Rumors out of the Bill Lee Transition Office are circulating that his list of possible Education Commissioners is being narrowed as they are apparently wrapping up interviews this week. In the next week the Lee team plans to wrap up their selection of Commissioners.
Some of the names that continue to be mentioned as potential contenders for Education Commissioner include:
– Former House Speaker Beth Harwell
– Athens City Schools Superintendent Melanie Miller
– Maryville City Schools Director Mike Winstead
– Interim Ed. Commissioner Lyle Ailshie
– Former Achievement School District Supt. Malika Anderson
– Former Asst. Ed. Commissioner Kathleen Airhart
– Louisiana Commissioner of Education John White
– Professional Educators of Tennessee Exec. Dir. JC Bowman
– Former State Rep. Eddie Smith (Knoxville)
Former Tennessee Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman, who actively promoted Common Core, oversaw and essentially created Tennessee’s testing nightmares, and who admittedly voted for Barack Obama before being tabbed by Governor Haslam for the top Education job in Tennessee, is reportedly NOT on the short list. However, the large number of Bill Lee insiders who previously worked for Huffman’s ex-wife Michelle Rhee at StudentsFirst, may be a red flag that anything is possible.
