Tag: Tennessee

Murfreesboro Educational Advocate Warns of Left-Wing Bias in Tennessee Public School Textbooks

Chris Butler

  A Murfreesboro resident says she’s found many examples of a left-wing ideological bias in the textbooks that school officials hand out to Tennessee’s public school students. This woman, Jackie Archer (pictured above), also said the textbooks she’s examined seem to glorify Islam at the expense of other religions. Archer is affiliated with Tennessee Rising, as well as Tennessee Textbook Advocates. Archer said both groups look for bias in public school textbooks. “Textbook companies are not local. They are huge multi-national corporations. It’s a multi-billion-dollar business, and the interests are more global than they are local. The standards are characterized in a way that promotes progressivism,” Archer told The Tennessee Star Wednesday. “It’s not all really blatant. It’s more subtle, in the images they choose and the people they choose to highlight. The people they choose to make examples of and the way they identify people. For instance, they avoid identifying any group that does anything negative if they happen to be Democrats.” Archer did not provide photos or screenshots to substantiate what she said, but she cited many examples by memory: • Textbooks allegedly do not mention that slave owners in pre-Civil War times were mostly Democrats and that…

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Tennessee Congressman Steve Cohen Is Happy Witnesses No Longer Must Say ‘So Help Me God’ During Oath

Chris Butler

  People who testify before the U.S. House of Representatives no longer must say “so help me God” under oath, and this reportedly delights Tennessee Democratic Congressman Steve Cohen of Memphis. As this week’s New York Times reported, House Democrats altered the oath after they assumed a majority over Republicans in January. Cohen, who chairs the House Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, reportedly said the following about people who want “so help me God” to come back: “I think God belongs in religious institutions: in temple, in church, in cathedral, in mosque — but not in Congress,” the paper quoted Cohen as saying. “And God doesn’t want to be used.” In a rebuttal, Chattanooga Times Free Press columnist Clint Cooper told his readers the Founding Fathers used God in many of the country’s founding documents. “Cohen, at that point, either was misreading history or was sorry he was called out for not having witnesses say ‘so help me God,’ like a child spotted by the teacher while shooting spitballs in class,” Cooper wrote. According to Cooper, Cohen refused a Republican congressman’s request to include “so help me God” at a Feb 28 committee hearing.…

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More Evidence The Tennessean Is Just a Mouthpiece for the Democratic Party

Julie Carr

  On Wednesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – host Steve Gill reviewed the convoluted story created by The Tennessean claiming that the Twitter feed, #ResignCasada was representative of all Tennesseans when in fact all tweets were from liberal Democrats and former failed former Democratic party candidates in the state. You can read the full transcript of Steve Gill’s comments here: Just another example of how The Tennessean is literally a mouthpiece, literally a propaganda screed for the Tennessee Democratic party. There’s a new story up by a character named Dustin Barnes in The Tennessean that highlights #ResignCasada is trending on Twitter. Now it’s interesting if you kind of go through this story. It’s on the Tennesseean.com calls for House Speaker Glen Casada resign started trending on social media shortly after his chief of staff had solicited and text messages and used illegal drugs in the legislative office building. He resigned Monday after the Tennessean published a story that he asked one intern for oral sex and nude photos. Other 2014 and 2016 texts showed he was hitting on…

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Emails Reveal McMinn County, Tennessee Principal Lobbied Teachers Against School Vouchers

Chris Butler

  A McMinn County public school principal warned legislators and her teachers that school vouchers are bad and irresponsible parents are the reason public schools are in such bad shape. This, according to a series of emails Principal Angela Miller of Mountain View School in Etowah sent out last month. In so doing, Miller may have violated state law. The Tennessee Star obtained these emails through an open records request. In her emails, Miller traced public schools’ woes back to one source. “It is the downfall of parents not being involved in children’s lives. We have a societal issue with rampant drugs, misuse of government subsidies, and incarceration of parents. Parent engagement needs to be addressed rather than taking funds from public schools,” Miller wrote. “K-12 education plays a powerful role in overcoming terrorism, immigration, economy, and the opioid crisis. Public education is necessary in ensuring an educated people to vote for key political positions.” Miller did not return The Star’s request for comment Wednesday. Specifically, we wanted her to expand upon what she said about parents and to clarify whether she meant to say it’s a public school’s job to indoctrinate kids into taking certain political positions when they…

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Tennessee Congressman John Rose Wants to Protect Senior Citizens from Exploitation

Chris Butler

  U.S. Rep. John Rose, a Republican representing Tennessee’s Sixth Congressional District, and U.S. Rep. Sean Casten, a Democrat representing Illinois’ Sixth Congressional District, are carrying a bill to protect seniors from financial exploitation. This, according to a press release Rose released this week. Rose said this is a problem that happens often in Tennessee. Rose and Casten won House passage this week of H. Res. 328, their bill to support combating the financial exploitation of seniors. Older Americans, the press release went on to say, are increasingly targeted for financial scams and it is estimated they lose more than $36 billion every year to scams. The resolution passed with 411 votes of support, the press release said. Rose speaking on the House Floor, said the following, according to a video on c-span.org: “For too long the financial exploitation of seniors has been swept under the rug. It is truly heartbreaking to hear stories of Tennesseans, parents, siblings and friends being taken advantage of, often by those they trust the most. It is time to equip our friends, families and neighbors with the knowledge and tools they need to guard against the heartbreak of their hard-earned security and stability being stolen…

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Davidson and Gibson County Residents Busted for Allegedly Stealing from TennCare

Chris Butler

  State officials have arrested three more people for alleged TennCare fraud, according to new press releases from the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration. The people arrested are from Davidson and Gibson counties, the press releases said. Authorities charged the Davidson County resident, Robert Lee Nesbitt, Jr. 54, with TennCare fraud for allegedly posing as the spouse of a TennCare enrollee in order to pick up her prescription for the painkiller Oxycodone. Authorities said he went to a pharmacy and claimed he was the enrollee’s spouse so he could obtain the painkillers.  They charged Nesbitt with one count of TennCare fraud for making a false statement and receiving benefits he was not entitled to receive, according to the press release. Meanwhile, authorities charged two Gibson County residents with using the identity and TennCare benefits of each other’s minor children in nearby Madison County, a press release said. The Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the Gibson and Madison County Sheriffs’ Offices, arrested Bertha Campos, 30 and Maria Vega, 42 both of Trenton. Authorities charged them with two counts of TennCare fraud and two counts of identity theft. “Authorities say that initially, Ms. Campos’ child broke an arm and then used the TennCare benefits…

