“There are no self-proclaimed villains, only regiments of self-proclaimed saints. Victorious historians rule where good or evil lies.”
― Glen Cook, Chronicles of the Black Company

it seems like just last week the kids were streaming into the house, throwing their backpacks on the table, and proclaiming, “Ain’t touching that until August.”

Two weeks from now, it’s August.

The proclamations of freedom have turned from defiant to resigned.

“16 more days til school”, says the voices from the back of the car on the way to the pool.

Teachers have been trickling back to their classrooms, preparing for the onslaught of pending students. Setting up classrooms takes time; fortunately, teachers willingly donate theirs to help facilitate a smooth start to the school year. Sure there is a stipend if you have your room set by a certain date. but $100 fails to recognize the true level of commitment involved.

Since school is on the cusp of starting, it only makes sense, that last week parents received some of the results from Tennessee’s latest round of standardized testing. You know, the one given way back in April.

If you go to TCAP’s Family Portal and enter the proper information, you can see how your student performed. Results are only available for students in K-8. With high school students, it gets a little more complicated.

If you have a student who was in 8th grade and took integrated math, those scores will not be available until September. A full month after school starts. Is there anything less relevant at that point?

The scores are divided into four categories: Below Expectations, Approaching Expectations, Met Expectations, or Exceeded Expectations. Don’t fall into the trap of taking those scores as a full pronouncement.

The dashboard will give you a score for your child. In this case, we’ll use 343. For ELA that number falls into the category of “Approaching Expectations”.

Some may see that as a cause for alarm, but maybe not so much.

Scroll further down in the dashboard and you’ll see the score ranges. Approaching is 298 – 345, while meets expectation is 346 – 383.

In other words, the kid who scored approaching is roughly one question away from scoring a meeting expectations classifications. There is no way to discern between a student not knowing the answer to one question, or a loss of focus by that student. Yet, either case will earn that student the same intervention.

Unless of course, the district chooses to focus on those students scoring between say 335 – 350 in an effort to move them over the line and show massive growth.

I know nobody would do such a thing, but as the numbers become more and more important to policymakers, someone might be tempted.

Math scores for high school students will also be released in September.

Tennessee continues to spend millions of taxpayer dollars on assessments that have no practical applications. As far as I can tell, the main purpose of state testing is to spur cries of crisis, provide impetus for school celebrations, and reward policymakers.

Doesn’t seem like a quality return on investment to me, but I’m betting we’ll continue to throw away millions in the name of so-called accountability.

– – –

Politically these are unprecedented times.

Last weekend, we had an assassination attempt on a presidential candidate that came dangerously close to fruition. As more facts come to light, concerns should escalate. Questions about resources, procedures, and competence remain unanswered.

Yesterday, via a post on Twitter – I’m still not calling it X – President Biden announced his intent to end his re-election campaign.

What remains unclear, and will eventually require a public explanation, is whether he’s stepping down because of health or he was forced out by Democratic party leaders and donors. Either way, it opens a can of worms that must be addressed.

If it is indeed health-related, how does he continue as the leader of the free world? If you can’t keep up a campaign schedule, how do you keep up a governing schedule?

If the other is true, you have a coup.

Millions of Americans voted in the primaries. They cast their vote for President Biden. I assume those were informed voters making an informed decision. Those votes will now be discarded and delegates will be responsible for appointing the party nominee. That kinda undercuts the whole every vote matters argument. Because in case, it doesn’t, not by a long shot.

An argument can be made that Democrat voters were never allowed to consider any other candidates. Party leaders maintained right up to three weeks ago that the President was vibrant and mentally sharp. It’s become apparent that was not an accurate representation.

As much as party leaders would like to sweep aside these concerns, they are real and can’t be summarily dismissed. To do so puts the country at peril.

Personally, I believe that whoever is President on Election Day, will be President well into 2025. This election’s aftermath is bound to be mired in lawsuits.

The precedent that is being set should give us all cause for pause. The hatred for one man should not be justification for undermining our democratic principles. You can’t save democracy by subverting democracy.

I detest Donald Trump, but I believe in the American people and I believe in the Constitution. I believe he’s likely incompetent, and I find his rhetoric repugnant, but I don’t believe he is a threat to democracy.

Presidents on both sides of the aisle have taken office with an agenda of things they’d like to do. Never has that list gone unedited.

The argument that a vote for a candidate is a vote to destroy democracy is a lazy one which discounts the checks and balances built into the system.

I’d urge all of us, Republican and Democrat, to tread lightly in going forward. Once precedent is set, it is hard to undo.

– – –

Early voting has started across Tennessee. Residents head to the polls with a chance to vote in local races and state primaries.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee continues to try and drum up support for his pet voucher program, by lending support to his preferred candidates.

On a side note, Lee once held aspirations to be named to a Trump ticket as vice president. It was an idea roundly ridiculed.

Last week he watched as President Trump named J.D. Vance to the position. A candidate that arguably brings even less to the table. I’m not going to lie, the irony amuses me.

