Senator Taylor’s Full XAI Responses (Can’t Back Up Lofty Job Creation Claims)

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Earlier this week we posted about the responses we received from Shelby County’s state reps and senators about where they stand on Elon Musk’s xAI supercomputer project. Of the 17 we reached out to, we only got responses from 5. You can read those responses here. 8 Dems and 4 Republicans did not respond.

4 Dems told us they oppose the project: Rep. Pearson, Rep. Hardaway, Rep. Salinas, Sen. Kyle

2 Republicans support it that we know of: Rep. Gillespie, and Sen. Brent Taylor

Only Republican responded to us: Senator Taylor.

To his credit, Taylor is also always willing to talk to us up at the capitol also. Let’s just say he is not camera shy.

Senator Taylor has been a proponent of the xAI project since the beginning. His responses to us were lengthy (so much so that we joked it felt like he had asked Grok to write them for him), and we asked him some follow-up questions also, so we decided they warranted a post of their own.

Our full exchange is below.

The main thing we wanted to know is what evidence he has to support the claims that xAI is creating jobs specifically for Memphians. Supporters of the project (Taylor, the chamber, Mayor Young) continue to talk about the job creation, but have provided no specifics about which MEMPHIANS are benefitting. Until we see some evidence of that, it feels fair to keep poking and prodding that claim.

Here’s the full exchange:

US: Senator Taylor, Do you support the xAI project?

SENATOR TAYLOR: “Yes. I have been involved in some key aspects of the project both at the site, and off site since the announcement of xAI. I have toured the facility multiple times most recently last week. They are a great asset for Memphis. They are employing approximately 300 xAI employees and paying Silicon Valley wages. They are hiring from economically distressed areas of Memphis and are changing lives of people who are able to move from SNAP benefits to six-figure wages. Additionally, they are employing 1,100 independent contractors in perpetuity to continue to build out and maintain the super computer. These independent contractors are largely local contractors. As I have spoken to those contractors they have been able to grow their businesses two and three times due to work at the xAI facility. Lastly, this is the largest investment in Tennessee history. It is, so far, two and a half times the Blue Oval City investment. xAI is at roughly $13B and counting. All with no local or state incentives. They are doing this just like I did when I was in business, they are using their own money to invest in Memphis.”

There’s a lot to unpack there, but the main thing we wanted to focus on was the claim that the job creation they keep bragging about is actually helping people in Memphis, and not just people they are bringing in from outside Memphis – or even the country, which we know Elon Musk loves to do through the H1B visa program.

So, we followed up.

US: Saying people are going from food stamps to six figures is a lofty claim. Do you have one person we could talk to that is an example of that?

SENATOR TAYLOR: “I have no authority to provide an employee for you to talk with. I am only sharing with you what I have seen with my own eyes and ears when I toured the facility and spoke to employees myself. The Memphis Chamber can verify my claims. The Chamber might consider asking xAI if they would make an employee available for an interview, but that would be entirely up to them and xAI.”

Needless to say, that reply leaves us unconvinced. We would ask Memphis Chamber Ted Townsend to verify as he suggests, but Townsend has blocked us, so that seems unlikely.

We would however encourage local Memphis folks to pursue this.

US: Is there a way to verify that these jobs you’re talking about are actually going to Memphians? Feels like evidence of the employees and independent contractors you’re referring to would be helpful. Can you send whatever you have been shown that backs that up? 

SENATOR TAYLOR: “Again, these are based on conversations I have had with independent contractors multiple times and employees when I have toured the site. There are some really technical aspects of the construction that require them to bring in outside contractors, but they utilize local contractors as much as possible. Moreover, they will pay a $10,000 bonus to employees who live in Memphis. On my last visit, I spoke to the catering vendor. xAI provides free meals to the employees and independent contractors. It is a minority-owned business and she told me how the xAI contract has changed their lives by allowing them to grow their business exponentially. Since there is no government incentive going to the xAI, they are no more required to make such information available to the public than Brentwood Funeral Services, LLC when I owned it, or what expenses Tennessee Holler may have. xAI, Brentwood Funeral Services, and xAI are, or were in the case of my funeral homes, private businesses.”

