Tennessee State Representative Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) said he expects his bill prohibiting the displaying of certain flags on or in a public school, including LGBTQ pride flags, to soon pass the Senate and be signed into law by Governor Bill Lee.
Read the full storyTag: education
Deer Valley Unified School District Board Member Paul Carver Offers Insights for Parents Concerned with K-12 Issues Today
A couple of Arizona’s largest school districts have been rocked with scandals lately, mainly over administrations trying to implement woke agendas.
However, the Deer Valley Unified School District (DVUSD), located in northwest Phoenix and surrounding cities, has escaped much of the controversy. Paul Carver, who sits on the governing board, said he believes it is because his district stresses transparency and teamwork. He said the superintendent has regular interfaith meetings, which have been transferred to Zoom since COVID-19, and the superintendent and many board members try to include everyone regardless of demographics.
Read the full storyCommentary: Battles We Can Win Are on Family, Morality, and Education
In “Burke on Our Crisis of Character,” which appeared in the December 2023 issue of Chronicles, Bruce Frohnen notes, “The American Way was real, rooted in families whose rights trumped the demands of the state because families were more natural and fundamental than the state.” The following month in the same magazine, Stephen Baskerville reviews a collection of essays, Up from Conservatism, in which he briefly addresses the pernicious effects of government welfare on family life and fatherhood.
As is the case in nearly everything that the federal government touches, be it education, health care, or anything else, its policies in the last 50 years have severely damaged the American family. Given the additional harms done by government in the first quarter of the 21st century—trillions of dollars in wasted expenses, woefully ignorant public school graduates, divisions along the lines of race, politics, and gender, a diminished pride in our past, the attacks on our liberties—some people I know despair about the future. Others of us want to restore the good that has been lost but feel frustrated and even defeated by the immensity of the task. We vote, we grouse (as I am doing here), yet each day brings some new assault on the culture, some new governmental dictate or intrusion, and we just want to hunker down in the trenches hoping that this bombardment will end of its own accord.
Read the full storyDr. Carol M. Swain: ‘You Can be Dumb as Rocks and Go to Harvard’
Dr. Carol M. Swain joined Thursday’s edition of The Tennessee Star Report with Michael Patrick Leahy to discuss the latest developments surrounding her battle with Harvard University regarding its former president’s alleged plagiarism of her and other scholars’ work as well as the overall decline of the university as it attempts to implement a new “standard.”
In December 2023, writer and activist Christopher Rufo accused then-Harvard University President Claudine Gay of plagiarizing “multiple sections” of Swain’s Ph.D. thesis from 1997.
Read the full storyTennessee Lottery Celebrating Its 20th Anniversary
The Tennessee Education Lottery is celebrating its 20th anniversary this weekend as the Lottery’s first ticket sale took place on January 20, 2004.
Read the full storyCommentary: American Society Has Been Turned Upside-Down and Our Rendezvous with the Unthinkable Draws Near
In the last six months, we have borne witness to many iconic moments evidencing the collapse of American culture.
The signs are everywhere and cover the gamut of politics, the economy, education, social life, popular culture, foreign policy, and the military. These symptoms of decay share common themes.
Read the full storyArizona Father of Five Arrested Twice for Protesting COVID-19 Restrictions Continues His Efforts to Protect Children
Kelly Walker, a journalist and father of five in Tucson, is expanding his efforts to protect children from bad policies in schools despite being arrested and prosecuted after one school pushed back. Since the bad experience, he’s built a platform of advocacy for parents and children harmed by school policies at Real Freedom Talk. He now produces videos about abuses in schools and appears on major talk shows to discuss his experiences and expose what is happening in Tucson schools.
Walker said what prompted his activism was observing the increase in mental health problems among children due to the COVID-19 lockdowns. A student committed suicide near his home, and the suicide rate among children in Pima County increased 30 percent. A nearby school admitted they had locked students in closets and forgotten about them. He said parents from the community came to his former coffee shop, Viva Coffee House, and asked him if he could do something about it.
Read the full storyU.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn Helps Introduce Bill That Would Reveal Foreign Investments into American Universities
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) joined U.S. Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) this week in introducing the Defending Education Transparency and Ending Rogue Regimes Engaging in Nefarious Transactions (DETERRENT) Act.
The bill, according to Blackburn’s office, would “bring much needed transparency, accountability, and clarity to foreign gift reporting requirements for American colleges and universities.”
Read the full storyTennessee Valley Authority Distributes $1.5 Million in STEM Education Grants
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) announced Monday it has awarded $1.5 million in STEM classroom grants to educators in public schools to “develop science, technology, engineering, and math education projects across the Tennessee Valley region.”