But I digress.

This past week, Lee did get an opportunity to take his message to the national stage. As a speaker at the recently completed Republican National Convention, the Governor proclaimed school choice as the civil rights issue of our time.

Look, I softened my position on school choice, but Lee’s indictment is ridiculous. School choice is not the civil rights issue of our time.

Do you know what is the civil rights issue of our time?

Civil rights.

You can’t just appropriate an unresolved issue for your own agenda without inviting ridicule. In doing so, the Governor is using a strategy that Republicans often accuse Democrats of employing – preying on emotions at the expense of facts.

It wasn’t a good look.

Financial disclosures released last week show several prominent House members being outraised by their challengers. Among them, Reagan, Cepicky, and Hazelwood are notable.

On the Senate side, the support of the Governor has helped Education Committee Chair Jon Lundberg significantly outraise his opponent by more than $234,000. This causes a bit of a predicament as former President Trump recently endorsed Lundberg’s opponent, the son of U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Kingsport,

Harshbarger’s money has come from some interesting and disparate sources.

Per the Tennessean:

“Harshbarger has received contributions from the Tennessee Firearms Association and outgoing TSU President Glenda Glover, a notable donation after Lundberg was a co-sponsor of legislation earlier this year to vacate the TSU board. He also received an in-kind donation from Brandon Lewis, of Signal Mountain, who runs the conservative activism blog Tennessee Conservative and an associated candidate training platform.”

Over in arguably Tennessee’s wealthiest district, and home to Governor Lee, things are shaping up as a battle between PACs instead of candidates.

Sam Whitson has decided to not seek reelection for the District 65 House seat. Looking to replace him are Republicans  Brian Beathard, Lee Reeves, and Michelle Foreman.

Foreman recently ran for the House seat in District 59, my home district. She lost that race, and it cost her a tidy chunk of money after she sued Council Member David Rosenberg for defamation. That lawsuit was dismissed. Now she’s taking a run in Williamson County.

Foreman is backed by Tennessee Stands, a Conservative group that opposed vouchers. Lee Reeves is supported by Americans for Prosperity, and endorsed by Governor Lee. The two PACs are slugging it out, while the most qualified candidate, Beathard, quietly convinces voters of his electability.

Similar scenes are being played out all over the state.

Election day is just two weeks away. Where it all ends is anyone’s guess.

– – –

Once again, Rutherford County has said, no.

Last week the district’s school board heard the appeal of previously denied Novus SMART Academy’s application. The vote to approve the application was 3-3 with one abstention. The vote needed a majority to succeed. A subsequent vote to deny was 4-3.

Financial concerns were listed as a primary concern. The charter school would have been the fourth charter school in the district.

School board member Frances Rosales told The Tennessee Firefly that funding challenges of that growth led her to make the decisive vote against Novus. She worries adding another public charter school might further impact the district’s budget challenges.

“I don’t want to deny a charter school because I do believe in parental choice but at the same time, we have to look at the fiscal impact it is causing right now,” said Rosales.

The vote went counter to the recommendation of the district review team. That team found Novus made the necessary curriculum changes to the application initially denied by board members in April, and now met all state standards for approval.

Novus has the option of appealing the district decision to the Tennessee Charter School Commission, which could overrule the local decision.

– – –

Changes are afooot at the Univesity of Florida. University President Ben Sasse is stepping down, reportedly over his wife’s health issues. Sasse assumed his leadership role just under two years ago.

Sasse, a former Nebraska republican Senator, was a controversial figure who often found himself at odds with Florida Governor Ron Desantis. The President defended himself by pledging to run the university as an academic and not a politician.

A year ago, Sasse hired former Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn to be the University’s first Vice President of PK-12 and Pre-Bachelors Programs. A job that paid $375K annually and allowed the former Commissioner the opportunity to retain her Tennessee residence. Many saw the hiring as an acknowledgment of her service to former Florida Governor Jeb Bush’s education advocacy group Chiefs for Change.

In her new position, Schwinn has managed to continue doing what she does best, making herself rich while pissing parents off.

During the UF Board of Trustees meeting on March 8, Schwinn suggested changing P.K. Yonge’s, the University’s K-12 school, high school admissions process after the board requested she find solutions to boost the school’s ranking since it is affiliated with the university.

Per WUFT:

“With the proposed changes, students would be admitted based on highest academic performance and standardized test scores. Traditionally, admission into P.K. Yonge is through a lottery system to ensure that the student body reflects the diverse demographics of Florida’s school-age population. This has been in order to meet the requirements of the Sidney Martin Developmental Research Act of 1991 and is a point of pride for the school.”

It was a plan, like most of Schwinn’s ideas, that wasn’t well thought out and instantly drew opposition from stakeholders. Also like most Schwinn plans, it has failed to make much progress towards fruition.

One can’t help but wonder if the new University President will continue to see value in a Schwinn investment.

– – –

Per usual, I need to rattle the cup a little bit before I head out the door.

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Categories: Education