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Tennessee State Park Will Likely Cost Taxpayers an Additional $11 Million

Chris Butler

  The Tennessee House reportedly just passed a budget that includes $11 million in taxpayer money for cost overruns for a new Inn at Fall Creek Falls State Park, which have caused costs to soar. Taxpayers, of course, must pick up the slack. The park is in Bledsoe and Van Buren counties in east Tennessee. “A Lee administration budget provision includes $11 million to cover ‘cost overruns’ for construction of the new inn, restaurant and conference center at the park near Spencer, Tennessee,” according to this week’s Chattanooga Times Free Press. “It’s causing the total costs for building the $29.4 million, 95,000-square-foot replacement facilities to soar by more than one third to $40.4 million. And it’s also pushing the anticipated completion date beyond the summer of 2020 to 2021.” The website went on to say the cost overrun is because pf problems finding workings in “the sparsely populated, remote area during a time of high employment.” “General Services Department spokesman David Roberson cited via email two main factors at work: The first is that ‘construction cost escalation has been more than anticipated since 2017,’” according to The Times Free Press. “Secondly, Roberson said, there’s been ‘difficulty in finding subcontractors to bid on the project…

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Stewart County Wins 2019 Tennessee Star Constitution Bee High School Team Championship

Tennessee Star Staff

  Goodlettsville, Tennessee – Stewart County High School won the 2019 Tennessee Star Constitution Bee State High School Championship on Saturday. Kyle Mallory was the faculty advisor who accompanied the team to the event. Lincoln County High School finished in second place, thanks to the strong showing of its one man team, Aryan Burns, who won the Individual Grand Championship . Metro Christian Academy, which hosted the event, finished in third place. Beverly Martin was the faculty advisor who helped prepare the team for the event. Tennessee Volunteer Challenge Academy, finished in fourth place. Dean Nelson was the faculty advisor who championed the team’s participation in the event and accompanied the team to Goodlettsville. Participants from Tennessee Volunteer Challenge Academy – who are considered at-risk youth receiving values, life skills, education and self-discipline necessary to succeed as productive citizens of Tennessee at the Academy – had an impressive showing, considering they had only received the book to begin their studying 24 hours prior to the event. Three additional teams were represented: Franklin Road Academy, Brentwood Middle School, and local home schoolers. Each team was awarded one point for each contestant, one point for winning a Preamble Challenge award, one point for…

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Tennessee Tax Revenues Exceed Estimates for March

Chris Butler

  Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Stuart McWhorter announced this week that Tennessee tax revenues exceeded budgeted estimates in March. Overall March revenues totaled $1.1 billion, which is $52.8 million more than the state received in March of 2018 and $28.6 million more than the budgeted estimate for the month. “Sales tax revenues continue to demonstrate the strength of the Tennessee consumer by outpacing last year’s receipts and the state’s budgeted estimate for the month,” McWhorter said in a press release. “Franchise and excise taxes also showed growth compared to March 2018 but were less than the state’s estimate. All other tax revenues combined exceeded the month’s budgeted estimates. The state’s year-to-date tax revenue growth indicates a promising finish to the 2018-2019 fiscal year.  However, a fourth of the state’s volatile corporate tax revenue collections typically occur within the next month. Therefore, we will continue to monitor our monthly tax receipts closely.” On an accrual basis, March is the eighth month in the 2018-2019 fiscal year, the press release went on to say. General fund revenues were $29 million more than the budgeted estimate while the four other funds that share in state tax revenues were $0.4 million less…

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Tennessee May Reportedly Give FedEx More than $21 Million in Corporate Welfare

Chris Butler

Members of the Tennessee House reportedly voted this week to give FedEx $21.3 million in corporate welfare over the next seven years for a new hub expansion in Memphis, according to various news outlets. Specifically, this type of corporate welfare is in the form of tax breaks. House members voted to make this happen on a 96-2 vote. State senators still must approve a bill of their own, according to the Memphis-based TV station WREG. “The bill initially dealt with lease or rental price reporting to the commissioner of revenue. But the legislation by Republican House Speaker Glen Casada was overhauled to include $16.1 million in state and $5.2 million in local sales and use tax exemption directed at building materials for the FedEx project,” WREG reported. “Republican Rep. Mark White of Memphis says the project is expected to be completed by the end of 2026.” According to The Memphis Commercial Appeal, if the legislation is enacted into law then Tennessee would lose $16 million in tax revenue. The local government would lose $5.1 million. “FedEx paid more than $110 million in state taxes in 2018 and will still pay $30 in sales tax for its hub modernization improvements,” The…

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Tennessee House Expected to Provide Oversight to State’s Thriving Sports Betting Industry

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A bill that would legalize online sports betting, subject to regulations limiting access and directing the expected $50 million in new annual tax revenue to education and mental health initiatives, is headed for a House floor vote on Wednesday. The U.S. Supreme Court opened the door for states like Tennessee to legalize sports betting last year.  Tennessee Attorney General Herb Slatery kicked it wider when he issued an opinion that sports betting could be legalized by legislative action rather than requiring a Constitutional amendment. Supporters of the legislation point out that HB0001 would stem the flow of dollars already being bet in online sights of dubious origin and traveling to casinos just south of Memphis where on-site sports betting has already been legalized by the State of Mississippi.  They also point to the easy access to sports betting sites online right now, but which don’t put any revenue into Tennessee-based companies or the state’s tax coffers. In fact, advertising of online sports betting sites is a booming business despite there being relatively few legal avenues to place bets in the U.S.  The sports networks clearly see more states coming online with legal betting, and they are right — with Montana…

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Tennessee Bill to Regulate 911 Calls Reportedly Held Up for Summer Study

Chris Butler

The sponsor of legislation that would make 911 calls and transmissions confidential reportedly wants more time to work on the bill, specifically this summer. This, according to the Tennessee General Assembly’s website and the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government. That bill is HB 335. According to the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government, the sponsor of that bill is State Rep. Rick Tillis, R-Lewisburg. “The bill, HB 335, would have created an exemption to the Tennessee Public Records Act for all 911 calls, making them only available for use by law enforcement, the courts and other governmental agencies,” according to the TCOG. “The Tennessee Press Association and Tennessee Association of Broadcasters lobbied against the bill, pointing out that access to 911 calls have led to numerous news stories uncovering problems within the 911 system. They have also been used to document natural disasters, such as when the Knoxville News Sentinel used 911 calls to shed light on what happened during the devastating Gatlinburg wildfires a few years ago.” The TCOG went on to say “the transmissions of 911 calls also have helped ferret out government coverups.” According to the bill summary, the bill prohibits “using such calls, transmission, or recordings for any purpose…

