PHD ED POLICY RESEARCHER TO THE TENNESSEAN: “ISSUE A CORRECTION FOR SEN. JACK JOHNSON’S FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT LEE’S VOUCHERS”

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Below is a letter from PHD Ed Policy researcher Ezra Howard to Tennessean opinion editor David Plazas, in reaction to a recent op-ed from Senator Jack Johnson, who is sponsoring Governor Lee’s voucher bill this upcoming session. Johnson parroted Lee’s claim that the vouchers will not negatively impact public school funding, which is simply not true. Public schools will only be held harmless for one year, but after that year their funding will drop if kids leave for private schools and take their funding with them. 

 

Hello Mr. Plazas,

My name is Dr. Ezra Howard. My day job is the data and evaluation manager for the Nashville After Zone Alliance within Metro Nashville. However, I came back to my hometown of Nashville after a career as an ESL teacher, then district ESL administrator, as well as educational researcher while completing dual PhDs.

I was reading Sen. Jack Johnson’s recent op-ed in the Tennessean. I must insist that the Tennessean issue a correction for his opinion piece as on the point of funding Mr. Johnson is either incorrect or sharing misinformation.

In particular, Sen. Johnson states:

“Despite the false claims of many critics, there will be no decrease in funding for any public schools as a result of this legislation. Two things can be true: we support public schools and school choice.”

This is not a false claim. In fact, it is the Senator misrepresenting the language of his own bill and he has done almost immediately after submitting the bill and saying himself funds would decrease over time.

As the language of the bill states on page 10:

“Notwithstanding subsections (b) and (c), beginning with the TISA allocation for the 2025-2026 school year, an LEA’s allocated education funding shall not decrease from one (1) year to the next year due to the disenrollment of students from the LEA. If an LEA’s calculated TISA allocation decreases from the LEA’s TISA allocation for the prior school year, then the department shall allocate additional funds to the LEA in an amount such that the LEA’s TISA allocation for the current year is not less than the prior school year. For purposes of this subsection (i), “disenrollment” means that the LEA’s non-virtual average daily membership for the current school year is lower than the LEA’s non-virtual average daily membership for the prior school year.”

With a professional background both in ESL and as a researcher, I am well practiced in reading policy. Though I also practice due diligence and consulted with a local lawyer working within educational spaces as well as a colleague in higher education whose focus is on law and education. My reading as well as theirs is that Senator Johnson is patently mis-representing his bill. Funds will go down as enrollment goes down and the stated intent of vouchers is enrollment in local public schools decreasing. It is simply that there will be a year lag. 2025-26 TISA allocation will be based on 2024-25 enrollment. 2026-27 will be based on 2025-26 enrollment. So on and so forth.

Furthermore, House Speaker Cameron Sexton was recently on Inside Tennessee on a local affiliate in Knoxville to discuss this bill and Mr. Sexton goes into a good deal of depth explaining that funds will indeed go down in the exact manner I state above.

As such, I respectfully ask that the Tennessean issue a correction on Sen. Johnson’s piece and retract the false statements both in the excerpt above as well when he states “Public schools will retain their full resources, while families gain access to new opportunities that better meet their children’s needs.

There are other issues such as the “success of pro-school-choice candidates” when many purposefully either downplayed or did not run on school choice, but those can be construed as a matter of opinion. Funds decreasing over time is a matter of fact. And on that fact, Sen. Johnson is not correct.

Regards,

Dr. Ezra Howard

(If you would like to contact David Plazas and join Ezra in asking for a correction, his email: [email protected])

EDITOR’S NOTE – TO EZRA’S POINT, JACK RECENTLY ADMITTED THE BILL WOULD HURT PUBLIC SCHOOLS AFTER 1 YEAR TO NEWSCHANNEL 5, THEN WALKED IT BACK:

Guy Banned From CNN For Racism Took Credit For Replacing 33% of Williamson County’s School Board

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A CNN conversation went off the rails this week when right-wing commentator Ryan Girdusky made a wildly racist comment to Mehdi Hasan, saying “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off” when Hasan said he supports the Palestinian people.

Watch it happen:

The comment was a reference to Israel killing a number of Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon by making their pagers explode, an attack that also took the lives of some innocent people, including children, causing even NPR to wonder if it was a violation of international law.

Others were impressed by it.

Girdusky’s comment was not only incorrect on the facts – the pager attack was in Lebanon, not Gaza – it was also wildly offensive and racist, as he was equating support for “Palestinians” by a Muslim man with support for Hamas, and implying he thought Israel may? should? kill Hasan for it.

Hasan took offense immediately, as did the rest of the panel. After the following commercial break, Girdusky was gone thanks to quick work by host Abby Phillip, and CNN announced he was banned from the network.

Girdusky took to Twitter and whined about it, trying to deflect blame and call it a “joke”, as is the standard Republican way in the Trump era. But the question isn’t why did they kick Girdusky off, it’s why were they platforming him in the first place.

Girdusky previous was a writer for Richard Spencer, a proud white supremacist. He allegedly worked for Milo Yiannopoulos, which would be problematic for a number of other reasons. So for him to say openly racist stuff on CNN should not have come as a surprise to anyone, CNN included.

