Tag: Memphis-Shelby County Schools

Multiple Memphis Schools Locked Down After Threatening Messages with Reported Foreign Origin

Tom Pappert
Marie Feagins

Multiple in Memphis and Shelby County locked down their campuses on Wednesday after authorities confirmed threatening messages were posted online. Authorities have stated there was no immediate threat to any schools in the area, and reportedly that the messages were believed to have been created using chat bots and originated outside the United States.

Memphis-Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins revealed a press conference, where she spoke on Wednesday alongside with Memphis Police Chief CJ Davis and Sheriff Floyd Bonner Jr., that threats were first received by Southwind High School via a phone call, and later through social media.

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Security Resource Officers Reported Called to Step Back from Memphis Shelby County Schools over Public Safety, Pay

Tom Pappert

The company which provides Security Resources Officers (SROs) to Memphis Shelby County Schools (MSCS) has reportedly warned it will step back from its duties unless Shelby County changes its overtime policies, with the company’s owner claiming in a letter that SROs in the school district have already been told not to provide security for upcoming football events.

Bennie Cobb, who owns the Eagle Eye Security and Training company which provides SROs for the district, reportedly sent a letter to the MSCS Safety and Security division which warned its 128 SROs were told “[n]ot to report for duty on Friday, August 16, 2014 – and not to participate in the [football] jamboree that following night and following day.”

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Tennessee Democrat Claims ‘Flawed Letter Grades’ Fail to Reflect Schools After 43 Percent in Her City Receive Failing Grades

Tom Pappert
Raumesh Akbari

Tennessee State Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis) claimed the new letter grades assigned to every Tennessee school are “flawed.” Akbari represents Memphis, where more than 40 percent of schools did not receive passing grades.

Akbari released a statement on Thursday declaring the “flawed letter grades will never define a school, their students and families, or their teachers and staff.” She asserted the grades instead reflect what she claimed is inadequate state funding for education.

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Tennessee Charter School Commission Executive Director Recommends Rejection of Two More Proposed Schools

Peter D'Abrosca

The executive director of Tennessee’s Public Charter Schools Commission has recommended against two new charter schools, after last month battling to stop a charter school from opening in Rutherford County and another from opening in Williamson County. 

Tess Stovall reportedly agreed with the Memphis-Shelby County School Boards unanimous votes – one in April and another in July – and recommended against the opening of Binghampton Community School and Tennessee Volunteer Military Academy.

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Memphis-Shelby County Superintendent Resigns Amid Investigation

Peter D'Abrosca

Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) Superintendent says he will resign from his post amid controversy that led to an external investigation. 

Dr. Joris Ray said he would resign after the full nine-member school board met in July with investigator Herman Morris, who was contracted to look into allegations that Ray had extra-marital affairs with employees of the school district. 

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