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US Records 71 New Measles Cases Last Week as Outbreak Spreads

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Reuters   The United States recorded 71 new measles cases last week, a 13 percent increase as the country faces its second-worst outbreak of the disease in almost two decades, federal health officials said on Monday. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had recorded 626 cases of the highly contagious and sometimes deadly disease in 22 states as of April 19, the highest rate of infection in five years. The CDC had previously reported 555 cases in 20 states between Jan. 1 and April 11. The current outbreak will likely surpass the 2014 outbreak in number of cases, the CDC said on Monday. Iowa and Tennessee were the two states that joined the CDC list with new measles cases. More than half the cases recorded this year occurred in New York City, primarily in the Williamsburg neighborhood of Brooklyn. The U.S. outbreak is part of a worldwide rise in the once nearly eradicated disease. The World Health Organization reported last week that global cases had risen nearly four-fold in the first quarter of 2019 to 112,163 compared with the same period last year. A vocal fringe of parents in the United States oppose vaccines believing, contrary…

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Tennessee Officials Who Fight School Vouchers Can’t Use Proper Grammar in Written Communications

Chris Butler

Public school officials in Tennessee who protest school vouchers insist public schools are by far the best option for children, especially versus charter schools or private schools. Yet in their written communications some of them can’t seem to put a proper sentence together. Take Etowah City School Principal Brian Trammell, for instance. Trammell’s email to his teachers and other staff members this month begging them to lobby against school vouchers contained almost a dozen grammatical errors. Examples, with The Tennessee Star’s corrections in parenthesis: • “Yesterday Senate Bill 795(,) the Education Savings Account Bill (the alternative name for Vouchers to make the general public feel good about the Bill) (,) passed the Senate Education Sub-Committee.” • “The response from our Senators and Representatives will be that it will not effect (affect) McMinn County/Etowah City School students and families, but it will.” • “Once (a) pandoras (Pandora’s) box is open, parent groups, such as, (no comma needed) Homeschool parents start suing (comma needed) wanting the same “benefit” in every district in the state.” • “What is being communicated is ‘the folks in favor of this Bill are out numbering (outnumbering) the opposition.” • “If you have time(,) please email Representative Mark Cochran…

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Tennessee Legislators Reportedly Put off Open Records Law Until Next Year

Chris Butler

Legislators have put off a bill designed to ward off people who supposedly make one too many open records requests, according to the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government. The legislation, Senate Bill 590 and House Bill 626, permits people who work for Tennessee government entities to seek an injunction against anyone who seeks public records requests “in a manner that would cause a reasonable person, including a records custodian or any staff of the public entity in control of the public records, to be seriously abused, intimidated, threatened, or harassed.” “The bills’ sponsors, Rep. William Lamberth, R-Portland, and Sen. Ferrell Haile, R-Gallatin, offered different amendments to their bills before asking to defer committee action until the first calendars of 2020,” according to the TCOG’s website. “Both said they filed the bills at the request of the city of Gallatin who had been overwhelmed by requests to inspect records from one particular public records requester.” As the TCOG went on to say, an amendment made exceptions for journalists and anyone who wanted to gather government information for mass audiences. That activity does not constitute harassment. Government entities would also have to file a report with the state’s Office of Open Records…

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Amy Hardesty on the Common Sense Weight Loss Approach of Hope 80/20

Julie Carr

  On Friday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am- the team spoke to long time friend Mark West about his new business called Hope 80/20 which focuses on health and weight loss, and Amy Hardesty, who has a personal weight loss story and is a coach of the new Hope 80/20 program. Leahy: We are joined now by our good friend Mark West and Amy Hardesty. And they’re with a new company called Hope 80/20. Not actually a new company but they’re doing something of interest to me. It’s a weight loss company and Mark, you and I have known each other for a dozen  years and became very involved in the Tea Party back then. And we had you on the air here when you, after ten years as a leader of the Chattanooga Tea Party, you resigned to go on back to you’re business roots and you’ve been very successful in business. And I just got curious about your new business, Hope 80/20. On the web at Hope 80/20.com. Mark welcome! West: Hi thanks Michael and Steve…

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Labor Union Representing Lordstown Auto Workers Rocked By Scandal

Andrew Shirley

The labor union solely responsible for the future of Ohio’s Lordstown Auto Complex was blasted Wednesday in Tennessee for the myriad of scandals that have plagued the organization over the past several years. The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, commonly known as the United Automobile Workers, or UAW, is one of the largest international labor unions in the country. For more than five years, the union has been lobbying for the unionization of a Volkswagen plant, based in Chattanooga. The plant currently employs more than 3,500 workers. In 2014, the plant held a vote among eligible workers on the weather on not they should unionize. The vote failed by a total of 712-626. On April 29th and 30th, a new vote will be held and the UAW has been heavily focused on ensuring that the plant votes for unionization this time. In response to this, a nonprofit organization ran a full-page ad in the Detroit Free Press blasting the UAW, citing statements made by the U.S. Department of Justice and a local law professor, noting, among other things, the union had “…a culture of corruption among senior leadership….”. The ad doesn’t directly acknowledge the upcoming…

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Tennessee Star Poll Shows Haslam Leads Green by 9 Statewide Among GOP Primary Voters in U.S. Senate Matchup, But Green Has Lead in Middle Tennessee

Julie Carr

On Friday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – the duo dissected the recent Tennessee Star Triton poll numbers which show former Gov. Bill Haslam leads Rep. Mark Green (R-TN-07) by 9 points statewide among likely GOP primary voters in a potential 2020 Republican U.S. Senate primary matchup. Green, however, leads Haslam in the three Middle Tennessee Congressional districts. Here is the transcript of that discussion: Gill: We’ve been talking a little bit about the Tennessee Star Triton poll that we did over the last week. Friday through Monday. A thousand three likely Republican primary voters were polled. And the reason that we polled frankly likely Republicans is whether you are looking at issues that will be moved through or blocked in the state legislature. The Republicans have super majorities in the state House and the state Senate.  What’s going to move those legislators to have concerns is going to be what do Republican primary voters think because that’s the only way most of these guys and ladies could get beat. Also when you look at the political reality…

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Etowah Principal May Have Violated Tennessee Law By Urging Teachers to Fight School Vouchers