Read the full storyOhio State Rep. Urges Passage of Bill to Provide More Financial Transparency to Incoming College Students
Ohio State Representative Adam Mathews (R-Lebanon) renewed calls for the Ohio Senate to pass his Higher Education Return on Investment Act this week.
Read the full storyOhio Launches New Skills-Based Job Search Feature to Help Individuals Apply for State Government Positions
A new tool aimed at helping applicants locate openings for state government positions in Ohio based on their specific experiences, skills, and training was rolled out this week.
Read the full storyTennessee Lottery Sets New First Quarter Revenue Record
The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation announced Monday it raised $133,372,000 for education in the Volunteer State during the first quarter of Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), setting a new first quarter record for the amount generated for education.
Read the full storyEnrollment at University of Tennessee Hits All-Time High
Enrollment across the University of Tennessee’s (UT) five campuses reached an all-time high this fall, according to a press release by the UT system.
Read the full storyHouse Speaker Sexton and Lt. Gov McNally Announce Creation of Joint Working Group to Study How Federal Funding Impacts Education in Tennessee
On Monday, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) and Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge) announced the creation of a new Joint Working Group to study the impact federal funds have on education in the Volunteer State.
Read the full storytnAchieves Looking for 4,300 Volunteer Mentors for High School Students
A Tennessee nonprofit that works in tandem with a major state scholarship program is looking for mentors for high school students.
tnAchieves is looking for 4,300 mentors to register by October 20, 2023, “to provide local encouragement and guidance to students statewide,” according to its website.
Read the full storyTennessee Secretary of State’s Office Announces Civics Essay Contest for Pre-K to 12th-Grade Students
Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett recently announced the theme for his office’s 2023 Civics Essay Contest for Tennessee students from pre-K to 12th-grade.
Read the full storyTennessee U.S. Rep. Introduces Bill to Help Teachers Pay For Out-of-Pocket Classroom Expenses
Tennessee U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) has joined Illinois U.S. Representative Sean Casten (D-IL-06) in introducing the Educators Expense Deduction Modernization Act.
Read the full storyUniversity of Tennessee System Guarantees Admission for Certain In-State Students
At a special meeting of the University of Tennessee Board of Trustees at Thursday night, the state university system adopted a new policy that will guarantee college admission to certain in-state applicants.
Effective immediately, Tennessee high schoolers applying to a University of Tennessee school with the following credentials will automatically be accepted to at least one school in the state university system:
Read the full storyTennessee Lottery Sets New Record, Raises More than $500 Million for Education in Fiscal Year 2023
The Tennessee Education Lottery Corporation recently announced it raised $515,397,000 for education in the Volunteer State during Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), setting a new Fiscal Year record for the amount generated for education.
Read the full storyTennessee House Committees Decide Fate of Bills to Arm Teachers, Allow Armed Law Enforcement Officers Inside Schools
One of two bills concerning firearms in schools and on school grounds was recommended for passage in separate committees on Wednesday.
Read the full storyTennessee Rep. Demands Answers from Clarksville-Montgomery County School System Over Controversial Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Staff Training
Tennessee U.S. Representative Mark Green (R-TN-07) has sent a letter to the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System (CMCSS) concerning a recent presentation promoted to staff about using Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion to connect with students.
Read the full storyConcerned Parent Blows Whistle on LGBT Material Displayed to Four-Year-Olds in Nashville Public School
A concerned parent shared a photo with The Tennessee Star this week depicting an LGBT pride flag at Dan Mills Elementary School in Nashville, which he said is on display for children as young as four years old.
The pride flag is emblazoned with the words “MNPS for All,” and hangs above a poster that breaks students into groups by race and sexual orientation, noting that each group is “loved.”
Read the full storyGeorgia Lottery Raises More than $1.5 Billion for Education in Fiscal Year 2023
The Georgia Lottery Corp. recently announced that it raised $1,516,383,000 for education in the Peach State during fiscal year 2023 (FY23), which spanned from July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023.
Read the full storyTennessee Valley Authority Giving Away $1.5 Million in STEM Education Grants
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) announced Thursday that a $1.5 million grant program for STEM studies is now open for applications.
Teachers will be able to apply for the grants and put them to use upon distribution in January, according to a release.
Read the full storyStudents in 11 Tennessee Counties to Receive Free Backpacks this Upcoming School Year
School-aged students in eleven economically distressed counties across Tennessee will receive a backpack courtesy of First Lady Maria Lee’s ‘Tennessee Serves’ initiative at the beginning of this upcoming school year.
Read the full storyUvalde Foundation Looking For Volunteers to Patrol Covenant Students This School Year Following Shooting
The Uvalde Foundation For Kids is looking for volunteers in Tennessee who would be interested in patrolling Covenant School students returning to class this upcoming school year.
