Heroes, Hypocrisy, and Hubris
“One of the grimmer realizations of Sarkis’s youth had been the discovery that knowing you were being an ass did not actually stop you from continuing to be an ass.”
― T. Kingfisher, Swordheart
In September of 2021, middle school social studies teacher Nicholas Keel was placed on administrative leave by Metro Nashville Public Schools. He was accused of sexual battery of a minor and was recommended for termination. In Febuary of 2022, he was charged by Metro Nashville Police. Thus began a three year nightmare.
Full disclosure, both of my kids were students of Keels and found him to be a highly effective teacher. He was one of those younger teachers who still loved teaching. Often going the extra mile in an effort to actually embody MNPS's stated mantra of "every child known". Apparently that mantra doesn't extend to teachers.
For three years, while MNPS failed to offer any support or even do the bare minimum in helping his defense, Keel maintained his innocence.
His accuser was well known to school officials, with a long history of troubled behvior and a difficult family life. It didn't take long for doubt in the accusations to take root. Still few stepped up to defend a professional educator who'd dedicated his life to serving kids. The school and the district jettisoned Keel like he was sitting in one of those James Bond cars you see in the movies. Thrown into the nether world with nary a secondary thought.
You can not imagine the trauma inflicted by these horrific accusations. Suddenly your means of support is ripped from you, and it becomes nearly impossible to meet your financial needs, Friend turn from you. Professional collegues don't return your phone calls, an most people wish you'd just disappear.
,Luckily for Keel he had a handful of supporters that never left his side. His friends did what they could, but these situations are hard to mitigate.
I can't talk about the life of the child because quite frankly, I don't know their whole situation. My kids continued to attend school with him, and there continued to be various confrontations between this student and other students. Both at Oliver and the high school he chose to attend. Eventually the child left the country and went to South America.
Despite the lack of evidence and the growing acceptance that Keel had committed no crime, the case lingered. It was an election year and no district attorney or politician wanted to appear week onsuch an emotionally charged crime. So the case stalled, but Keel's life didn't. It still went on, growing increasingly difficult.
MNPS was no help either. Again, I can't comment too much, but reportedly they worked harder on dragging their heels and distancing themselves from the situation than they did in helping a man who had dedicated his life to the district, and prior to this instance was recognized as an exemplary educator.
Yesterday, in a Nashville court room, a chapter in this tragic affair came to an end when a verdict of NOT GUILTY was delivered. Let me say it again in case those in the back missed it - NOT GUILTY.
That is a tremendous victory for this dedicated public servant, but don't think for a moment this book is finished. Keel still has to rebuild his life. He has to do so with a pernament cloud hanging over his head. He'll have to learn to trust people in the wake of having all trust destroyed.
All of that holds true for the young man as well. His accusations had devestating consequences, but we have to remember, hurt people hurt. damaged people damage.
Three years taken. Three years that Keel will never get back.
When we are young, we think three years is a short time. Age teaches us that every year matters, and once they are gone, you can't get them back.
Some will put forth that three years is a small price to pay to protect children. I'm not one of those.
To me pro-life means respecting the sanctity of life regardless of who it belongs to. Young, old, infirm, healthy, all should be given equal protection. Keel wasn't in this instance.
We are always so quick to accuse and assume the worst of our teachers. Seldom do we extend the benefit of the doubt to them. Yet we wonder why fewer people want this gig anymore.
Hopefully, through all of this mess Nicholas Keel manages to find some peace, and a way to enjoy his life. I hope the same for the man who voiced the accusations.
Keel's arrest was front page news on every media outlet.
Do you think his aquital will be provided with equal ink?
I think I need to say it one more time...NOT GUILTY.
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The next shoe in the upcoming state voucher battle fell yesterday - committee assignments were released for the upcoming General Assembly.
If you are going to get failed legislation through this year, got to change committees up, right? That's exactly what leadership did.
In the Senate, Republican Sen. Dawn White of Murfreesboro was named to the Education Committee chair post. She replaces Jon Lundberg, who lost a heated election to State Sen. Bobby Harshbarger, son of U.S. Rep. Diana Harshbarger of Northeast Tennessee. This was not unexpected and while White doesn't have the depth of knowledge of Lundberg, she no novice either. Word on the street is that White is favorable towards private school vouchers.
Leadership wise, not much has changed over at the House. Representative Mark White (R-Memhis) retains his chairmenshipo of the Education Committee, with Rep Kevin Raper (R-Cleveland). Representatives Cepicky (R-Culleoka), Haston (R-Lobelville), William Slater (R-Gallatin) and Baum (R-Murfreesboro) will leading the subcommittees.
Instead, leadership stacked the decks in committee.
A trio of the Democrats most effective legislators - Harold Love and Vincent Dixie of Nashville along with Antonio Parkinson of Memphis - are off the education committees for this session. As is their young maverick Represntative Justin Jones (D-Nashville). Jones is now a proud member of the Agriculture Committee and “Naming and Designating “ committee.
The failure to include Love and Parkinson on the House higher education committee could be considered a sign that nobody wants to hear about the billions of dollars owed to Tennessee State University by the state of Tennessee during this years general session. Both are huge supporters of the University.
Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) remains an education committee member, which could be seen as an indication of how effective Republicans view her.
They got rid of the ones they feared, and kept the ones they felt they could marginalize.
On the Republican side, Representative's Moody of Covington and Cochran of Eaglewood are no longer education committee.