Chris Butler

Etowah City School Principal Brian Trammell recently emailed his teachers and staff and urged them to lobby against the school vouchers’ bill up for consideration in the Tennessee General Assembly. The Tennessee Star confirmed the information Thursday after filing open records requests for school officials’ emails from several school districts in the state. Trammell possibly violated Tennessee’s Little Hatch Act by sending this email. The law prohibits state employees from engaging in political activity on the job. An email Trammell sent to his staff members on April 11 — a Thursday at 11:13 a.m. — was a call to action. “The response from our Senators and Representatives will be that it will not effect McMinn County/Etowah City School students and families, but it will. Once pandoras box is open, parent groups, such as Homeschool parents start suing wanting the same ‘benefit’ in every district in the State. The courts will see this as discrimination and open it up in every district,” Trammell wrote. “Please read the following and email the following concerns about this Bill. I implore you to email Senator Mike Bell (who, by the way, voted for this Bill yesterday) and Governor Lee and tell them you are…

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Feds Bust 60 For Alleged Participation in Illegal Prescribing and Distributing of Opioids, Other Narcotics, As Well As Alleged Health Care Fraud

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The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday announced a major multi-agency national bust against 60 people for their alleged participation in the illegal prescribing and distributing of opioids and other dangerous narcotics and for health care fraud schemes. The DOJ announcement is available here. The defendants are from 11 federal districts and include 31 doctors, seven pharmacists, eight nurse practitioners, and seven other licensed medical professionals, including Ohio. “The opioid epidemic is the deadliest drug crisis in American history, and Appalachia has suffered the consequences more than perhaps any other region,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “But the Department of Justice is doing its part to help end this crisis. One of the Department’s most promising new initiatives is the Criminal Division’s Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force, which began its work in December. Just four months later, this team of federal agents and 14 prosecutors has charged 60 defendants for alleged crimes related to millions of prescription opioids. I am grateful to the Criminal Division, their U.S. Attorney partners, and to the members of the strike force for this outstanding work that holds the promise of saving many lives in Appalachian communities.” In the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid Strike Force’s Southern District…

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Tennessee Star Poll: Will Tennessee Go to Pot?

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A new Tennessee Star poll reveals that support for legalizing medical marijuana in Tennessee has significant support among likely GOP Primary voters. The poll asked whether voters would be more or less likely to vote for a candidate who supports legalizing the distribution and sale of marijuana in Tennessee if strictly limited to prescribed medical use only. 42.9% indicated that they would be MORE likely to vote for a candidate supporting legalizing medical marijuana; 35.2% would be LESS likely; and 21.9% indicated that it would make no difference or that they didn’t know. The Triton Polling survey was conducted over four days (April 13-16) and polled 1003 likely Republican Party primary voters statewide. It has a margin of error of 3.1%. Bills in the House and Senate that would have legalized sale and distribution of medical marijuana were pulled by sponsors after it was clear they lacked the votes to emerge from key committees.  Law enforcement officials adamantly opposed the legislation and the sponsors were unable to overcome skepticism due to the advocacy of the legislation by proponents of recreational marijuana legalization. Tennessee Star Political Editor Steve Gill notes that the Triton Poll shows that support for legalization of medical…

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Tennessee Star Poll: Opposition to Heartbeat Bill May Be Career-Ending Vote for State Senate Republicans

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As State Senators prepare to cast a vote on whether to bring the Heartbeat Bill (SB1236) to the Senate floor under a Rule 63 motion, and whether to support it in a final vote, a new Tennessee Star poll may bring clarity to the issue. The Triton Polling survey was conducted over four days (April 13-16) and polled 1003 likely Republican Party primary voters statewide. It has a margin of error of 3.1 percent. The poll asked: The Tennessee Legislature recently failed to pass legislation called the Heartbeat Bill that would have provided legal protection for unborn babies once a heartbeat is detected, normally 6-8 weeks into pregnancy, and severely limited the opportunity for an abortion after that point. Would you be more or less likely to vote for a candidate who opposed or failed to support the Heartbeat Bill? 21.2 percent of responders said they would be MORE likely to support a candidate who OPPOSED the Heartbeat Bill; 65.5 percent would be LESS likely to support a candidate who OPPOSED the Heartbeat Bill; 5 percent said it would make no difference and 8.2 percent were not sure or didn’t know how it might impact their vote. The House version…

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Tennessee Ranks High in Economic Outlook, New Study Says

Chris Butler

Tennessee ranks seventh out of 50 states in economic outlook, according to the 2019 edition of Rich States, Poor States, released this week. That’s an improvement over how Tennessee ranked in 2018 (No. 12) and especially five years ago, in 2014 (No. 19), according to the book. A No. 1 ranking is the best and a ranking of 50 is the worst. In 2017, however, Tennessee ranked fifth out of the 50 states for economic outlook. The prior year Tennessee legislators phased out the Hall Income Tax over six years of scheduled reductions. The Arlington, Va.-based American Legislative Exchange Council published the book, written by Jonathan Williams, Art Laffer, and Stephen Moore. The authors say they base a state’s economic outlook ranking on a state’s current standing in 15 state policy variables. “Each of these factors is influenced directly by state lawmakers through the legislative process,” they wrote. “Generally speaking, states that spend less — especially on income transfer programs — and states that tax less — particularly on productive activities such as working or investing — experience higher growth rates than states that tax and spend more.” Variables authors considered included, among other things, property tax burdens, estate and…

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Opponents of Gay Marriage Try Again in Court to Argue Tennessee’s Marriage Laws Are Invalid

Jason M. Reynolds

A motion was filed Monday in the Chancery Court in Williamson County asking the court to set aside its earlier judgment dismissing the claims of five Williamson County residents who say Tennessee should not issue marriage licenses until a new statute is passed. The Motion for Relief from Judgment asks the court to set aside its earlier judgment on June 14, 2016, dismissing the claims of five Williamson County residents related to the administration of Tennessee’s marriage licensing statutes by the Williamson County clerk following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. Former State Sen. David Fowler said in a press release that he filed the motion as attorney for the Constitutional Government Defense Fund, the legal arm of the Family Action Council of Tennessee (FACT). At least three of the plaintiffs are ministers at Middle Tennessee churches who say that Obergefell means Tennessee should not issue marriage licenses until a new statute is passed, according to Courthouse News Service. George Grant, Larry Tomczak and Lyndon Allen filed a lawsuit on Jan. 21, 2016 against Elaine Anderson, clerk of Williamson County. The other plaintiffs are Lyndon Allen and Tim McCorkle. The U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell decision overturned…