And here’s why we’re telling about this: the incident also has ties to Tennessee.

Williamson County and Wilson County, specifically.

Girdusky runs a right-wing “1776 Project PAC” out of New York, which claimed credit for the victories of 4 school board members in Williamson (Hibma, Reeves, Bostic, Driggers) and 1 in Wilson (Hohman) this past cycle.

How tight were those school board members with Girdusky? Did they court and approve his PAC’s support? Did they know about his problematic past? And do they support what he said to Hasan?

These all seem like fair questions to ask of them. And if someone capable of such open racism is proud to have backed these candidates for School Board, what does it say about their priorities for the kids in Williamson and Wilson counties?

Here’s Mehdi Hasan’s response to the incident. It’s worth your time:

It’s worth noting that the very first thing these far right school board members did was rescind the previous board’s anti-private school voucher scam resolution, which was likely not a coincidence. Backing Governor Lee’s push to privatize our public schools and steer billions of taxpayer dollars to private religious schools was almost certainly a prerequisite for Girdusky’s PAC’s support.

Girdusky’s 1776 Project PAC is openly hostile to public schools. It stands to reason deep down these school board members are as well. Sadly, this is what low voter turnout gets us.

WILSON COUNTY SCHOOLS REMOVES 400+ BOOKS THANKS TO GOP LAW

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At the start of the school year there were reports that Wilson County Schools would start the year with their library closed as they worked to comply with the new state Republican “Age Appropriate Materials Law”. Wilson Schools explained:

“We will fully comply, and the process to remove materials will happen in a productive and expedited process.”

So what does the law say? From the Tennessean:

“The legislation prohibits materials containing nudity or describes or depicts sexual excitement, sexual conduct, excess violence or sadomasochistic abuse, according to state obscenity laws. It also mandates material that “appeals to the “prurient interest” should not be considered appropriate for school age students.”

Obviously wildly broad, vague, and confusingly up for interpretation.

And what does compliance look like in Wilson County? Now we know.

400+ books have been removed from Wilson County Schools libraries. Here’s The List, which we understand will be presented at the Wilson County School Board meeting Thursday Night at 6pm.

Maybe parents should show up and make their voices heard.

5 of the books were removed from elementary schools, nearly 40 from Middle School, and the rest, nearly 350, from High School libraries.

The list includes classics like Slaughterhouse 5, Pinkalicious, Ready Player One – there’s really something for everyone on the banned list.

To make sure they are in compliance and not open librarians and teachers up to liability, Wilson Schools is understandably making sure nothing remotely edgy is available to students, who Republicans believe are unable to handle books that have been in school libraries for decades.

Sad. Is this really the world we want for our kids? A world where libraries are devoid of anything challenging? How will this prepare them for an inevitably challenging world?

It’s important to keep in mind these book bans are part of a much bigger push to villainize our public schools, with a focus on librarians – part of a privatization effort that ends with billions of dollars landing in the pockets of private church schools and privately run charter schools, which has been Governor Lee’s main priority since the day he took office.

Lee’s rigged charter appeal board, the TISA funding overhaul, the push for universal vouchers – all of this is an effort to villainize public schools and make it easier for kids to leave, taking public taxpayer dollars with them over to privately run religiously affiliated schools and charter schools.

That’s the backdrop here. This book ban law gives the impression our librarians and schools have been peddling pornography, which is anything but the case. Obscene books are already illegal in our schools. The difference is now we have the Rep. Susan Lynn and Senator Mark Podys of the world deciding what ALL of our kids can read. How is that parental choice?

Rutherford County and other counties are also banning books over the vague legislation, which has drawn criticism that includes PEN America’s Freedom to Read Director Kasey Meehan, called  “draconian.”

Book bans are now the norm in Tennessee. Is this really what we want to be known for? Hard to find a time in history where the book banners were on the right side of it.

JC Bowman of the Professional Educators of Tennessee tells us:

“The law creates more problems than it solves.”

There have been questions about whether the new legislation would apply to the Bible, since the Bible includes a ton of violence, terror, rape, and even depicts 2 daughters getting their father drunk and raping him.

But all that is totally fine, according to the bill’s Republican sponsor Susan Lynn: “any standard in Tennessee, the Bible has always been acceptable.”

Sure, Susan.

Columbia D.A. Dropped Charges Against Civilian with PTSD For Showing Up To School with an AR-15 – Did Police Ask Him to Be There?

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Video of Roy Brooks, a former firefighter with a history of PTSD, on campus with Columbia police pointing his weapon at people – and an account by the principal – bring up more disturbing questions about Columbia PD’s response to an active shooter hoax last year, and seem to back up his attorney’s claim that they asked him to join them.

In August of 2023, Roy Brooks, a former firefighter in Columbia, Tennessee, was indicted by a Maury County grand jury on a charge of carrying a weapon on school property during a response to an active shooter call that turned out to be a hoax – despite Brooks not being a law enforcement officer, and having no official capacity with any response team.

In May of 2023, Brooks had reportedly responded in full tactical gear and carrying an AR-15 rifle to the scene when a call of an active shooter at Columbia Central High School came in. The call turned out to be a hoax. Charges were brought against Brooks by D.A. Brent Cooper, making headlines at the time.

