Names have power, so it makes sense that young humans, who are generally in search of both identity and some amount of power over their own lives, will often try to exert some control over their own names.
Greene says it is not difficult to acknowledge a student’s name preference:
Did I agree with all of them? No more than I agreed with some of my students’ questionable fashion choices. But it cost me nothing to honor these preferences, to give students that small measure of control over their own identities. It was a small thing for me, but a thing that helped make my classroom a safe, welcoming space where we could get on with the work of learning to be better at reading, writing, speaking and listening.
Just a couple of decades ago, teachers at conferences heard that smartphones were the education tool of the future. Now it appears that the national mood is to take broad steps to keep those devices out of classrooms.
Tennessee teacher shortage persists as pay remains low
While current reports suggest that the shortage of teachers in Tennessee is improving a bit, the reality is a significant number of classrooms will start the year without a full-time, permanent teacher.
This may seem amazing to people in Tennessee. Here, lawmakers and Gov. Lee are focused on giving $500 million to the Tennessee Titans, privatizing state roads, and offering $1.6 billion in corporate tax giveaways.
While proposals to make school meals free for all kids in Tennessee have been presented – by both Democrats and at least one Republican – they have consistently been shot down.
Specifically, while the state has provided a half billion to the Tennessee Titans for a new stadium and offered $1.6 billion in tax breaks to big corporations (many from out of state), the state still does not provide free school meals to all kids.
For less than one third of the cost of funding corporate tax breaks and paying for a stadium for the privately-owned Titans, Tennessee could feed breakfast and lunch for free to every kid in school every day.
Instead, families in the state are saddled with school lunch debt.
These processors often charge fees to process payments – meaning the price of school meals goes up when using them. Yet, many families have no option – a single vendor typically operates the payment system for a district.
Kamala Harris’s bid for the White House offers an opportunity to examine the President’s impact on education policy.
While the federal government and President don’t directly dictate education policy (this is primarily a state and local function), an Administration can certainly set a tone and some parameters.
And, certainly, broad policies like No Child Left Behind had impacts felt at the school level.
Joe Biden has been a friend to public education, and Kamala Harris would likely not deviate from that.
A look at her record reveals someone who has been a supporter of public education and public school educators.
Harris’ very first speech on the US Senate floor was in opposition to the nomination of Betsy DeVos as Trump’s Secretary of Education, shredding her for an utter lack of qualifications and experience.
She’s also called for a significant pay hike for teachers. This echoes the call by Sen. Bernie Sanders to make the minimum starting pay for all teachers $60,000.
While the federal government does not set state and local pay scales for teachers, federal funding could be distributed in such a way as to effectively give teachers a raise.
Moreover, when the message coming from the White House is “boost teacher pay and invest in schools,” state policymakers are more likely to move in that direction – especially in states where the leadership is of the same party as the President.
In her first week as a candidate, Harris addressed the American Federation of Teachers and argued in favor of increased teacher pay and measures to reduce the risk of gun violence at schools.
Should she become President, her record suggests she would stand with public schools and support teachers.
With some reports indicating that Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro is on the short list to become Vice President Kamala Harris’s running mate, a key problem is emerging for Shapiro: School vouchers.
Shapiro is often referred to as a moderate in his party, and it strikes me that a Democrat can earn the “moderate” label simply by selling out public schools and supporting privatization schemes like charter schools or vouchers.
It appears Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is now on the shortlist as well. Walz is a staunch supporter of public schools and signed a law ensuring free school meals for all kids in Minnesota schools.
One of the General Assembly’s top advocates for taking public school funds and sending them to unaccountable private schools is also the author of legislation that prohibits the government from injecting produce with vaccines.
If that sounds strange, it is.
Rep. Scott Cepicky never met a conspiracy theory he didn’t try to turn into law.
Rep. Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka) is either infamous or famous. His descriptor depends on who you ask. Nonetheless he’s known. During Tennessee’s last legislative session, he led the failed vanguard for school vouchers and passed a law to regulate vaccine lettuce.
That hasn’t stopped Bill Lee and his legislative allies (like lettuce-loving Cepicky) from setting aside some $140 million to start the process of a universal voucher program in the state.
Will Tennessee lawmakers pass a new tax next year?
A recent analysis of the potential cost of school vouchers in Kentucky shows that Bluegrass State taxpayers could be on the hook for $199 million in year one – with those costs expected to balloon in subsequent years.
Which reminds me that the year one cost of Gov. Bill Lee’s universal voucher scam would cost TN taxpayers $140 million with estimates suggesting the cost of the program at full operation would be above $700 million.
Lee is actively campaigning for Republicans in primaries who support his new voucher tax. He’s also said he plans to try again next year to pass a universal voucher scheme.
In state after state, budget analysis demonstrates that vouchers essentially amount to a new tax – straining local budgets and draining state revenue previously directed toward public schools and other programs.
Arizona is one example – lawmakers there are struggling to patch a giant budget hole due to the budget drain that is vouchers.
Let’s be clear: School vouchers essentially create two school systems. Taxpayers are on the hook for both.
The public spends more, but gets less.
In the above example, Kentuckians would pay nearly $200 million more to educate the exact same number of students.
Lee’s plan would tax Tennesseans $140 million more in its first year and provide no improvement in service.
In Tennessee’s pilot voucher program – where students are required to take state tests – kids who used the vouchers LOST ground.
We’re paying more to lose.
Oh, and after nearly a decade of budget surpluses, Lee’s tax giveaways to the rich have begun to create a budget hole – some $500 million short this year.
Less state revenue, higher local taxes, and kids losing ground academically – that’s the result of the Bill Lee agenda.
Veteran board member backs Parish for District 9 seat
A longtime Williamson County School Board member is backing a political newcomer in the race for the vacant District 9 school board seat.
Rick Wimberley is endorsing Shandus Parish for the job, praising Parish’s commitment to open communication and willingness to work with all parties to advance excellence.
“Shandus has a good grasp of the challenges of school board work and an understanding of what the real role is and what it’s not,” Wimberly said. “She’s prepared. She’ll be open to input from the public, her colleagues, and WCS staff, and will put aside politics and partisanship when making tough decisions. I think Shandus will make an excellent Williamson County School Board member.”
