In response to news that the State of Tennessee will be “partnering” with Turning Point USA to create “clubs” in every high school and college in the state, Democrats have something to say:
A Response to Turning Point
Moving Toward the End of Public Education
The Trump Education Agenda is clear: End public schools.
Education Department officials are openly calling for plans to move a majority of kids to private schools (by way of vouchers, for example) within just 5 years.
One official even suggested that the ideal number of kids in traditional public schools would be “zero.”
For all the talk of the benefits of “school choice,” the reality is more stark: Choicers simply mean they want ZERO government responsibility for education, other than handing taxpayer cash to private school operators.
Tennessee’s Gov. Bill Lee is no exception, as he and his allies work to rapidly increase the state’s new, universal school voucher scheme.
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A Plea for Bill Lee
Will Gov. Bill Lee do the right thing in the last year of his term? Will he accept federal assistance for Sun Bucks – a summer EBT program that provides help for families with kids who receive free or reduced lunch?
Probably not.
But, local elected officials are asking him to.
33 County Mayors are calling on Gov. Bill Lee to participate in the federal Sun Bucks program in 2026.
The local leaders penned a letter to Lee asking him not to forego the summer program that provides additional EBT funds for families during the summer. The program is designed to provide additional assistance during a time when kids are unable to get free or reduced-cost meals at school.
Lee refused to participate in Sun Bucks last summer – and left hundreds of thousands of kids without the food assistance their families need.
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Donald’s Dangerous Vouchers
Among the ways the current President is taking down public institutions is the federal school voucher scheme embedded in the Big, Beautiful Bill.
These federal vouchers divert public funds to private education uses, with all the attendant harms, and they must be recognized as such, even if it may be possible to use the voucher money for public school students.
All vouchers harm students and undermine public education, and the federal voucher law is no different:
o Vouchers divert public funds to private schools.
o Vouchers lead to worse educational outcomes for students.
o Vouchers put students’ civil rights at risk.
o Vouchers lack quality and accountability standards and encourage fraud and abuse.
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State-Sponsored Extremism
Gov. Bill Lee, Sen. Jack Johnson, and U.S. Senator and gubernatorial candidate Marsha Blackburn joined together to announce they are backing a “partnership” between the state and Turning Point USA to help the extremist right-wing group indoctrinate kids at high schools across the state.
Tennessee state leaders announced Friday morning that the state will partner with Turning Point USA, a conservative nonprofit founded by the late Charlie Kirk.
Those state officials announced at an event at the Tennessee State Capitol that there would be Club America chapters, student-led organizations affiliated with Turning Point USA, at every high school in the state.
U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., who is running for Tennessee governor, and state Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, R-Franklin, spoke at the event announcing the partnership. No media was invited, but a 30-minute video was posted on Rumble, a social media platform that’s particularly popular with right-wing creators.
It’s not clear how the state will facilitate Club America chapters – if there will be a mandate from the Department of Education, how state funds may be used to pay for the expansion of the group’s clubs, or if other groups may be able to obtain the same type of explicit state support.
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Knox Prep Problems
Knoxville News-Sentinel reports:
Knoxville Preparatory School, an all-boys charter school that opened in fall 2024, failed to meet or fell far below nine of 25 state standards and must work to get up to requirements.
The school struggled in finance management, boosting enrollment compared to projections, protecting the rights of students with disabilities, and complying with government requirements . . .
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Learning Through Food
Students at one Nashville high school are learning about business management and cooking by operating a food truck, NewsChannel5 reports:
McGavock High School students are getting hands-on experience in both culinary arts and business management through their food truck program called Raider Bites.
The program, which launched in recent months, teaches students everything from cooking and food preparation to financial management and customer service. Matthew Long, a student who serves as sous chef of the food truck, said the experience has prepared him for college and beyond.
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2026 Nashville “Teacherpreneurs” Announced
A media release from the Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) announces the 2026 class of Nashville Teacherpreneurs and explains more about the program:
The Nashville Public Education Foundation (NPEF) announced the latest cohort of the Teacherpreneur program, marking its fifth year and continuing its partnership with founding supporter Amazon. Since 2021, the Teacherpreneur program has supported over 40 educators to develop their innovative solutions for removing barriers to student success, with winners receiving cash prizes and access to seed funding for implementation.
Some of the issues being considered by cohort members include creating employment certification pathways for multilingual students, increasing resources for family engagement programs, building support for first year teachers, and facilitating stronger connections to magnet school opportunities. The cohort experience will culminate in a pitch event in March 2026, where educators will present their ideas to a panel of community judges for a chance to win a share of $25,000, as well as funding to support the implementation of their ideas. The fifth Teacherpreneur cohort includes:
- Courtney Antonello, H.G. Hill Middle School
- Ashley Bolan, Hunters Lane High School
- Mary Jo Cramb, Academy at Old Cockrill
- Nakia Edwards, Oliver Middle School
- Katie Fitzpatrick, Hume Fogg Magnet High School
- Molly Goss, Cane Ridge High School
- Heather Hall, East Nashville Magnet High School
- Leigh Ann Harbort, Harris Hillman School
- Madison Reeb, Valor College Prep
- Likisha Rhodes, Cane Ridge High School
- Louisa Saylor, Goodlettsville Elementary School
- Debbie West, Waverly-Belmont Elementary School
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Snowflake School Board Members Meltdown Over Diversity
Some members of the Hamilton County School Board aren’t happy about the district’s efforts to recruit teacher applicants from diverse backgrounds.
Board members Larry Grohn and Felice Hadden, both Republicans, practically melted down at a recent meeting.
What burned them up? The district’s policy that, according to the Chattanooga Times-Free Press:
Under the updated policy, educator diversity refers to a teacher workforce that “reflects a broad range of backgrounds, experiences and perspectives, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, language, socioeconomic backgrounds and pathways into the profession.”
Grohn said the policy was “racist” and Hadden suggested the diversity was fine as long as the district didn’t spend too much effort or money on recruiting diverse candidates.
The whole issue was spurred as Hamilton County updated its diversity policy (to the policy noted above) in response to a state law requiring the dismantling of DEI efforts.
That dismantling included undoing a previous state law – also passed by Republicans – that required school districts to adopt a diversity policy.
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A $10 Million Ride
Memphis school leaders are exploring a range of options to help boost student attendance.
One option: Expanding bus service.
Chalkbeat reports that approach carries a heavy price tag:
Memphis school leaders say expanding student bus services to help boost attendance will raise transportation costs by a minimum of almost $10 million next school year.
Board members advanced the idea in late October to increase busing after multiple teachers testified that students weren’t showing up for class in fear of increased law and immigration enforcement. Interim Superintendent Roderick Richmond was tasked with delivering a plan within 30 days.
