Tennessee and Teachers – Tennessee Education Report

A Williamson County teacher explains what it is like to be a teacher in Tennessee right now:

WATCH: “THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OUR PROFESSION. DEATH BY 1000 CUTS.”

Leann White of WCEA delivers an emotional plea on behalf of TEACHERS @WCSedu’s work session.

Our schools are under attack, by design. Now @GovBillLee is steering public💰to privately run charters? Tell him no. pic.twitter.com/9xpdKLG6kc
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) February 18, 2022

Of course, the legislature is responding in the only way they know how:

Temporary Insanity?

This type of attack has been going on for more than a decade now:

Do We Really Have to Do This?

Make no mistake. These cuts are intentional. The forces of privatization are using all the tools to erode the teaching profession and set public schools up to fail. The nail in the coffin will likely be a new state funding formula that paves a path for a voucher scheme.

The BEP Voucher Plan

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House Bill 1901 sponsored by Rep. Terri Lynn Weaver (and in the Senate by Sen. Joey Hensley) would allow for the granting of temporary teaching licenses to individuals not otherwise trained in order to address the growing teacher shortage in Tennessee.

The Teacher Shortage Crisis is Here

Rep. John Ray Clemmons raised some serious questions about this idea when the bill came up for discussion in House subcommittee:

WATCH: “There are ways to address teacher shortages – it is not A WARM BODY STANDARD.”@JRClemmons resists @TerriLynnWeaver’s push to address the shortage by lowering licensing requirements for a long time, saying pay teachers more instead. (and don’t drain our public school💰) pic.twitter.com/IGJDFE1WUJ
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) February 17, 2022

Clemmons raised some great points. The idea that TN will solve the teacher shortage by issuing licenses to any breathing adult is ludicrous. It is also in keeping with the current philosophy of those governing the state – setting up public schools for failure to enable a privatization agenda.

Exceptionally Bad

Since Gov. Bill Haslam fought to end collective bargaining and then gutted BEP reforms, the majority party in Tennessee has been working diligently toward a singular goal: Give public money to private entities to run schools.

BEP. BEP 2.0. BEP 1.5?

The perpetrators of this fraud have even had some help along the way:

Bill Frist and the BEP

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

Your support – $5 or more – makes publishing education news possible.

Tennessee Education Report

Education politics and policy in the Volunteer State

Tag Archives: Tennessee and Teachers

1000 Cuts

Temporary Insanity?