

MORE EDUCATION NEWS

Schools of Despair Swamp Florida Education

Tennessee Sued Over School Voucher Scheme

Posted on by

MNPS and the Lost Students

Nashville education blogger TC Weber takes a deep dive into the data to find out about nearly 1500 students leaving MNPS well after the school year started.

Between August 12 and October 1, Metro Nashville Public Schools lost 1,481 students.

Just shy of 1,500 kids disappeared from Nashville’s zoned schools in six weeks.

The schools losing the most students are not fringe campuses or experimental programs. They are the district’s cornerstone comprehensive schools:

  • Antioch High School (–131)
  • McGavock High School (–108)
  • John Overton High School (–103)
  • Cane Ridge High School (–98)
  • Antioch Middle School (–67)
  • Glencliff High School (–62)
  • Whites Creek High School (–52)
  • Hunters Lane High School (–52)
  • James Lawson High School (–52)

READ MORE>

cityscape of nashville tennessee at dawn
Photo by Cesar G on Pexels.com

MORE EDUCATION NEWS

A Focus on Ending Public Education

The Wild, Wild Florida School Voucher Scheme

Posted on by

Will Bill Lee Do The Right Thing in 2026?

It’s never too late to start

Gov. Bill Lee refused federal funds in 2025 to help provide food assistance to families during the summer – allowing extra SNAP funds for those who qualify for free/reduced lunch.

Yes, all school meals should be free for every kid every day.

But for now, free meals are limited to those who fill out forms and qualify based on income.

Lee has an opportunity to accept federal funds for 2026 -and the deadline for that decision is fast-approaching (It’s January 1st).

Groups are asking Lee to take action – County Mayors, pastors, and more are calling on Lee to accept the funds that help some 700,000 kids access food assistance in the summer.

Below is a statement from the Tennessee High School Democrats:

MORE EDUCATION NEWS

Federal School Vouchers Pose a Threat to Public Schools

Where Did 30,000 Students Go?

Posted on by

A Privatization Warning from Florida

Florida’s “Schools of Hope” program offers a warning to other states about the rapid advancement of charter schools.

As Accountabaloney notes:

Schools of Hope co-location shifts costs, concentrates disruption in vulnerable communities, and strips local school boards of authority, all while insulating the neighborhoods and families with the most resources. That’s not innovation. It’s the extraction of resources from public schools for the benefit of charter corporations.

businessman man woman desk
Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

MORE EDUCATION NEWS

A Letter to Bill Lee

A Federal School Voucher Scheme

Posted on by

Money Grab

The Trump Administration is ending a Biden-era effort to provide some relief for low-income student loan borrowers.

NewsChannel5 reports:

The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday announced a proposed agreement with Missouri that would shutter a Biden-era student loan repayment program and require millions of loan holders to immediately begin repaying their student debt.

The proposal would end the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan, which the Biden administration launched in 2023.

Nearly eight million student loan borrowers on SAVE plans began accruing interest on their debt again in August after the Education Department restarted the charges.

The Student Borrower Protection Center said it projects that the typical borrower will be forced to pay more than $3,500 per year or $300 per month in interest charges.

bitcoins and u s dollar bills
Photo by David McBee on Pexels.com

MORE EDUCATION NEWS

Will Bill Lee Accept Sun Bucks in 2026?

Ending Public Schools: The Trump-Heritage Dream

Posted on by

Taking Shape

Candidates are emerging for the 2026 Memphis-Shelby County School Board race.

Chalkbeat reports:

Five incumbent Memphis-Shelby County Schools board members — Michelle McKissack, Natalie McKinney, Tamarques Porter, Sable Otey and Towanna Murphy — confirmed with Chalkbeat that they’re running for reelection.

Sonia Partick-Warr filed campaign documents with the election commission but did not list a party affiliation.

Toshina Williams-Webb posted her intention to run on Facebook.

Jon Carroll confirmed to Chalkbeat that he will run as a Democrat.

MORE EDUCATION NEWS

Federal School Vouchers are Dangerous

Wild West Vouchers Wreck Florida Education Budget

Posted on by

Republicans Plot Takeover of Memphis Schools

Mark White and other legislative Republicans want to dictate how Memphis runs its schools.

Chalkbeat reports:

Tennessee House Republican leaders will push forward a plan in 2026 to install a Memphis-Shelby County schools oversight panel that would seize significant decision-making authority from the locally elected school board.

House Speaker Cameron Sexton and education committee Chairman Mark White confirmed this month they are committed to working with the Senate to pass a form of takeover legislation in the 2026 legislative session.

MORE EDUCATION NEWS

Bill Lee and Summer Hunger

The Nonprofit Seeking to End Public Education in Tennessee