Read the full storyU.S. Attorney’s Office in Georgia Organizes Gang and Violence Prevention Program for SROs in Metro-Atlanta Schools
The Northern District of Georgia U.S. Attorney’s Office organized an initiative to provide law enforcement training for more than 40 police officers from school systems in the northern district of Georgia to prevent and reduce delinquency, youth violence, and gang membership.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office partnered with the Georgia Alliance for School Resource Officers and Educators, the Georgia Public Safety Training Center, and the Georgia Gang Investigators Association to provide the officers with Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.).
Read the full storyWisconsin Congressman Scott Fitzgerald Introduces Bill Taking on National Education Association’s Political Clout
U.S. Representative Scott Fitzgerald (R-WI-05) introduced a bill that would check the power of the National Education Association (NEA).
The Stopping Teachers Unions from Damaging Education Needs Today (STUDENT) Act aims to reform the NEA’s federal charter and “rededicate the organization to the pursuit of increased student learning and quality education in schools across America,” according to the congressman.
Read the full storyWMC Survey of Businesses Finds Alarming Number of Wisconsin K-12 Graduates Aren’t Prepared for the Workforce
As Wisconsin businesses struggle through a worker shortage crisis, it appears Wisconsin’s public schools are failing to prepare students for the workforce.
Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce’s latest employer survey finds 73 percent of responding businesses said ‘no’ when asked if students graduating from the Badger State’s K-12 education system are prepared for the workforce.
Read the full storyTennessee State University College of Agriculture to Begin Offering Master of Science Degree Program This Upcoming Fall Semester
Tennessee State University (TSU) recently announced that its College of Agriculture will begin offering a new Master of Science in Agribusiness and Leadership degree program in Fall 2023.
Read the full storyWisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos Calls Governor Tony Evers a ‘Liar’, Expects Evers’ Partial Vetoes to be Challenged in Court
Democrat Governor Tony Evers’ “creative” partial veto that boosts public education spending for the next four centuries “proves he’s a liar,” Assembly Speaker Robin Vos said during a Sunday morning interview.
The Rochester Republican said the governor’s “unprecedented” veto trick leaves Republicans — and taxpayers who would be on the hook for 400-plus years of spending increases — with “little option” but to take the governor to court.
Read the full storyBeacon Center Poll: Tennesseans Overwhelmingly Support Donald Trump and School Choice
On Thursday, the Nashville-based Beacon Center of Tennessee published results of its first-ever poll revealing how Tennessee voters feel about a variety of issues.
Read the full storyVivek Ramaswamy Commits to Funding $250,000 in Scholarships for Ten High School Students to ‘Revive Patriotism’
GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy and his wife announced their commitment of $250,000 to fund a new scholarship.
Read the full storyTennessee Department of Education Funds 32 School Districts with Perkins Reserve Grants
The Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) recently announced that 32 school districts across the state have been awarded funds from the Perkins Reserve Grant (PRG) to support career and technical education (CTE) for the 2023-24 school year.
Tennessee’s CTE consists of “16 nationally recognized career clusters with the ultimate goal of preparing students for success at the postsecondary level and in their chosen careers.”
Read the full story‘Moms for Liberty’ Activist Talks About Radical Left Hatred and Vitriol in the City of Brotherly Love
Scarlett Johnson says she has never seen anything like it.
The parental rights activist has gotten used to nasty language and overheated rhetoric from the left. But she said the hatred she experienced last week in the City of Brotherly Love was “insane.”
Read the full storyThe Peach State Celebrates 30 Years of the Georgia Lottery
The Georgia Lottery Corp. celebrated its 30th anniversary this week at the Georgia State Capitol.
Read the full storyTennessee GOP Congressional Members React to SCOTUS’ Affirmative Action Ruling
Republican members of Tennessee’s Congressional Delegation applauded the U.S. Supreme Court’s (SCOTUS) decision to strike down affirmative action in college admissions via two cases against Harvard and the University of North Carolina.
Read the full storyVanderbilt Launches $17 Million Push for ‘Diversity’ in Biomedical Research Faculty Recruitment
Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and Vanderbilt University (VU) recently announced the launch of a $17 million program with support from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to “accelerate diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging in the biomedical research community.”
Read the full storyWisconsin’s Budget-Writing Committee Passes Budget with ‘Historic’ $4.3 Billion Tax Cut
After a season of spending, the Wisconsin Legislature is finally getting around to talking tax cuts. Perhaps Republicans have saved the best for last.
The Republican-controlled Joint Finance Committee put the finishing touches on a complete rewrite of Democrat Governor Tony Evers’ 2023-25 state budget proposal, passing a tax reform package that promises to deliver $3.5 billion in income tax cuts and nearly $800 million in property tax relief.