Brooks was scheduled for trial in May of this year, but Cooper quietly dropped the charges right before it was scheduled to begin.

From Main Street Media:

Charges dropped against ex-Columbia firefighter Roy Brooks

May 21, 2024

Days before he was set to face trial for carrying a weapon on school property, former Columbia firefighter Roy Brooks saw his case dismissed instead.

District Attorney Brent Cooper made the announcement that the charge against Brooks would not be pursued. In a May 21 statement, Cooper said, “After doing an in-depth review of the facts of the case and the applicable law, I came to the conclusion that a jury may find reasonable doubt as to Mr. Brooks’ guilt, beyond a reasonable doubt. Therefore, the ethical action was to submit an order of Nolle Prosequi, meaning that the State chooses not to proceed further with the case.”

If Brooks was on campus with an AR-15, which is not in dispute, and he was not a part of any law enforcement agency, the question becomes – why did D.A. Cooper drop the charges?

One possible explanation comes from Brooks’ attorney David Christensen, who claims Brooks had been asked to be at the scene by Columbia Police. From the Main Street article:

“His attorney, David Christensen, said at a November hearing that Brooks had in fact been asked to be at the scene. Brooks had previously served with Columbia’s S.W.A.T. unit and reportedly knew many of the officials who responded to the hoax.”

Brooks rejected a plea deal of one year of probation, choosing instead to face trial and a potential two-year prison sentence, which seems to show some real conviction about this explanation on his part.

It’s worth noting, as Main Street does, that Brooks was let go from the Fire Department under concerning circumstances, including claims of PTSD:

“Brooks was terminated in May 2022 by the Columbia Fire Department after multiple allegations against him, including sexual harassment and violation of the city’s sick leave policy. Columbia’s Civil Service Board upheld the firing in August 2022 and a federal wrongful termination lawsuit filed by Brooks was dismissed in January 2024.”

The Tennessee Star wrote about Brooks’ departure from the Fire Department when it happened, highlighting his PTSD in their story:

“A firefighter in Columbia, Tennessee, suffering from PTSD and undergoing treatment, was first demoted and then dismissed only four years before his retirement.

Roy Brooks, who served as a Firefighter Captain in the city of Columbia, was questioned during a meeting earlier this year by a Chief Officer asking if he was in a “dark place?”

Brooks tells us that this demonstrated that the Fire Department was aware that his behavior was not normal for him.

He was called in by the administration on April 11th and demoted from the rank of Captain to that of Firefighter for “3 separate incidents.”  Brooks told The Tennessee Conservative that this was the first time he had been made aware of two of the “incidents”.

During the meeting with the administration, Brooks was made to sign a last chance agreement form that should have been effective until his retirement in approximately four years.

Part of the agreement was for Brooks to attend Employee Assistance mental health Program (EAP) sessions.  Brooks tells us that he attended the sessions and additionally researched PTSD.

He used some of his accrued sick leave for the next several shifts due to panic attacks that occurred the nights before as he was packing and getting ready to go to work.

Brooks tells us that the time off made him realize how much he was suffering mentally and his acceptance of this prompted his wife to open up to him about his behavior over the past year.

“I had no idea what a bad place I was in,” Brooks said.”

That happened in 2022.

Just one year later, Brooks was on Columbia High’s campus with an AR-15. That much is not in dispute, and The Holler has now seen video of it. In the video (seen below in screen grabs, we do not yet have possession of the video itself), Brooks is very clearly walking with the police during their response to the scene in a manner that shows they were no doubt aware of his presence.

At one point in the video, Brooks can be seen pointing his AR-15 at cars with people in them.

Since Brooks had a history of PTSD-related issues with the fire department which resulted in him being let go, and he was not a police officer, if Columbia Police did ask him to show up with a weapon and join them as they moved on a building full of teachers and children it seems they are now the ones with questions to answer.

And we may not be alone in thinking as much. We have obtained the disciplinary file of recently terminated Columbia High principal Dr. Michael Steele, whose account of that day alleges Brooks was also INSIDE the building with the weapon, where students were located, and actually may have been “in a group” that pointed weapons at the Vice Principal.

In his account, Dr. Steele says he was not informed by law enforcement that Brooks had been on campus with the weapon, he was only informed by a “non-faculty coach” – who told him Brooks had at one point tried to “run him off the road” and was showing up at games, which Steele said he couldn’t do anything about:

“On August 15, 2023, one of my non-faculty coaches came to my office and informed me that he was having a problem with a former co-worker. He advised this co-worker followed him and attempted to run him off the road. He produced a police report and told me he was concerned about his former co-worker showing up at the game on Friday. Following our meeting, I informed my administration and SROs. I went on to advise the district safety coordinator, superintendent, and associate superintendent via phone. I was told by all three they were aware of this person but there was nothing I could do to him if he decided to attend the game. We went back and forth a few times, but ultimately I was told I could not ask this man to leave if he came to the game.”