So again: no evidence to support these claims of job creation going specifically to Memphians. Forgive us if we don’t just take Elon Musk at his word! (If anyone out there works at xAI or knows someone who does, please contact us. We will gladly preserve your anonymity)

Job creation aside, much of the community pushback has focused on the health concerns. xAI has been running gas turbines without permits, and appears to be dishonest about how many… as they plan to purchase more land, which will require even more energy.

 

As Rep. Pearson and his brother Keshaun say regularly, matter how many jobs they may or may not be creating, none of it is worth it if they are poisoning an area that is already struggling to survive with poor health quality. This Perfect Union piece says it better than we ever could. We highly recommend taking the 15 minutes to watch it.

So we asked Senator Taylor about that as well.

US: Do you share the concerns some in the community have expressed about the environmental issues?

SENATOR TAYLOR: “I certainly understand the concerns of the community relative to the environmental issues. However, the environmental concerns predate xAI’s arrival in Memphis and the efforts to address them thus far seem to be misguided. xAI has worked to overcome every environmental concern raised. First, it was the use of the aquifer. They announced they would not use the aquifer to cool the computers. It was suggested they use water from the nearby Mississippi River. They chose not to do that because it would disrupt the ecosystem of the river. They eventually decided to build a gray water facility to turn waste water into water to cool the computers and for the use of nearby industries. They currently use water that has been trucked in and is being used on a closed loop system to cool the computers and no water is coming from the aquifer. MLGW had plans to build the gray water facility but it would take years, so xAI is building the facility for MLGW. Then it was energy use. Data centers use a lot of power and it is a wildly fluctuating energy demand that can damage the electrical grid. So, they brought in battery packs to absorb the energy fluctuations and protect the grid from damage. Then, it was their agreement to come off the grid in peak demand periods. Most industrial customers agree to lower their usage during these peaks by 20% to 30%. xAI agreed to come off the grid at 100% if requested by the utility. Moreover, they just completed a new electrical substation and are in construction on a second substation now which will be given to MLGW after construction. xAI is also purchasing a decommissioned energy plant in nearby Mississippi to generate a portion of their own energy which they will agree to sell back to MLGW during peak demand times at the same price they purchase energy for.”

Taylor paints a pretty picture about xAI being good neighbors here, but we feel the need to jump in here and point out TVA and MLGW have been accused of doing the bidding of xAI, and many believe Trump’s changes to the TVA board have to do with kneecapping TVA’s ability to raise prices on xAI.

SENATOR TAYLOR: “To hear the critics of the facility you would think they plopped the xAI facility in the middle of a neighborhood. It is in the Frank Pidgeon Industrial Park which consists of 3,700 acres of industrial facilities that opened in 1967. After the industrial park and the nearby President’s Island Industrial Park opened, homebuilders built housing nearby so workers could live close to their jobs. In 2025 we now understand environmental concerns as it relates to nearby residential areas. The way I would address the concerns is not to attempt to close xAI or browbeat them to leave Memphis, but I would engage with them and local government to enter into conversations about potential buyout of nearby homes similar to what was done near the Memphis International Airport years ago when I was on the Memphis City Council. This would seem to be a much more constructive way to address the environmental concerns of the neighbors.”

While Taylor is correct that the facility is in the Industrial Park, it is still surrounded by communities that have reported smelling what they are putting out. Additionally, the new bigger facility they have planned is not far from a school. The bottom line is none of this excuses the way this has been handled, which was to announce this as a done deal without community input. Again, the Perfect Union piece sums this all up very well.

US: Do you believe the Shelby County Health Department should deny their gas turbine permits?

SENATOR TAYLOR: “I don’t know enough about their application to give an opinion except to say that in general industrial areas seem to be an appropriate place for this type of power generation. However, they are allowed to operate the turbines for 364 days without a permit. xAI is using turbines that significantly reduce emissions into the air. I don’t know if the turbines will be a permanent fixture at the xAI facility or if this is merely a temporary measure while other power generating methods are built out.”

US: Any other on the record so comments you’d be willing to share?

SENATOR TAYLOR: “If you want to know how Taylor is pissing you off, foller the holler!”

He says this every time. Again, not every senator or rep is willing to talk to us. Taylor will, so we appreciate it.

Here’s the list of who did and didn’t respond to our questions… we will be updating as new responses come in.

