Tennessee Education Association Archives

AP Reporter Takes Sides Against Tennessee Right-to-Work Campaign

October 27, 2022October 26, 2022 Bradley Vasoli

The campaign for the constitutional “right-to-work” amendment appearing on this year’s Tennessee election ballot has garnered vocal opposition from labor unions and other left-wing thought leaders. Supporters could have expected that. Less predictably, a Nashville-based Associated Press reporter railed against the effort this week.

In a Twitter post, AP writer Kimberlee Kruesi opined strongly against Governor Bill Lee’s pronouncements on the issue, characterizing them as “false” and “outrageous spin.”

Far-Left Tennessee Education Association Encourages Democrats to Vote in More Republican Primaries

July 21, 2022July 21, 2022 Aaron Gulbransen

The Tennessee Star learned that the far-left Tennessee Education Association (TEA) is distributing the same mailed literature piece recently targeting Democrat voters and encouraging them to vote for Jeff Eby in the House District (HD) 69 Republican race and other August 4 Republican district primaries.

In addition to promoting Eby’s bid, the TEA mailed the same exact piece in the HD 13 and Senate District (SD) 9 Republican primaries.

Teacher Pay Will Be Issue in Tennessee Public School Funding Review

October 17, 2021October 17, 2021 The Center Square

As Tennessee begins looking at revamping its Basic Education Program (BEP) to fund public schools, one factor looming in the discussion of a new funding formula is teacher pay.

Legislative leaders on both sides of the aisle recognize teacher pay and how the BEP funds teacher pay are an issue.

Tennessee Education Association Lost 44 Percent of Members in Past Decade, Expert Says

August 17, 2019August 16, 2019 Jason M. Reynolds

The Tennessee Education Association has lost 44 percent of its members in the last decade.

Payroll Deduction Bill May Provide More Access to All Groups Representing Teachers

April 25, 2019April 24, 2019 Admin

Thursday morning the Tennessee Senate will consider a payroll deduction bill that will provide teachers with an option to get politics out of their paychecks. For many, it will also provide equal access to payroll deduction for dues payment for groups other than the increasingly liberal activism of the…

Steve Gill Commentary: ‘Like a BAT Out of Hell’

April 13, 2019April 13, 2019 Steve Gill

The Tennessee teacher’s union, TEA, can’t seem to get out of their own way. Not only are they out of touch politically with most Tennesseans — with opposition to gun rights, funding for abortion groups, and support for Hillary Clinton — but they have also positioned themselves far to the…

National Teachers’ Union Formalizes Belief That Educators Must Acknowledge Existence of White Supremacy Culture

April 3, 2019April 2, 2019 Laura Baigert

The National Education Association added a new section to its Resolutions, titled “White Supremacy Culture,” in which it states the belief that educators must acknowledge the existence of White supremacy culture as a primary root cause of institutional racism, structural racism, and White privilege. The National Education Association (NEA) is…

Tennessee Republican Party Issues Statewide Call For Support of Governor Lee’s Education Savings Account

March 26, 2019 Laura Baigert

As Governor Bill Lee’s legislation on Education Savings Accounts is set to be voted on by the full House Education Committee on Wednesday, March 27, the Tennessee Republican Party calls for support of his education plan. The Tennessee Republican Party (TRP) sent a personalized email Friday saying, “We need your…

Governor Bill Lee’s Proposal for Education Savings Accounts Passes Its First Hurdle in Tennessee House Subcommittee

March 20, 2019March 19, 2019 Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – The bill that lays out the details of Governor Bill Lee’s proposal for Education Savings Accounts (ESAs) passed its first hurdle in the House Curriculum, Testing & Innovation Subcommittee. The 16-page amendment that “makes the bill” was presented by Speaker Pro Tem Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville), who is…

The Tennessee Education Association Teachers Union Spent More Than $500,000 on 2018 State Elections

February 18, 2019February 17, 2019 Laura Baigert

The Tennessee Education Association, the teachers union in the state, spent more than $500,000 between January 1, 2017 and December 31, 2018 on political activities, according to its filings with the Tennessee Bureau of Ethics and Campaign Finance, most of which went to candidates for state offices. The Tennessee Education…