At which point the coach told Dr. Steele about Brooks being on campus with the weapon:

“On August 22, 2023, my coach came back to my office and said, “Dr. Steele, this is your school, and you need to be aware of this. Back in May, (Brooks) came to your school with an AR15 assault rifle and joined with the SWAT Team to clear your building. (Brooks) has no affiliation with any law enforcement agency but did come on your campus with a weapon.”

Steele says he went to Superintendent Lisa Ventura about it:

“On the morning of August 23, 2023, I emailed Mrs. Ventura and Mr. Stacey and requested an urgent meeting to discuss this issue. Mrs. Ventura responded and said she would be in my office at 8:30am. I explained to Mrs. Ventura how concerned I was that I was never notified in May that a man armed with an AR-15 entered my school. I went on to explain why it was important for me to know about what is happening in my school. I’m going to paraphrase what Mrs. Ventura said: “Dr. Steele, not everyone needed to know. This man was a threat and should have been arrested in May. I had to go over the Sheriff’s head and report this to the Tennessee Department of Investigation (TBI). We’ve been watching this man and he sits out on his front porch in full tactical gear watching Mt. Pleasant middle school. We see him on camera entering your school.He pulls up in his POV, slings on his AR15 and enters your school with the SWAT team. He was also in the group that pointed his weapon at Ms. Cathey (Assistant Principal).

Note: This meeting lasted fifty minutes, and during that entire time Mrs. Ventura affirms that (Brooks) entered my school with an assault rifle. She goes on to say she deemed him a threat and he should have been arrested.”

Steele says he was very bothered by his talk with Ventura:

“After our meeting, I was very disturbed. I knew there had to be several things missing in this entire event, but there is never any justification for not notifying the schools principal and SROs… (Brooks) had no affiliation with law enforcement and should never have been on campus. Furthermore, it was public knowledge that (Brooks) was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. There was absolutely no excuse for not letting me and my SROs know about this incident, and to find out about it almost three months later from a non-faculty coach is still very disturbing to me. I/we had every reason to believe that there was a threat looming for those two and a half months. It wasn’t till much later we found out (Brooks) was a former SWAT medic, and he knew several if not all the SWAT team that responded in May.

That same day, I called the Chairman of the School Board and reported Mrs. Ventura’s actions. I explained how frustrated I was, and he agreed, I should have been notified. He went on to say, he nor the school board were ever notified as well. During that conversation, I told the Board Chair, that it gave me no pleasure, but I felt compelled to file a grievance for hostile work environment and dereliction of duty. He said he understood and that he was not happy at all with how this was handled. That same day, I filed a grievance against Mrs. Ventura.”

Steele then goes on to say he, not Ventura, was suspended – then reinstated:

“On Friday, August 25, 2023, Mrs. Ventura came to my school to have a fifteen-minute meeting with my staff. During that meeting, Mrs. Ventura was not being transparent in my opinion, so I asked her a question. I asked, “Did you or did you not tell me you thought (Brooks) was a threat?” Mrs. Ventura was not happy with my question and told me I could leave or go home. Approximately 40 minutes later, I was suspended without pay pending an investigation. On September 8, 2023, I was reinstated as the principal of Columbia Central High School but received this reprimand.”

Steele ends the account with:

“I should not have been lied to for nearly fifty minutes by my superintendent. This entire incident could have been handled very easily, but there are several political factors at play, and trying to cover those things has proven challenging.

This is a synopsis of events. The entire story is even more compelling, but I did not want to bother whoever may read this with a ten-page response. If this comes up in the future, please offer me an opportunity to answer questions or explain in detail.”

We reached out to Dr. Steele to let him explain, but so far have not heard back. His contract with Columbia High was not renewed, but East Limestone High in Alabama just announced he has been hired there.

Again: Brooks claims, through his attorney, that he was asked to be there during the response by law enforcement. Judging by the fact that the charges were dropped, it seems D.A. Cooper thinks Brooks may have a point.

If so, the question then becomes: Why did law enforcement ask Brooks to be there with an AR-15, on a campus full of children, despite the fact that Brooks is not law enforcement, and has a history of PTSD-related issues that played a part in his termination from the fire department?

And if someone did ask Brooks to be there that day, who was it? Should they not themselves face discipline? Had this happened before? Is the city’s insurance company aware that this happens? Who knows about this, and are they trying to cover it up?

Very often, the cover-up is just as bad or worse than the crime.

Additionally, Brooks appeared to point his weapon in the direction of at least one person outside the building that day, as seen in the pics above. Did he do the same inside, as Dr. Steele says the superintendent told him? Is there video of it from inside the building? What would have happened if God forbid Brooks had shot someone?

We also emailed some questions to D.A. Cooper, and will update this post if he responds.

After the reports that Johnson City Police were possibly taking bribes to cover for serial rapist Sean Williams, another question we have is: Who is policing the police in Tennessee?

With our state having just passed a bill to potentially allow teachers to carry weapons inside schools, this incident also brings up a lot of questions about whether or not more weapons inside these building actually makes our children safer.

More questions than answers. But getting to the bottom of what happened in this particular incident would likely go a long way towards keeping our kids safer in school, and making sure nothing like it happens again.