“DO YOU SUPPORT XAI IN MEMPHIS?” We Ask All 16 Shelby County Senators & Reps

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Since the announcement that Elon Musk’s Supercomputer XAI would be setting up shop in Memphis, there has been a lot of blowback from the community. Locals feel they have been left out of the process, saying they are being exploited and harmed by the project’s pollution and hoarding of resources.

A recent Perfect Union piece about the environmental impacts on the air they breathe and other local resources shows why. Memphis already has extremely polluted air thanks to other companies moving in and taking advantage. The ease of that process and the chamber’s willingness to remove any and all barriers regardless of local health impacts seems to be at least part of the reason Musk chose Memphis as the place to set up shop.

TVA is not going to help protect the people. They are supportive of the project, and Donald Trump already kneecapped the board’s ability to raise prices on XAI.

The County Health Department has not yet stepped in either, despite calls for them to deny XAI’s gas turbine permits after it was discovered they have been operating 33 out of 35 without permits, and lying about it.

The pressure on the health department to take a stand was too much for Dr. Michelle Taylor, the head of the department, who just recently announced she’s going to abandon her post and flee to Baltimore rather than stay and make the tough decision. (Her announcement came one week after County Mayor Lee Harris called her the best Health Department Director in the country… life comes at you fast!)

The Greater Memphis chamber, led by Ted Townsend, has been more than willing to work with them to grease the skids, and was a big part of the recruitment process.

Both Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris and Memphis Mayor Paul Young are supportive of the project.

Most county commissioners and city council members have been unwilling to speak up.

But one group we haven’t heard much from is the 16 senators and reps who represent parts of Shelby County/Memphis in the state legislature.

Rep. Justin Pearson has been a vocal opponent, along with his brother Keshaun, who runs Memphis CAP. Their position against XAI is clear, and they have been adamant that the Shelby County Health Department should reject XAI’s gas turbine permits.

But what about the rest?

We asked all 16. So far, only 5 have responded. Their responses are below.

4 Democrats told us they are against the project: Rep. Pearson, Rep. Salinas, Rep. Hardaway, and Senator Kyle.

1 Republican, Senator Brent Taylor, tells us he is for it, and provided a number of reasons why – including claims about the jobs the project is allegedly creating for Memphians. We asked him for evidence to support it, which we have yet to receive, largely because he says he doesn’t have access to specifics himself. (We will share Taylor’s entire response in another separate post)

Rep. John Gillespie (R) posted his support for the project on his twitter feed.

It has been crickets from the other 11 – 8 Dems, 3 Republicans – despite giving them multiple opportunities to weigh in before we posted this. We will update this post if and when more responses come in.

AGAINST XAI:

Rep. Gabby Salinas (D)

FULL RESPONSE: “As a scientist that has studied toxicology and an elected official, I cannot support a project that hurts the health and well being of Memphians. As our country continues to fail to meet deadlines to halt climate change, it is robbing future generations from the basic necessities of life. This project is moving at the speed of light in the wrong direction.

Air and water are our most precious resources here in Memphis. We have worked hard to improve our air quality, and we are all proud of our drinking water. This project puts our most valued resources at risk for the sake of a billionaire winning an ego-driven race. The health of our people is worth more than that.

We know it is black and brown communities who will face the highest burden. The lack of transparency of the project is extremely concerning. Show us the meetings. Show us the permits. And especially, show us the science. Our kids and our families will not be able breathe or drink good profit margins and economic growth.”

REP. G.A. HARDAWAY (D)

FULL RESPONSE: “The awesome power of AI is the motivation behind Elon’s speed. He’s gotta be first out the gate, because whoever comes in second is losing. He had access to all the data in the United States Government. Nobody else has what he has. So when he builds this out, he becomes the most powerful man in the world.

When he develops this superpower, resistance will be futile. He can sabotage any message or policies that regulate him. We won’t get a second chance to regulate him. We need to push back on this before it’s too late. It’s now or never. Elon already told you he only cares about productivity, and couldn’t care less about human beings.”

REP. JUSTIN J. PEARSON (D)

For his FULL RESPONSE about why “we deserve clean air”, watch this press conference with the NAACP.

SENATOR SARA KYLE (D)

FULL RESPONSE: “There is credible evidence that xAI is already violating our clean air laws. Yes, the gas permits should be denied. Memphis doesn’t need Elon Musk’s xAI bringing pollution without accountability.