Steve Gill Commentary: The Californication of the Teachers’ Union

July 11, 2018July 11, 2018 Tennessee Star Staff

At the recent National Education Association (NEA) Annual Meeting, where Tennessee Education Association (TEA) representatives participated along with other affiliates across the country, the highly partisan NEA took strong positions against immigration reform and Republicans in general. They even gave an award to controversial former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick to…

The Tennessee Education Association Embraces the Union Label in Washington D.C., Denies It in Nashville

June 30, 2018June 29, 2018 JC Bowman

JC Bowman writes: “There are many other completely, independent non-union organizations now in America that represents public school educators, giving them a clear, non-union voice. This means they do not spend a large portion of their lobbying efforts and their political funds focusing on bills and causes that fall outside the scope of education.”

JC Bowman Commentary: SCOTUS Janus Decision Will Make Unions More Accountable to Their Members

June 28, 2018June 28, 2018 JC Bowman

The Janus Decision will not create drastic structural changes to unions. It will simply make them more accountable to their own members. And in the case of teacher unions, this greater accountability should focus on making the quality of education front and center, help public education rebuild support from the public for issues like raising teacher pay and school funding, and work for the common good of all students and educators.

Will Liberal Teachers’ Union Endorsement Hamper Beth Harwell In Her Gubernatorial Nomination Bid?

May 30, 2018May 29, 2018 John Bryant

As The Tennessee Star has reported, Tennessee House Speaker Beth Harwell has received the Tennessee Education Association’s endorsement for the Republican nomination for Governor. The Tennessee Education Association Fund for Children and Public Education (TEA-FCPE), which is the PAC and political arm for the teachers’ union in Tennessee, has endorsed…

Teachers Union Money and Support May Be Toxic in GOP Legislative Primaries

January 4, 2018July 17, 2018 Admin

With a huge number of vacancies in State House and Senate seats in 2018, many due to retirements and others due to Members accepting political appointments or seeking other offices, there will be a historic number of contested seats in the August, 2018 Republican primary election. Republicans currently enjoy supermajorities…

Education Commissioner McQueen Convenes Testing Assessment Task Force

December 13, 2017December 13, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

The role of state tests should always be to supplement other feedback loops that teachers, parents, and districts use to get a more complete picture of a student’s development, including classroom performance, report cards, portfolios, performances, and other ways students show their development. State tests are not meant to be the sole driver of instructional decisions. The information from an assessment should provide educators, parents, and students with a better perspective on how the students are succeeding academically compared to their peers across Tennessee.

Nashville Metro Council Candidate Antoinette Lee Supported By Tennessee Education Association

August 14, 2017 Wendy Wilson

Nashville Metro Council candidate Antoinette Lee publicly thanked the Tennessee Education Association teachers union Sunday for creating a mailer for her campaign. “I want to thank the political arm of TEA (the teachers’ Union) for doing my mailer,” she wrote on her Facebook campaign page. “I think they did a…

GOP Speaker Beth Harwell, Democrats Karl Dean and Craig Fitzhugh Called ‘Gubernatorial Candidates’ in Saturday Speeches to Tennessee Education Associaton

May 7, 2017May 6, 2017 Tennessee Star Staff

Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell (R-Nashville), former Nashville Mayor Karl Dean, and House Minority Leader Craig Fitzhugh (D-Ripley) were all called Gubernatorial candidates by attendees who listened to their speeches to the Tennessee Education Association at its gathering in Murfreesboro on Saturday. “Clearly a campaign…

Bill To Help Teacher Organizations Other Than TEA With Payroll Deductions Fails In House Subcommittee

April 13, 2017April 12, 2017 Wendy Wilson

A bill failed in a House subcommittee Wednesday that would have ensured that school districts that allow for payroll deductions for the dominate teachers union would also allow payroll deductions for membership in any professional employee organization. The bill was an attempt to give groups besides the Tennessee Education Association…

Bill Would Make Payroll Deductions Easier For Teachers In Professional Organizations Other Than TEA

April 12, 2017April 12, 2017 Wendy Wilson

A bill advancing in the Tennessee state legislature would ensure that school districts that allow payroll deductions for union dues would also allow payroll deductions for membership in any professional employee organization. The bill is backed by Professional Educators of Tennessee (ProEd), an association that is not a union and does…