Lee’s Ed Commish Ignores Calls To Resign

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OPINION: “A CLOSER LOOK AT GOV. LEE’S VOUCHERS EXPOSES PITFALLS”

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Unveiling the Layers of Concern Surrounding School Vouchers in Tennessee

The promise of school vouchers in Tennessee shimmers with the allure of parental choice, but a closer look reveals a tapestry woven with concerns. While the notion of increased options holds undeniable appeal, a critical examination exposes potential pitfalls for academic achievement, student equity, and the broader educational landscape.

Academic Achievement

The central pillar of the voucher argument rests on its impact on student learning. However, initial optimism crumbles in the face of stark data. Studies like Hanushek et al.’s (2017) Louisiana research paint a sobering picture, with students participating in voucher programs lagging behind their public school counterparts by an average of 5 points in math and 3 points in reading after three years (Greene et al., 2017). Similar echoes resonate in Indiana, where Greene et al.’s (2017) investigation revealed minimal academic gains and even slight declines of 5 points in math and 3 points in reading for voucher students. These findings, mirrored in Tennessee-specific studies like Carnoy et al. (2020) and Hansen et al. (2021), necessitate caution before assuming widespread academic benefits from vouchers.

Oversight and Equity

Unlike public schools bound by stringent standards, private institutions participating in voucher programs operate with varying degrees of oversight. This raises concerns about the quality and inclusivity of the education provided. As Greene (2023) highlights, inadequate monitoring risks misallocation of public funds and exacerbating existing educational inequities. This issue amplifies when considering underrepresented groups and students with special needs, who require robust safeguards to ensure access to appropriate support and prevent further marginalization (Carnoy et al., 2020; Hansen et al., 2021). Notably, only 40% of private schools participating in Tennessee’s voucher program received a ‘good’ or ‘excellent’ rating on state assessments (Carnoy et al., 2020).

Representation Matters

The question of who truly benefits from voucher programs deserves scrutiny. Evidence suggests a growing trend of families not facing financial hardship utilizing vouchers, casting doubt on whether the intended beneficiaries reap the rewards. In Tennessee, only 18% of participants come from the lowest income quartile, highlighting a shift towards wealthier families taking advantage of the program (Hansen et al., 2021). This phenomenon challenges the principle of equitable resource allocation and necessitates a closer examination of how voucher programs incentivize participation across socioeconomic brackets.

Impact on Educators

The introduction of vouchers affects not only students but also the teaching community. While proponents argue for potential improvements in public education through increased competition, concerns arise about funding cuts, reduced salaries, and increased workloads for teachers. Moreover, while autonomy might appear appealing, market-driven pressures introduced by vouchers can constrain pedagogical freedom. Research by Hansen et al. (2021) underscores the need for careful consideration of these competing forces, while Greene et al.’s (2017) study highlights potential challenges in professional development and accountability within voucher systems. Tennessee’s voucher program could divert up to $1 billion away from public schools over the next five years, potentially impacting staffing and resources (Hansen et al., 2021).

Unveiling the Myth of Need

The narrative that vouchers primarily benefit families facing financial hardship crumbles under closer scrutiny. Studies like Greene’s (2023) indicate a growing trend of wealthier families opting for vouchers, raising questions about the program’s effectiveness in addressing educational disparities. This misalignment between intended beneficiaries and actual users calls for a reevaluation of voucher programs’ ability to deliver on their promises of equal educational opportunities.

A Call for Evidence-Based Choices

As Tennesseans navigate the complex landscape of education reform, the decision on school vouchers demands a measured approach rooted in evidence and a dedication to inclusivity. The concerns outlined here, ranging from academic performance to societal consequences, necessitate thorough consideration and open dialogue. Only through careful analysis, informed by rigorous research and diverse perspectives, can Tennessee craft an educational system that truly serves the needs of all its students and paves the way for a brighter future.

Joe Peeden is a current private school teacher but spent 10 years in Knox Co Schools.

References

Carnoy, M., Jacobsen, R., Mishel, L., & Rothstein, R. (2020). The Education Savings Account Pilot Program in Tennessee: Preliminary Impacts on Student Achievement. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 42(4), 407-428.

Greene, J. (2023, March 29). Research on school vouchers suggests concerns ahead for education savings accounts. Brookings Institution. https://www.brookings.edu/articles/give-vouchers-time-low-income-families-need-as-many-quali ty-school-options-as-possible/

Greene, J. P., Hitt, C. L., Krieshok, T. S., & Shuls, J. M. (2017). The Effects of Indiana’s Choice Scholarship Program on Student Achievement: A Matching Study. Education Finance and Policy, 12(4), 407-447.

Hansen, M. T., Rodriguez, O., & Smith, R. W. (2021). Does School Choice Improve Achievement? Evidence from Tennessee’s Education Savings Account Program. Educational Policy, 35(3), 456-502.

Hanushek, E. A., Kain, J. P., Markman, J. D., & Rivkin, S. G. (2017). The Effects of School Vouchers on Student Achievement in Louisiana: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 9(4), 147-201.

Walsh, A. (2023, January 4). How School Voucher Programs Hurt Students. TIME. https://time.com/6272666/school-voucher-programs-hurt-students/

Memphis Pastor: “School & Board Upheld Constitution With Satanic Temple Decision”

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“This moment offers us, yet again, an opportunity to believe the gospel of the God who does not coerce or control, but can work grace into the world even through The Satanic Temple.”