Our city already bears the burden of some of the worst air quality in the state—and we’re not interested in becoming a testing ground for billionaire science experiments. If XAI wants to operate here, they should meet the same environmental standards as everyone else. No shortcuts. No backroom deals. Memphis families deserve clean air, not corporate smog.”

SUPPORTS XAI:

SENATOR BRENT TAYLOR (R)

Senator Taylor responded quickly and at great length. We will share his FULL RESPONSES in a separate post.

NO RESPONSE:

Again, all other Shelby county reps did not answer, despite multiple messages from us.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

Rep. Gillespie (R) is Clearly in Support

INTERVIEW: Memphis Mayor Paul Young on his opposition to the referendums

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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)

ALLEGED SENATOR KELSEY CO-CONSPIRATOR JOSH SMITH EMAIL TO STANDARD CLUB MEMBERS: “I AM COOPERATING FULLY”

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As you may have heard by now, the United States Department of Justice just announced the indictment of Senator Brian Kelsey (R-GERMANTOWN) and club owner Josh Smith, who owns The Standard in downtown Nashville – known for having many prominent right-wing Tennessee politicians as members.

The Standard made waves for hosting events with groups known for their anti-Muslim rhetoric in the past, to give you some idea of what we’re dealing with here. From The Tennesssean:

Some nights, the club brings in boxers for a “gentlemen’s brawl,” accompanied by lobster and cocktails. On one night, a hate group hosted an event about Islam.

At one point formed a Political Action Committee to help get those right-wing politicians elected, which is where the DOJ’s indictment comes in.

The indictment alleges the Standard’s PAC was involved in a scheme to break election finance laws and funnel money into Senator Brian Kelsey’s failed congressional bid. Senator Kelsey has since come out and called it a “political witch hunt” by the Biden administration – which would be odd considering the investigation started 5 years ago, when Kelsey’s hero Trump was president.

The Holler has now obtained a message sent by The Standard’s leadership to “Friends and Members” saying that The Standard WAS involved in the chain of funds, but claiming it had nothing to do with the illegal part and saying club owner Josh Smith is an “open book” who is “cooperating fully” and he “hopes it will not affect friendships”.

THE EMAIL:

We’ve heard from former Standard members & employees who severed ties with the club because of their concerns about the culture with regard to treatment of women and staff. They’ve also told us Smith regularly brags about his influence over local elected officials and his ability to avoid consequences.

Will this be the time it catches up with him, and his pal Senator Kelsey? Time will tell.

TN Senate ethics rules require Kelsey to request an ethics committee hearing within 10 days or relinquish his chairmanship positions as long as the indictment lasts.

The clock is ticking, Brian. Tick-Tock.

Or is it Tik-Tok now? Anyway, you get the idea.

INTERVIEW: JB SMILEY JR., CANDIDATE FOR GOVERNOR

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We’re joined LIVE by JB Smiley Jr., a Memphis councilman running for governor of Tennessee as a Democrat.

Watch the FULL INTERVIEW below. CLIP HERE. Listen to the PODCAST HERE.

CLEARING UP REP. GRIFFEY’S ANTI-MASK MANDATE LETTER TO SCHOOL BOARDS

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Even as Tennessee COVID-19 hospitalizations have quadrupled in just 24 days (since July 4th), this past week Rep. Bruce Griffey (R-Paris) – one of the generally more extreme Republicans in the Tennessee state legislature (which is saying a lot) – circulated a letter to hundreds of school board members which gave the distinct impression that a board deciding to impose a mask mandate on their school districts would be against the law.

In the letter Griffey stops short of explicitly saying “Mask Mandates are illegal”, but the letter is being pushed by radical right-wing shit-stirrers Tennessee Stands, who recently sued Williamson County for their mandate (the case was dismissed on standing grounds), and is clearly intended to give the impression that they are illegal.

Griffey’s letter points to the judge in the Williamson County case, who said he was “unconvinced” the county’s board of education has the authority to enact or enforce such rules, but the judge did NOT explicitly say mask mandates are illegal.

We reached out to Rep. Griffey to clarify if the intent of his letter was to tell school board members such mandates are, in fact, illegal. Below was our exchange, word for word.

 

HOLLER: Just to be clear – is your letter saying school districts are not allowed to mandate masks?