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Public School Principal May Have Violated Tennessee Law By Pressuring Teachers to Lobby Against School Vouchers

Chris Butler

A Tennessee public school principal recently sent an email to teachers and staff at their school and urged them to lobby against the school vouchers’ bill currently up for consideration in the Tennessee General Assembly. According to the language of the Tennessee Hatch Act, such activity violates state law. The principal warned teachers that vouchers would devastate public schools and lead to more homeschooled children in Tennessee having Education Savings Accounts. This principal also instructed teachers and staff to email complaints to specific legislators, in addition to Republican Gov. Bill Lee. The Tennessee Star has chosen not to identify the principal in question. This person also asked teachers to ask friends and family members to involve themselves in the matter. The principal asked teachers and staff members to do these things immediately and to also thank a specific legislator who opposes the bill. The Star has chosen not to identify that legislator. In closing the email, the principal assumed nearly everyone agreed that vouchers are bad. But this is an area where the principal could end up in trouble. Specifically, Tennessee’s Hatch Act says the following about this conduct: • “It is unlawful for any public officer or employee to…

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Two Tennessee Women Charged with TennCare Fraud in Separate Cases

Chris Butler

Tennessee officials this week charged women with TennCare fraud in two separate cases. Officials charged a Hickman County woman with lying to the state to obtain TennCare healthcare insurance benefits, according to a press release from the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration. The Office of Inspector General and the Hickman County Sheriff’s Office, announced the arrest of Heather Knill, 40, of Pleasantville. She is accused of claiming that only she and her child lived in their home on a single income, when in fact the child’s father lived in the home and contributed his income to the household – all of which would have made her ineligible for TennCare. As a result, she received TennCare benefits totaling more than $44,000 and she’s charged with theft of services over $10,000, the press release said. “Omitting relevant facts to purposefully receive public benefits amounts to criminal activity and not taken lightly,” Inspector General Kim Harmon said in the press release. “The Legislature determined that any theft of services greater than $500 is a felony … and in this case, a class C felony, carrying up to 15 years in prison.” “ District Attorney General Kim R. Helper is prosecuting. In the second case,…

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Founder of The American Evangelicals Association, Kelly Kullberg Urges Tennessee to ‘Come Along With Us’ and Pass the Heartbeat Bill

Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy talked to Kelly Kullberg who founded the American Evangelicals Association with a first hand account of what occurred in Ohio during the passage of the heartbeat bill in that state. Towards the end of the segment, the group spoke about the protesters and the responses from particular people who have spent several years trying to see this bill pass.  Kullberg urged Tennessee to “Come along with us!” and pass the Heartbeat Bill in the Tennessee Senate. Leahy: We are joined now on the line by our good friend, Kelly Kullberg the founder of the American Evangelicals Association. She lives in Columbus, Ohio. She was there yesterday when the Ohio state legislature did something that the Tennessee General Assembly at least in Tennessee State Senate doesn’t have the courage to do. They passed a fetal heartbeat bill. Welcome Kelly. Kullberg: Hi Mike. Hi Steve. Thanks for having me. Gill: The Ohio legislature showed a lot more courage than the Tennessee legislature. The House moved the heartbeat bill here…

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The Tennessee ‘Trigger’ Abortion Ban Bill May Get New Life

Chris Butler

Some people considered the Tennessee ‘trigger’ abortion ban bill dead, but it may have new life next week, said State Rep. Ron Gant, R-Rossville. Gant told The Tennessee Star Thursday he made a motion to recall it in the House Health Committee. House rules permit legislators to recall bills that subcommittees have already acted upon. As The Associated Press reported last month, a House subcommittee blocked the measure in a 4-3 vote. Gant, however, updated The Star on the matter. “We use this rule to recall House Bill 1029, and we took that vote Tuesday to recall it and it passed a majority,” Gant said. “So, this coming week it will be heard in our full Health Committee for a vote, and from there it will go to the House floor for a vote.” Gant said he talked with other committee members, and they all seem supportive. The bill, as Gant describes it, prepares Tennessee for what might happen if the U.S. Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. In that 1973 case, members of the U.S. Supreme Court ruled state laws that banned abortions were unconstitutional. The proposed ‘trigger’ law also considers what would happen if there is a Constitutional…

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Special Interests in Auctioneering World Want to Use Tennessee Government to Regulate Their Competitors, Experts Say

Chris Butler

Members of the Tennessee General Assembly will likely pass a bill into law that would require certain types of online auctioneers in the state to get a license to do business, said a state legislator. That man, State Rep. Martin Daniel, R-Knoxville, and others told The Tennessee Star this week that legislators are acting at the behest of special interest groups and other lobbyists. These groups compete with online auctioneers and want the government to either regulate their rivals or possibly snuff them out of business outright, said Daniel and other experts, including a Tennessee-based online auctioneer. “This thing got out of committee, so I would assume the chances (of it passing into law) are pretty good,” Daniel said. “As far as the special interest groups are concerned, online auctioneers are diminishing their business and their very lives.” Meanwhile, online auctioneer Will McLemore told The Star those special interest groups include the Tennessee Auctioneers Association. Members of the Tennessee Auctioneers Association did not return our repeated requests for comment Tuesday. According to that group’s website, members of the group represent auctioneering interests throughout the state. McLemore said members of the group have tried hard to get the state government to…

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State Rep. Robin Smith on The Tennessee Star Report: Georgia Is Trying to Take Our Water Resources by Moving State Line

Julie Carr

In an interview on The Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast Wednesday on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Steve Gill spoke to State Representative of House District Twenty Six Robin Smith about Georgia’s desire to move the border in order to get some of Tennessee’s water. Towards the end of the show, the team discussed with Smith’s recent victory in passing the e-verify bill and how this will lead the way to making sure only legal immigrants are able to work in the state. Gill: Robin Smith is on our news-makers line and a lot of stuff going on. Two big bills we want to get her to update us on. State Representative from the Chattanooga area. The bottom line is Georgia wants our water. Georgia wants to take a mile of our property. And Robin says not only no but hell no. Maybe not in those exact terms. Good morning Robin. Smith: Good morning Steve. Good morning Nashville. I’m fascinated by the fact that Georgia has pretty much put their foot in the ground that their not going to move their historical monuments…

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Tennessee Legislators Scared to Fight Civil Asset Forfeiture Abuse, Says State Rep. Martin Daniel