When I stepped up to preach last Sunday, I never imagined that by the end of the week I would be penning an Op-Ed in defense of The Satanic Temple. But here we are.

Despite the objection of petitioning pastors, Chimney Rock Elementary and the local school board did the right thing by providing space for The Satanic Temple. They refused to infringe upon First Amendment rights. They refused to apply religious freedom inconsistently by allowing Christians special privileges they would not allow other groups.

Instead of criticizing and protesting their decision, Christians should applaud it.

Yes, we can disagree with The Satanic Temple’s atheism (they are, in fact, atheists not satanists). We can even feel revulsion at their choice of name. But what we cannot do, what we should not do, is force the school to act upon our religious beliefs. To do so would confirm for The Satanic Temple that Christians are, in fact, the fascists they think we are.

Schools give churches maximal latitude, inviting us to help fundraise, provide for underprivileged students, and even conduct after school Bible studies. This permeation of the wall of separation between church and state is a privilege they offer us not a right we can demand. To deny that privilege to others because we do not like their organization’s name is not only to deny them something that is not ours to deny, but it is also to resist the application of their constitutional rights. The American courts have affirmed this repeatedly.

But the courts should never have had to decide it. American Christians should excitedly support it. Early American Protestants argued for a Principled Pluralism, which affirmed the God-given rights of people to disagree with my religion and still participate in the American experiment. They determined that for this country to be a functional democracy, pluralism must be valued on principle. More than just good nation-building, Principled Pluralism flowed from Protestant theology: the Christian God is not interested in coercion or control. The Christian God honors free will and the freedom of conscience. The Christian gospel can stand on its own without legal force behind it. Authoritarianism undercuts the Christian message that God died on a cross rather than taking Satan’s temptation to control the kingdoms of the world.

In a state where voucher programs are threatening to cut the funds flowing to public schools in order to support private schools for the wealthy, the truly true evil at work in our educational system is not atheists trying to help our kids think rationally. With The Satanic Temple, the church might find a worthy partner in resisting the commodification of education, the exploitation of teacher labor, and the funneling of taxpayer funds to private schools. Indeed, we might find in The Satanic Temple, an ally in the education of our most vulnerable students. And in that they might be the unwitting agents of God’s grace in the life of a child. 

When I prayed before my congregation on Sunday, I never imagined that by the end of the week I would be writing an Op-Ed defending The Satanic Temple. But here we are. Fortunately, we do not have to stay where we are. This moment offers us, yet again, an opportunity to believe the gospel of the God who does not coerce or control, but can work grace into the world even through The Satanic Temple.

Tom Fuerst is the lead pastor of Memphis First UMC. He received his B.A. in Biblical Studies from Hannibal LaGrange University (2003), a M.A. in Religious Studies at the University of Missouri (2006), a M.Div. from Asbury Theological Seminary (2010), and a PhD. in Rhetoric from the University of Memphis (2022)

TODAY’S HOLLER: FOXES GUARDING THE HENHOUSE

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FOXES GUARDING THE HENHOUSE: BILL LEE & OTHER GOP GOVERNORS VS. PUBLIC SCHOOLS

It’s hard to keep track of all the ways our public schools are currently under attack, with Republican governors responsible for uplifting and preserving them leading the charge against them.

The most obvious of the attacks was Governor Lee’s #1 priority when he took office, which was to steer PUBLIC MONEY TO PRIVATE SCHOOLS through the voucher program he allegedly bribed members of his own party to pass, even offering military promotions.

The program was just expanded by Republicans from Memphis & Nashville to the Chattanooga area, where 12 private schools in Hamilton County are now in Gov. Lee & the GOP’s vouchers program, taking nearly $2 million from public schools.

11 of 12 the are Christian schools. The Lee/Devos privatization plan to steer public ed money to religious schools, “advancing God’s kingdom” as Devos openly put it, is working.

And they’re just getting started.

Then there’s the censorship. As teachers sue Tennessee over the “divisive concepts” law that has them scared to teach the truth, Florida has stepped up their attacks under Desantis, leading to a ban on AP psychology and now SHAKESPEARE BEING CUT.

Yes, Shakespeare. It was only a matter of time.

This is what these Republican censorship laws are doing to our schools. And the more our schools/kids suffer, and leave, the happier these privatizers are. 

But it gets worse. As they accuse our public schools of brainwashing kids, it’s them who are engaged in the real INDOCTRINATION. Desantis/FLORIDA’s Ed Dept approved Prager U indoctrination videos to be taught with Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens as narrators- which teach kids slavery was better than the alternative, literally saying: “Being taken as a slave is better than being killed, no?”

Outrageous.

And then there’s the massive TEACHER SHORTAGE. We currently have 1000+ teacher openings in Tennessee… “alarming shortfalls every year” – while we sit on billions in surplus funds…

Low pay, low trust, little opportunity to change their situation – all this as Lee and the GOP give HUGE raises to the TN Highway Patrol and prison guards. Priorities.

We need y’all to realize hurting teachers/public schools is by design. This teacher shortage is a feature, not a bug for them. Lee, Desantis etc. are privatizers hiding behind the word “choice”.