GRIFFEY: I believe the decision in the case cited (although decided on standing grounds) appears to say that School districts do not have the Statutory authority to require masks.  Imposing masks without statutory authority could subject school districts to lawsuits.  They should carefully consult with their attorneys before deciding to impose masks.

HOLLER: Do you disagree with Lee Ann Thompson’s (Williamson School Board lawyer) reading of what the judge said? That he “made no definitive conclusions about the board’s authority to require masks”?

GRIFFEY: Here’s a quote from the Chancellor’s Order,

The Court is not convinced, as a matter of law, that WCBOE acted within its statutory authority at the time it promulgated its face-covering requirements. Further, the policy decisions promulgated by Mayor [Rogers] Anderson and Governor [Bill] Lee in February 2021 and April 2021 are inconsistent with WCBOE’s continued enforcement of face-covering requirements. With respect to WCBOE’s authority to issue a face-covering requirement, Defendant’s Motion to Dismiss or for Summary Judgment is alternatively DENIED. The Court cannot find, as a matter of law, Defendants have acted within the authority given to them by the legislature when enacting face-covering requirements. (emphasis added)

So, what do you think?

HOLLER: I asked you first! But to play along, I guess my reading of it would be that the court was “not convinced” and “cannot find” —  but is not actively saying it DID find the board’s mandate WAS illegal. So the judge seems to be dancing around the edge of the issue without coming to a conclusion.

It did seem though that your letter implied to school board members in TN that the judge in the Willliamson case came to a clear conclusion that mask mandates are illegal. So again I ask – is that your reading of it? And was the goal of the letter to imply that to the board members? 

GRIFFEY: I am attaching the final version of the letter on masks in school. Please refer to page 2, next to last paragraph. As I understand, Governor Lee rescinded much of the authority to impose health and safety measures that were also extended to County Mayors and local school boards derived from his emergency powers.  Without specific statutory authority, or emergency authority derived from the Governor, I would submit (and I believe Judge Binkley concluded) school boards do not have inherent authority to require masks. The General Assembly generally proscribed any government entity from mandating vaccines. See, HB 13. In light of the above, should a school board/district attempt to impose masks mandates, it is my assessment and those that signed the letter, that said school boards and districts may be opening themselves to litigation and potentially be found to be in violation of state law. If there are arguments to the contrary, please forward them to my attention.  I would be interested in reviewing their arguments/positions.

 

So essentially, although a school board member could understandably read Griffey’s letter to be telling them a judge had decided mask mandates are illegal, what Griffey is saying here is he intended it as a warning to school boards that they could be sued – not that they would necessarily lose – which school board members should already know, since anyone can be sued for anything in America, at any time.

Hopefully this is clarifying for some. Feel free to holler at your local board with the link to this article to help make the distinction.

Wearing a Mask Doesn’t Make You Less Free

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“My freedom is not involved in a mask. My freedom is having the opportunity to survive in America like everybody else.” Rep. Shaw lambasts the Tennessee GOP and Governor Bill Lee for their lack of leadership on #COVID19 which has landed TN in both an economic crisis and a healthcare catastrophe.

 

#DemConvention with State Senator Raumesh Akbari

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State Senator Raumesh Akbari chats with Wade Munday about the Democratic National Convention happening this week. Senator Akbari will be speaking at the Convention as a Rising Star of the party, you won’t want to miss it! Watch the Convention here.

FULL PODCAST available on Apple Podcasts, and wherever else you like to listen.

OP-ED: ‘TIL DEATH DO US PART – Being a Teacher in 2020

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‘TIL DEATH DO US PART

Being a Teacher in 2020

By Tiffany Crow

A Shelby County Schools teacher, parent, and a COVID survivor.

She wrote this letter to share her experience.

As schools across the nation prepare for the upcoming school year (whether it be in person, hybrid, or completely virtual) teachers and families are writhing in agony with a sense of impending doom. One minute, we hear from superintendents and elected officials that we will be following data and “science” in efforts to plan for the upcoming year, and the next, we are being threatened with reduced funding and told that we will be going back to school buildings, in person, regardless of climbing case numbers, increasing death rates, and individuals being left with lifelong residual health issues from a virus that we still know so little about.

The decision facing parents is certainly a difficult one, but I must ask you… What about the TEACHERS?

What about the teachers who have historically spent all of their own extra time and money to make up for deficits in funding and staffing capacity?