Chris Butler

Members of the Tennessee General Assembly won’t tackle civil asset forfeiture abuse because they fear a backlash from law enforcement, said State Rep. Martin Daniel  (R-Knoxville). Daniel serves on the legislature’s Civil Justice Subcommittee. Daniel told The Tennessee Star Monday that for the past three years he’s filed bills “that would have substantially reformed the problem.” Daniel said his colleagues don’t show his bill much, if any, support. And there’s a reason for that, Daniel said. “Law enforcement likes to have this revenue, I would assume, because there’s not a lot of accountability and transparency. They can use this money to spend it any way they want to without the legislature’s or a county commission’s oversight,” Daniel said. According to Justiceactionnetwork.org, Tennessee law enforcement officers can use civil asset forfeiture to seize and sell people’s property. They can do this “based only on their suspicion that it has been involved in criminal activity, without having to charge the citizen with a crime.” Law enforcement officers can sell or auction this property to supplement their budgets. Officials in Tennessee, Justiceactionnetwork.org went on to say, have seized and forfeited more than $85.9 million dollars in property between 2009 and 2014. These same…

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Audit: Former Gibson Police Chief Disobeyed Tennessee Law on Seized Vehicles

Chris Butler

Gibson’s former police chief did not follow state law when it came to seized vehicles, and he may not have worked the hours he said he worked, according to an audit Tennessee Comptrollers released Friday. The former chief, unnamed in the audit, did not make sure members of his department followed state law as they seized other people’s vehicles, auditors wrote. They failed to obtain a forfeiture warrant and failed to list the legal and factual basis that made the vehicle subject to forfeiture, signed by a judge. They also failed to file seizure forms with the Department of Safety and Homeland Security and negotiate and enter settlement agreements for the return of the vehicles to the owners, according to the audit. Failure to follow state law, auditors went on to say, could expose the town to various fines and fees. Auditors also scolded town officials for failing to property return, dispose of, or monitor storage costs of certain impounded vehicles at a private storage lot, which “incurred a substantial bill for storage fees.” Auditors also said the former police chief may not have worked the hours he reported on his time cards. “His signed time cards indicated he was…

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Licensing Online Auctioneers Could Hurt Tennessee Economy, Expert Warns

Chris Butler

Online auctioneers will suffer, as will Tennessee’s economy, if state officials require them to get a license, which certain members of the Tennessee General Assembly hope will happen this legislative session. This, according to an official with the Beacon Center of Tennessee, a Nashville-based free market think tank. As The Tennessee Star reported, a bill going through the Tennessee General Assembly would, for the first time, require a license for certain types of online auctions. “The vast majority of complaints about online auctioneering came from business competitors who don’t like having to compete with a new business model. And of course, this artificially inflates prices of goods, all of which are passed on to the consumer. It’s not different than a tax hike” said Braden Boucek, Beacon’s vice president of Legal Affairs, in an emailed statement. Boucek linked to an Institute of Justice study that examined state and national estimates of the economic costs of occupational licensing. The Institute for Justice is a Virginia-based and libertarian law firm that pursues civil liberties and other public interest cases, according to its website. “According to this study, over 21 percent of Tennessee’s workforce is licensed. It costs us 46,068 jobs.  We lose $173…

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The Tennessee Star Report Takes a Call from a Career Trucker with Insights into Recent Bridge Collapse in Chattanooga

Julie Carr

On Thursday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy discussed the recent report from CNN about the Chattanooga bridge collapse. The duo took a call from a career trucker named Art who expressed some interesting views on the situation and the possible reason it could have happened: Gill: This report by CNN that the bridge rail collapse down in the Chattanooga area was because a truck hit it and sliced some of the steel beams that held the barrier, the wall in place. Let’s go to Art. He had a comment about a truck hitting the bridge. Art, good morning. Welcome to the Tennessee Star Report. Art: Thank you. Thank you. Great show, love your show every morning. Gill: Thank you Leahy: Thanks Art. Art: Just a different comment on this truck thing. I haul delivery equipment and have and you name it for about 28 years and part of the problem is not just the trucks. They get a permit to haul this stuff, these oversized loads and normally DOT or TDOT or wherever they originate from, give…

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Tennessee Set to Stop Cities from Banning Plastic Bags

Chris Butler

Tennessee will likely ban local municipalities from regulating certain plastic bags and utensils, after a bill calling for that passed both the Tennessee House and Senate, according to the Memphis-based WMC Action News 5. All that’s left now is for Republican Gov. Bill Lee to sign the bill into law, which spokesperson Laine Arnold told reporters Friday he would do within the next 10 days. According to the Associated Press, the measure – nicknamed the “plastic bag bill” – makes it illegal for local governments to impose bag bans, restrictions on Styrofoam containers and other disposable products. On Monday, before passage, the AP reported: The bill is being debated in the GOP-dominant Statehouse as Memphis and Nashville — the state’s most populous cities that also lean more liberal — have recently considered levying taxes against single-use plastic bags. The plastic bags industry has opposed such taxes, but state lawmakers have been more willing to pre-empt the local governments. A Memphis City Council Chairman’s Recap email discussed the matter in January, when council members discussed a plastic bag fee. At that time council members heard arguments from the American Progressive Bag Alliance, which is against the proposed fee, and the Sierra Club and…

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The Tennessee Star Report: Senior Reporter Laura Baigert on Why The Education Savings Account Bill Cleared a Big Hurdle in Committee This Week

Julie Carr

On Thursday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – guest host and Nashville Tea Party Activist Ben Cunningham spoke with The Tennessee Star’s own senior reporter Laura Baigert, co-guest host for the day, about the key 14 to 9 favorable vote in the Education Committee this week that moved the Education Savings Account legislation closer to a vote on the floor of the House. Kevin Baigert, Laura’s husband and a long-time conservative activist in the state, was also a special in-studio guest during the broadcast who provided key insights into the vote as well. Cunningham: Had a really interesting episode yesterday at the General Assembly the, one of the Governor Bill Lee’s main legislative initiatives is what’s called an ESA , educational savings account and a real important vote occurred yesterday in the education committee. Laura, you were there. Give us just the two paragraph version of what happened. I saw it was fourteen to nine vote. That’s really is more than I thought the bigger majority. Is that about what you expected in terms of the committee vote. Baigert:…

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Bias Training for Teachers Could Go Statewide in Tennessee If Democrat Bill Passes