And as they do all this they engage in OUTRAGEOUS GASLIGHTING – claiming to be at the top in teacher pay while we’re at the bottom. The TN House GOP either has no idea that Tennessee is at the bottom in teacher pay & per pupil spending, or hopes you have no idea.

Watch what they do, not what they say.

Meanwhile KIDS ARE BEING HELD BACK over one test that was not even designed to be used this way. As one mom put it: “It’s ridiculous… communication has been horrible… I’m probably going to pull her out and home school…”

MEMPHIS Parents are upset to learn their kids — WHO CAN READ — are held back based on 1 test, thanks to the new TN GOP/GOV. BILL LEE law.

Not to mention the book bans, the attacks on LGBTQ students… the list goes on. Everything that drives teachers and kids out of our schools using private school vouchers, charters, etc… is a win for Lee and the privatizers. Please see the situation for what it is.

We’ll continue to cover this, and we hope you’ll push other media outlets to cut through the propaganda and cover it this way also..

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TODAY’S HOLLER:

MEMPHIS FLYER: “State gun violence statistics show Tennessee has set a new annual record for the # of people who killed in mass shootings…” And it’s only August. 😳
SCHOOL SHOOTINGS UP IN TN: Even as Rep. Ragan tries to minimize the issue, school shootings are way up in Tennessee over the past few years.. THREAD… 😳
9-1-1 CALL: “They are advising this 4 year old has shot himself in the head.” Chattanooga Police say since January 2022 there have been 9 kids under 18 shot “accidentally” (aka parental negligence) – Tennessee still does not have a safe storage law. 😳
TN FIREARMS ASSOCIATION: “People in hell want ice water, but they can’t get it.”🤔 The head of TN Firearms Association compares parents who want gun reform to “people in Hell” —despite their own poll showing most Tennesseans agree with Gov Bill Lee that we need an ERPO law.
SEXTON SAYS REFORM WON’T MOVE: Speaker Sexton tells the TN Firearms Association he doesn’t see an ERPO to keep guns from dangerous people making it out of committee despite @GovBillLee saying we need one (and majority support throughout the state)

EXTREMISTS RUN THE PARTY: Despite overwhelming support from the majority of Tennessee and law enforcement, the TN GOP executive committee just passed a resolution asking Gov Bill Lee to betray Covenant families and drop the special session on gun safety.

REINSTATE JONES: “The counsel for Tennessee Three member and recently reelected Rep. Justin Jones has requested Speaker Sexton confirm he will be reinstated to all rights, duties and privileges of his office before the special session on Aug 21…” – Eric Holder is his attorney.

THEY ARE ALL BANNONISTS NOW. Bannon wants to bring everything crashing down. This is on point.

MCCONNELL BOOED: “RETIRE! RETIRE!” The boos at this Kentucky even were merciless, and well deserved.

PHIL WILLIAMS WITH SKRMETTI: “Could these records not be used to prosecute women who cross state lines to get an abortion?” Phil Williams spoke to TN AG Skrmetti, who claimed that isn’t the intention of the letter demanding access to out of state records.

ASHE: “Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs takes aim for governor’s seat with guns-in-libraries rule – and misfires”

DESANTIS FLED THE SCENE: Here’s Desantis asked why he fled the scene after a crash in Chattanooga… It’s the hand motions for us… here’s a Chattanooga officer on the scene saying there should’ve been charges: Why weren’t there?

😴 💤 The war on “woke” is now even putting Republicans to sleep.

👂 LISTEN — NYT’S THE DAILY: “The economy keep growing and adding jobs faster than economists predicted… inflation is coming down… hourly wages rose faster than prices…” #Bidenomics

VOTERS TO JUSTIN JONES: “It’s an incredible uphill fight, but we’re so glad you’re in it.” Nashville voters expressed their deep appreciation for Rep. Jones as they sent him back to his seat after being undemocratically expelled by Speaker Sexton and the TN House GOP. (🎥 Ryan Camp)

JUSTIN JONES: 🗣️🔥 This election shows their attacks on democracy will not go unchallenged… Republicans spent so much money trying to buy this election, but they could not beat people power.”

TRUMP’S AG BILL BARR: “I don’t think it runs afoul of the first amendment — Remember: a conspiracy crime is completed at the time it’s agreed to and the first steps are taken.” #TrumpIndictment

For those who still need to hear this: THERE IS NO FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHT TO ORGANIZE A COUP.  🇺🇸

A REAL PATRIOT 🇺🇸 WATCH: “It’s a small thing to do — why everyone isn’t doing this… I don’t get it. Everyone needs to do something to stop this guy. We can’t just stand by and let this happen.”

TRUMP’S LAWYER: “There was a peaceful transition of power.” 🤔 DANA BASH: “What happened on January 6th was not peaceful.” Bash does a good job of pushing back on the intense gaslighting and absurd “freedom of speech” claim, which even Trump’s Barr rejects.

MARGE GREENE IN EAST TN: Marge Greene gets big applause as she’s introduced by Rep. Diana Harshbarger at the CLAIBORNE COUNTY GOP’s “Freedom Dinner” Again: She is not the fringe. She is at the heart of the party now. Please adjust your expectations accordingly.