Read the full storyGovernor Lee Encourages Law Enforcement and Schools to Apply for School Security Grant
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced Wednesday that the state is now accepting applications for grant funding from law enforcement agencies and schools in order to “further strengthen security at Tennessee schools.”
Read the full storyUniversity of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s School of Nursing Recognized as Best in the State
The “largest website and community of nurses online,” nurse.org, named the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga’s (UTC) School of Nursing as the best in the state as part of its 2023 nurse.org Best Nursing Schools by state rankings.
In its ranking explanation, nurse.org cited UTC’s National Council of State Boards of Nursing Licensure Exam (NCLEX) pass rate of 96 percent. Graduates are eligible to take the NCLEX to become a registered nurse upon completion of the bachelor’s program in nursing. The national average NCLEX pass rate is 82 percent.
Read the full storyMichigan Council to Address Population Decline, Education, and Infrastructure
Michigan’s governor by executive order has created the “Growing Michigan Together Council,” a team of nearly two dozen she wants to continue economic momentum while also stopping the migration out of state that has dropped population.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced her new initiative Thursday morning, which she said would address the state’s outbound population and spur further economic development. The council will be chaired by John Rakolta Jr., a Republican, and Shirley Stancato, a Democrat.
Read the full storyHobbs’ Claim That Ducey Administration Misappropriated Funds to Kindergarteners Criticized by Arizona Republicans and Education Advocates
Several leaders and education advocates are denouncing Governor Katie Hobbs’ reversal of funding Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) for kindergarten. Hobbs reversed the grant of $50 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan Act last week, which previous Governor Doug Ducey awarded for private school students to use.
Hobbs said in a statement that Ducey made the transfer “despite the fact that the State funds only half-day kindergarten for public school students.” However, State Representative Matt Gress (R-Phoenix), who served in the Ducey administration prior to becoming a legislator, said on the James T. Harris Show, “95 percent of public district and charter schools offer full day kindergarten using public tax dollars. So Governor Ducey saw this as a matter of fairness to provide full-day K to as many Arizona kids as possible. … It would have helped over 4,000 kindergarteners next school year.”
Read the full storyIn Delaware County Special Election, a Ford Win Would Flip Pennsylvania House
Pennsylvania’s legislative elections are 18 months out, except for the Delaware County-based 163rd district whose voters will decide on Tuesday which party controls the state House.
Democrats enjoyed a one-seat majority since session began last December, but sexual-misconduct allegations prompted the resignation of Democrat Mike Zabel, who represented the district covering Aldan, Clifton Heights, and Collingdale as well as parts of Darby and Upper Darby. Republican Katie Ford is campaigning to flip the seat red while Zabel’s party picked Heather Boyd to keep hold of it.
Read the full storyTennessee Valley Authority Awards 37 Tennessee Schools with Grants Based on Energy Waste Cuts
The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) awarded 64 schools across six states in the southeast region grants ranging from $10,00 to $410,000 through the energy company’s School Uplift program, with 37 of the recipient schools in Tennessee.
TVA’s School Uplift program “supports public schools in the region by offering energy efficiency training and grants that reduce energy costs and improve the quality of the learning environment.”
Read the full storyRutherford County Approves Charter School Application from American Classical Education
The Rutherford County School Board voted on Tuesday to approve American Classical Education’s (ACE) application to build a charter school. The vote was 5-2.
Read the full storyMayoral Candidate Jim Gingrich Opposes Titans Stadium Deal as Structured
Monday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Leahy welcomed Nashville mayoral candidate Jim Gingrich in studio to discuss his disfavor with the current Titans Stadium deal, Nashville’s growth, and the effect on taxpayers.
Read the full storyTransgender Professor at Middle Tennessee State University Appointed to Serve on a Presidential Advisory Commission in the Biden Administration
Marisa Richmond, a transgender professor at Middle Tennessee State University, has been appointed by President Joe Biden to serve on the Presidential Advisory Commission on Advancing Educational Equity, Excellence, and Economic Opportunity for Black Americans.
Read the full storyLeader U Conference 2023 Coming to MTSU on June 7th
Leader U 2023 Educator Conference is coming to MTSU in Murfreesboro on June 7th. Join us as we learn to “Lighten the Load.”
Read the full storyCommentary: Let Parents Opt-Out of Low-Performing Schools
Single mom Shinara Morrison discovered homeschooling by accident. When public schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, she found herself taking the lead on her child’s education to fill the gap.
Morrison never withdrew her son, who was 7, from the public school system. But she supplemented his online instruction with custom coursework that blended academics and life skills. Morrison had no formal training as an educator, but she had special insight as a mother.
“I had a little cheat sheet in my head,” she says. “I knew his learning style.”
Read the full story