Chris Butler

Before too long, teachers throughout all of Tennessee might have to start taking bias training, either the same as or possibly like what Williamson County teachers already go through. That depends on whether a bill in the Tennessee General Assembly gets any traction and is signed into law. State Rep. Harold Love, D-Nashville, sponsors the proposed legislation in the state house while State Sen. Raumesh Akbari, D-Memphis, sponsors a companion bill in the state senate. “Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, this bill requires that all school personnel receive implicit bias in-service training that encourages school personnel to explore and discover their own implicit biases in order to deliver more equitable education to all students,” according to a summary of the bill, as described on the Tennessee General Assembly’s website. “This bill requires the department of education to develop a model evidence-based, bias-reducing in-service training program for school personnel that may be used by LEAs to provide the required training. An LEA may use the program developed by the department or the LEA may develop its own program. If an LEA develops its own program, the commissioner of education must approve the program before its implementation.” The bill also requires…

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Social Justice Warriors at The Tennessean Publish Op-Ed Claiming ‘Tennessee Is a Racist State and So Is Its Legislature’

Jason M. Reynolds

A progressive social justice warrior-community organizer has labeled the entire State of Tennessee as racist with the aid of The Tennessean, which ran her ranting op-ed Wednesday. Aftyn Behn describes herself as the statewide organizer of Indivisible for Tennessee and Kentucky. Her op-ed blaming the state – especially the General Assembly – for a host of social ills is available here. She says, Let me be clear: Tennessee is a racist state. Racism is in the air we breathe, permeating the State Capitol, codified in the legislation being passed at the detriment of women, communities of color, and the working poor. Our problem with racism in this state is wild and untamed, and Justin Jones has turned a mirror to the legislature and the gubernatorial administration, inviting them to look inward and prompt introspection towards their ideologically destructive agendas. Lawmakers are responsible for rising black maternity rates, not allowing ex-felons to vote and is “the motivation behind undermining years of tireless organizing efforts from women of color to pass Nashville’s Community Oversight Board,” among other social ills, she said. Not expanding Medicaid is also a part of her complaint. The Tennessee Star has reported on Justin Jones, who allegedly threw…

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Shaka Mitchell, TN Director of The American Federation for Children, Talks with The Tennessee Star Report Shortly Before Testifying in Favor of ESA Bill

Julie Carr

In a detailed discussion on Wednesday morning’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – host Michael Patrick Leahy talked exclusively with Tennessee’s director for The American Federation for Children’s, Shaka Mitchell about today’s House Education Committee’s vote on Governor Bill Lee’s ESA proposal. Leahy: And we are joined now by Shaka Mitchell. Shaka was going to tell us a little bit about the details of what’s going on at Capitol Hill. Shaka welcome. Mitchell: Hi. Good morning. Thanks for having me on. Leahy: We’re delighted to have you on. So tell us a little bit about what’s going on with the education savings account bill. It’s really a number one priority for Governor Lee. How did you get involved in this and what’s your view on it? Mitchell: It sure is. You know you’re absolutely right. This is I think, probably the top priority for the governor right now and we’re seeing a whole lot of activity here at the legislator surrounding this bill. And really surrounding education. I think the reason why is pretty clear. You know out…

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Donald Trump Wants to Cut Taxpayer-Funded Program That Gave Money to Tennessee Nissan Electric Car Plant

Chris Butler

U.S. Republican President Donald Trump has reportedly proposed a budget that would eliminate a loan program deemed wasteful. Some of the money from that program has gone to the Nissan plant in Smyrna, Tenn. according to The Detroit News. Specifically, Trump’s budget would eliminate what is known as the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing loan program. This, the paper went on to say, is a Department of Energy program Trump deems “costly, wasteful or duplicative.” “Nissan used a $1.45 billion loan in September 2010 to build plants for advanced battery manufacturing and environmentally friendly paint and to retool its Smyrna, Tennessee, plant for assembly of the all-electric Leaf,” according to The Detroit News. “Tesla used a $465 million loan in January 2010 to develop its manufacturing facility in Fremont, California, to produce battery packs, electric motors and other powertrain components for powering all-electric vehicles.” The paper quoted Trump as saying “the private sector is better positioned to provide financing for the deployment of commercially viable projects.” Ford has also used the program to upgrade facilities in six states, including Kentucky and Missouri, the paper said. Trump also wants to do away with a federal tax credit that provides up to $7,500…

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New Report Examines Impact of Ineffective Teachers on Students in Tennessee

Chris Butler

The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has released a new report that explores how students in Tennessee’s public schools are impacted when they are taught by an ineffective teacher for two consecutive years. This, according to a press release Tennessee Comptrollers released this week. The report was prepared at the request of State Sen. Dolores Gresham, R-Somerville. “More than 8,000 Tennessee students (1.6 percent of students included in the study) had a teacher with low evaluation scores in both the 2013-14 and 2014-15 school years in math, English, or both subjects,” according to the Tennessee Comptrollers’ press release. “Students were less likely than their peers to be proficient or advanced on the state’s assessments when they were taught by ineffective teachers in consecutive years. Student achievement also suffered with the largest effects found for the highest and lowest performing students. These results are consistent with other research indicating that ineffective teachers have negative academic impacts on students.” Students in certain districts, grades, subjects, and subgroups were more likely to be taught in consecutive years by ineffective teachers, the press release said. “English language learners, students in special education, and students in high-poverty schools were over 50 percent more likely than other students…

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Tennessee Democratic Party Chairwoman Mary Mancini Calls Tennessee Racist

Chris Butler

Tennessee Democratic Party Chairwoman Mary Mancini got caught this week saying Tennessee is a racist state. On her Twitter account Tuesday, Mancini admitted to all of it. “Tomorrow, a story might be published w/ the probable headline of ‘@TNDP chair calls Tennessee a ‘racist state.’ It’s true,” Mancini wrote. “In the heat and the frustration of seeing and hearing the constant drumbeat of bigotry, misogyny, and homophobia coming from Republican Speaker @GlenCasada.” Mancini later wrote she “used a poor choice of words as I vented my frustration.” On their Twitter page, meanwhile, the Tennessee House Republicans called Mancini’s words “crazy.” “‪@TNDemocrats’s Chairman ‪@marymancini doubles down on calling the entire state racist. Never mind that our GOP leaders just passed a resolution condemning all forms of racism,” the Tennessee House Republicans wrote. Candice Dawkins, a staff member with the Tennessee Republican Party, meanwhile, tweeted the following: “This is the kind of positivity the @tndp rejected when they reelected @marymancini as Chair,” Dawkins wrote. “Instead of accept her part in leading her party into a superminority she’d rather generalize an entire state as racist then point the finger at Republicans.” Mancini is the second high-profile Democrat of late to call Tennessee racist. State…