HAMILTON COUNTY: Apparently the Moms (Against) Liberty chapter was just booted off Next Door

MEMPHIS: “The Memphis PD officer who fatally shot Jaylin McKenzie, a 20-year-old Black man, during a traffic stop in December did not turn on his body camera during the encounter…”

TAKE CREDIT, JOE: As Biden labels the BILLIONS in much-needed infrastructure projects his bill (opposed by every TN Republican) is funding across the country, we have a suggestion for an addition to the signs in Tennessee… add “OPPOSED BY EVERY TENNESSEE REPUBLICAN” 👇🏽 

🏳️‍⚧️ NASHVILLE — Olivia Hill, the first trans woman to run for office in Tennessee, has advance to the metro council run-off in September.

NASHVILLE — AUGUST 16th: Youth Advocacy Day at the Capitol 10am-3pm

🔔 WILLIAMSON COUNTY: rally at the library August 15th, when Rep. Andy Ogles & Senator Jack Johnson will be holding an event there👇🏽

WATCH: “A day in the life of a liberal” 🤣 👏🏽

CARTOON OF THE DAY

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SENATOR JANICE BOWLING CAUGHT IN FURRY LIE LIE

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During a committee meeting a few months ago, Republicans Senator Janice Bowling and Rep. Mary Littleton perpetuated the myth that there are students in Tennessee identifying as cats and using “litter boxes” to go to the bathroom in some Tennessee schools.

The lie is part of a wave of misinformation intended to harm public education by giving public schools a bad reputation, and also to target LGBTQ people. As SALON puts it:

“The first notable instance of furry panic occurred when right-wing activists pushed a false claim about schools in Michigan placing litter boxes in bathrooms to allow furry students to use them, and the bogus rumors about furry infiltration into the public education system have only grown from there.”

Matt Walsh of The Daily Wire, known for his transphobia, talked about it in an anti-trans propaganda film he made, and Joe Rogan helped add fuel to the fire before eventually admitting he had no evidence of it.

That brings us back to Janice and Mary. Since their comments were made when the legislature was out of session we didn’t have a chance to ask them about it until yesterday, when we finally caught Senator Bowling coming out of Day 1 of the Tennessee state senate.

We asked her if being featured on an NBC NEWS debunking was enough to get her to admit she was wrong and apologize.

Surprise! She would not.

Instead, Janice doubled down. Senator Bowling repeatedly insisted the myth of furries in schools was not a lie, but instead of “litter boxes in schools”, which is what she initially claimed, she now said it was “LEASHES” in schools – meaning kids were walking around attached to leashes intended for pets.

The natural question: “Where is this happening?”

“Franklin County schools,” Janice said, claiming she talked with the superintendent, who told her about all of these leashes and furries and such.

The thing is, Franklin County Schools has telephones. The superintendent’s name is Stanley Bean.

So we called Mr. Bean and asked him ourselves about Janice Bowling’s accusations that his schools had children walking around on leashes.

Mr. Bean’s response: “There are no litter boxes in our schools. There are no students on leashes. I don’t know where Senator Bowling is coming up with this stuff.”

Apparently Mr. Bean was made aware of Bowling’s lies about furries and litter boxes in their schools back when she initially talked about them in committee, when the superintendent of Tullahoma schools, who is a friend of Bean’s, told him Senator Bowling was claiming such things were going on in their district.

Superintendent Bean says he called Senator Bowling himself and asked her where she was getting that information. Bowling told him it was coming from parents, so Mr. Bean did the logical thing and asked Senator Bowling to bring the parents to a meeting with him so they could talk about what they had seen, and where.

Bowling agreed.

When the time came for the meeting, Senator Bowling showed up, but there were no parents to be found. “She told me they were afraid to tell me in person,” Bean said. “So I told her that without any evidence she needed to retract what she had said about out schools. She said she would.”

Bean says the next thing he knew, Bowling was on local radio – but instead of retracting and apologizing, Senator Bowling was claiming to have put a stop to all the furrying and litter boxing and what-not, by issuing an order to Mr. Bean to put a stop to it.

Bowling made herself sound not like a fool who had fallen for a lie, but a hero.

Bean was angry. But he decided to let it go.

Unfortunately for Senator Bowling, letting things go isn’t something we at the Holler are very good at. So yesterday we asked Bowling about it at the legislature, and instead of apologizing, she insisted Mr. Bean told her there were kids on leashes in Franklin County Schools, and angrily told us we simply couldn’t handle the truth.

As it turns out, it’s Senator Bowling who very clearly has trouble with the truth.

There are no furries in Franklin County Schools. Or Leashes. Or Litter Boxes.

Senator Janet Bowling has been duped, but instead of admitting her mistake, she childishly and irresponsibly added to the problem by piling lie after lie on top of it – behavior unbecoming of anyone, but especially of a sitting state Senator who is supposed to be representing her constituents and her local school districts, not lying about them and defaming them.

At least Meow we know the truth.

AFTER DECADES OF UNDERINVESTMENT, WHITE TN REPUBLICANS GRILL HBCU TSU FOR DOING TOO WELL

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