What about the teacher who has cancer, and will now be asked to enter into the world’s largest experimental petri-dish of infection?

What about the teacher who has a child at home awaiting an organ transplant, in a one income household?

What about all of the teachers who will get sick and experience lifelong health complications, financial ruin due to excessive absence, or death?

Have we really convinced ourselves that these people don’t matter?

What about teachers like myself, a Covid-19 “survivor?”

Did I survive Covid-19? Yes, I did survive, but I, a previously healthy 27 year old, am now faced with what could be lifelong and possibly debilitating health issues. I have been “well” for quite some time now, yet I am not “well.” Plagued with daily fatigue, muscle weakness, rashes, heart rate fluctuations, chronic head and neck pain, insomnia, PTSD, digestive issues, and cognitive/memory issues. I am still unsure just how extensive or lasting these issues will be, but now that I am two months out from having a “mild” case of Covid-19, I am STILL facing these health complications. I’ve read more about life insurance in the past two months than I ever have, which is something I never thought I would be doing at age 27.

But it’s not just me. Teachers across the nation are preparing for the worst. We are finalizing wills, upping our disability insurance, and maxing out on life insurance benefits. Those of us who don’t already have life insurance are trying to find more information on which policy is the best option for them. Many teachers are already purchasing PPE, cleaning products, plexiglass dividers, and other band-aid solutions to the astronomical catastrophe that awaits upon school re-entry. Of course, Covid-19 has made significant impacts on the way we used to live. Teachers are now having to purchase protective equipment to keep themselves, and the children, safe. Education is such an important sector though, so many teachers do understand that they are essential workers. More people are even looking to become teachers after this pandemic. People are contacting resume writers, such as those at https://www.arcresumes.com/local/michigan/, to help them create an engaging resume to increase their chances of getting hired.

Is virtual instruction anyone’s first choice, during normal circumstances? Most of us would say “NO!” I, too, believe there is no replacement for in person schooling, but I disagree with people who say virtual instruction cannot be valuable. I taught virtual summer school, and found it to be quite similar in strength and weakness to in person schooling. The advantages were great, however. My students were able to become true 21st century learners, and I was able to become a true 21st century teacher. I learned valuable tools that will work with virtual instruction, but will also be highly effective and enriching when we do return to “normal.” I was able to build community with students and parents, and my students were able to develop a sense of intrinsic motivation that I had not seen at large during the regular school year.

What began as a stressful virtual experience, ended with both student and teacher growth. I urge people to understand that planned virtual instruction is completely different from the patchwork crisis schooling that was offered last spring.

While I understand the need for schools to be open for working families, I respectfully ask that you remember that schools were never meant to serve as free childcare. Teachers are not trained or educated to serve as babysitters. We are also not trained or educated to serve as healthcare professionals or nurses. The bulk of our training and coursework centers around providing a service.

Although teachers and schools, for decades, have offered a variety of services outside of the realm of the service we actually offer (education), we have finally met our match with the coronavirus pandemic. This is a problem that may be beyond our efforts to “fix,” as teachers have done for so long. I certainly do not have the answers to solve the ills of a capitalist-obsessed society, but I want to be clear that the service we provide CAN and SHOULD be offered remotely until it is safe to physically enter school buildings.

The current state of our existence is filled with unrest, anxiety, sadness, and pain. It’s honestly not surprising to me that, according to this article looking at the target market of hemp products, Millenials like myself are spending more money on CBD solutions to help us manage our mental health during these uncertain times. Like the rest of the world, I wish that we could press a magic button and return to “normal,” but the reality is that we can’t, not for some time, anyway. What and who are we willing to risk in an effort to re-enter schools in person? How many deaths are acceptable? How many people, like me, who will live with health issues for the foreseeable future is acceptable? Does your fear of an educational setback outweigh my fear for my life?

For once, teachers are voicing hesitation, frustration, and fear, instead of just coming up with a self-sacrificing solution to the problem, and society is appalled. For once, we are begging to be able to put our own family and health first, and the backlash has been intense. Our passion is being weaponized, we are being accused of not caring about children, or not being flexible enough, or even being lazy and unwilling to work. How soon we forget the “backbone” of our society, along with all of the good work we have done. Teachers are strong, resilient, and creative, but this is one situation I don’t think we can “Donors Choose” our way out of.