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Tennessee Tax Revenues Exceed February Budget Estimates

Chris Butler

Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Stuart McWhorter has announced that Tennessee tax revenues exceeded budgeted estimates in February, according to a state press release. Overall February revenues were $953.8 million, which is $68.9 million more than the state received in February 2018 and $39.9 million more than the budgeted estimate. The growth rate for February was 7.79 percent, the press release said. “The state experienced sound growth in its two largest contributors to the state’s tax base, state sales and use tax revenues and franchise and excise tax revenues, compared to last February,” the press release quoted McWhorter as saying. “All other revenues combined also exceeded the state’s budgeted estimate. On a year-to-date basis, state revenue collections are well positioned to finish the fiscal year ahead of our budgeted estimates. Typically, more than one half of our corporate revenues for the year are accounted for in the months of April through June; however, due to the volatile nature of these taxes we will remain cautiously optimistic and continue to manage conservatively.” On an accrual basis, February is the seventh month in the 2018-2019 fiscal year. General fund revenues exceeded the budgeted estimates in the amount of $40.4 million…

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Speaker Glen Casada Helps Get Governor’s Charter School Commission Initiative Out of House Committee

Laura Baigert

NASHVILLE, Tennessee – While the Education Committees of both the House and Senate heard Governor Lee’s bill on a new charter school commission initiative on the same day just hours apart, the process and outcomes were very different between the two bodies. In the House, in front of a standing room only House Hearing Room I the Education Committee had discussion on HB 0940 carried by Education Committee Chairman Mark White (R-Memphis), for a total of about one and three-quarter hours. With White being the House Education Committee Chair and carrying the bill, he turned the gavel over to freshman legislator and Education Committee Vice-Chair Kirk Haston (R-Lobelville) to run that part of the meeting. White started the process by introducing amendment 6140 which rewrites the bill presented to the subcommittee last week. The rewrite was an outcome of the administration listening to the concerns of the subcommittee, as reported by The Tennessee Star, and subsequently making major changes to the bill in response. Going on with the explanation, White said the 2002 Charter School Act accepted charter schools and in 2011 the cap on the number of charter schools was removed. White then reviewed the current flow chart of…

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Final Details of Gov. Bill Lee’s Education Savings Account Plan Released

Jason M. Reynolds

Tennessee students in urban cities could start escaping failing schools in fall 2021 as Gov. Bill Lee has pulled the curtain back on his education savings account (ESA) plan, with legislative action planned for Tuesday. Some say the math does not add up. Lee would spend up to $75 million in fall 2021, with half going to families whose children transfer to private or other non-public schools and the remainder going to the districts they leave behind, according to a story on Chalkbeat. The ESAs could cost $125 million each year by 2024. Only 5,000 students would qualify in Year One, Chalkbeat said. Up to 15,000 students could qualify by 2025. One catch is that the failing districts, which are among the 10 percent bottom performers, would only receive the subsidy payments for three years. The governor briefly addressed ESAs in his first State of the State address March 4, as reported by The Tennessee Star. The proposal would only be provided to five county school districts: Davidson, Hamilton, Knox, Shelby and Madison (including the city of Jackson), The Star reported on March 10. Also included would be the state’s Achievement School District of failing schools, the Chattanooga Times Free Press…

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The Tennessee Star Report: AOC and Social Justice Grifters Cast By Justice Democrats Via Knoxville, Tennessee Exposed

Julie Carr

On Tuesday’s Tennessee Star Report with Steve Gill and Michael Patrick Leahy – broadcast on Nashville’s Talk Radio 98.3 and 1510 WLAC weekdays from 5:00 am to 8:00 am – Gill and Leahy talked about the Knoxville, Tennessee location that allegedly acted as an office for two PAC, a campaign, and now a casting center for potential Democratic candidates. One of those candidates actually won a seat in the House, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was cast out of the Gay Street office in Knoxville. At the conclusion of the segment the men discussed that this same scam had been done in Virginia two years ago and whether or not the people of Virginia would take their state back. Gill: Breitbart, written by Michael Patrick Leahy did a great story yesterday detailing this scam. I mean these are social justice grifters as you’ve termed them. Leahy: Oh, that’s a good term. Gill: That are out there you know scooping in money putting it into their own pockets under the auspices of creating political candidates to go out there and change the world. I don’t know if you’ve seen this video. This AOC video. Leahy: Yeah Gill: Of literally they did a casting call.…

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Tennessee Legislature to Weigh Letting Parents Watch School Bus Videos

Chris Butler

Tennessee lawmakers will review a bill this week that, if enacted into law, will allow parents to view school bus videos if they hear of physical harm, harassment, intimidation or bullying involving their child. The bill’s sponsor is State Sen. Shane Reeves, R-Murfreesboro, according to the state of Tennessee’s website. “The policies must require that photos or video footage be viewed under supervision of the director of schools, the school principal, or a school official,” according to Reeves’ bill.  Reeves sponsored the bill because he said a Lewisburg mother faced roadblocks finding out what happened to her kindergartener on the bus, according to the Tennessee Coalition for Open Government’s website. “Brooke Wilkerson said she was concerned when her young daughter told her about a ‘secret tickling game’ on the bus that she wasn’t supposed to talk about. Later, her daughter said she had to wipe off her mouth after a friend kissed her. Wilkerson said she later found out the other student was 12,” according to the TCOG. “Wilkerson went to school officials and the Marshall County Sheriff’s office to try to find out more, but could not get anyone in authority to do a complete review of all the…

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Williamson County Schools: ‘White People Have the Privilege of Seeing Their Skin Tone Reflected Daily in the Goods and Public Spaces Around Them’

Admin

Dr. Mike Looney, superintendent of Williamson County Schools, wants to make sure every teacher in the system knows how to teach students about “white privilege,” a left wing concept that, while it has no standing in law,  has been pushed to indoctrinate public school teachers and and students alike in direct opposition to the fundamental principles of American civics and American exceptionalism. Towards that end, Looney has taken steps that began with the creation of a “cultural competency committee” in January 2018, the hiring of a WCS diversity officer, and the creation and development of a series of in-service training videos known as the Williamson County Schools Cultural Competency Series. The series has at least three modules, and possibly four. According statements Looney made to The Tennesseean, Williamson County Schools launched system wide in-service training based on these “cultural competency” videos in August. A spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Education told The Tennessee Star that the department has not reviewed or approved this series. The Star secured a copy of Module 3 of this series last Tuesday, a 26 minute video which can be seen in its entirety here. Because the video advances so many alarming concepts, The Star…

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