Cochran is the son of a public school teacher. he is whip smart and never been anyone's cuckold. It's probably just coicidence that he's lost his seat in committee in the year of the voucher.
Moody is a former committee chair that has always been a voice of reason. Nobody has any time for that this year. You are eitrher with us or against us.
Also getting the boot from the education committee is self-proclaimed voucher slayer Representative Todd Warner. That shouldn't have surprised anyone. Don't start a fight with the neighborhood bully if you are not prepared to take a few punches. Warner has been swinging free for about a year and now Speaker Sexrton (R-Nashville) gets to counter punch. .
Earlier in the week, Warner penned an Op-ed piece for The Tennessean that praises Trump's school choice proposal at the expense of Governor Lee:
"But here's Lee, who just got called out by Trump himself for being weak on conservative values, suddenly trying to steal Trump's thunder on school choice like it was his idea all along.
The timing's no coincidence. Trump announces his groundbreaking federal Education Choice Credit Accounts program that would actually help rural communities, and suddenly Lee is rushing around pushing a half-baked state plan drafted by lobbyists that'll drain money from our local schools.
I know you don't start pouring concrete before the blueprints are finished. So why are Governor Lee and legislative leadership in such a hurry to push through a state voucher program when Trump's federal plan will do the job much better?"
The lawmaker has a point, but its one not likely to sit well with the notoriously thin-skinned Governor Lee.
Interestingly enough, growing conservative opposition to Lee's voucher plan has been fueled the state's home schoolers. I know that's only a handfull of people, but they are irate and vocal. To them, Lee's vision does nothing but bring them under increased regulation from the state. They are all about some unregulated education systems.
Yeah...let me know how that works out.
While these homeschoolers may not be very effective, they do create more chaos, and chaos creates less opportunity for the bill to advance. If Lee's victory is tro be delivered, somebody better get them back on the reservation quickly.
All of this will get increased scrutiny come January 27 when Lee's called Special Session will open up.
After a quick trip to Margo Largo, Tennessee's rhino governor has charged legislators with taking up three imprtant issues - school choice, dissaster relief, and immigration.
Talk about chaos. Think about what'll it will look like in down town Nashville when stakeholders on those three issues converge on the Capitol.
Somebody probably needs to put a call into Zac Efron and Hugh Jackson to see if they are available to keep this circus in order.
I haven't printed programs up, but Nashville's Public Education Foundation has printed up a handy dandy info sheet to help you navigate these turbulent waters.
If you haven't invested in a new popcorn maker, it's probably time to do so.
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Metro Nashville's Public School's board met this week and to say it was interesting, is a bit of an understatement.
If you were concerned about the board giving themselves enough praise, fear not. They easily eclipsed that quota.
The main brunt of the meeting was spent renewing the charters of some of the city's oldest charter schools. It's a process that is scheduled every 10 years. This year was Valor Voyager Academy, Rocketship United Academy, STEM Prep High School, Explore! Community School, STRIVE Collegiate Academy, and KIPP Kirkpatrick Elementary's turn.
Board members approved four of the charter agreements (Valor Voyager, Rocketship, STEM Prep, and Explore!) unanimously. The other two had one or two disenting board members. Member Elrod was absent from the proceedings.
It was a benign affair for the most part, with board members mostly following the recomendations of the district's charter review office.
During the preoceedings, District 9 Board Member Abigail Tylor voiced concerns over approving the renewal for KIPP Killpatrick ES , arguing that state law mandates public charter schools close achievement gaps, among other things. She also said she was worried about its chronic attendence numbers.
District 3 Board Member Zach Young voiced concerns over Strive Collegiate Academy's finances, teacher retention and facilities.
Ultimately both were approved.
But, am I the only one catching the irony here?
These are issues that plague the district as a whole, yet we never here a public conversation about those in relationship to the district's traditional schools. .
Other board members shared how extra support and monitoring would be in place for charter schools from the charter school office, and that there would be options for the board to intervene or even revoke the charter agreement if issues persist.
Let me ask a question here. Why doesn't the district do the same thing with it's schools that are in the "priority zone"?
We are always talking about equal accountability for charter schools and the undeserved advatage they have ove traditional schools. Here they are presenting their case every 10-years, and yet we never see one of these types of reviews for the district's lowest performing schools. How is that equitable?
Board member Tylor talked about achievement gaps. she was talking about the gap between general ed students and exceptional education students, but where re thes discussions aboyr MNPS schools.
Furthermore, I have never seen a single board member question why so many of MNPS's schools are so segregated. Nashville has schools that are made up primarily Latino, Black, or White students, yet nobody ever raises that issue. Is that equity?
Board member's are questioning high absentee rates for charter schools, while MNPS rates for chronic absenteeism still hover around 25%. That means 1 in 4 students are missing 10% or more instructional days a school year. For impoverished kids, it is closer to 4 out of 10.
Chronic absenteeism is defined by a student missing 10% of school days, not 10 days. In other words 18 out of 180 required days a year. Almost a month of school.
That rate has dropped since the pandemic, but in 2020, the district's rate was 15.6%.
To be fair KIPP Kilpatrick Elementary does have a 2024 chronic absetee rate of 45.7%, down from 48.9% the previous year, which was cited by Tylor. Pre-pandemic the school were at 18.5%.
The chronic absenteeism was mentioned in KIPP's evaluation report, but no other information was provided. During board discussion, no defense was offered.
I suspect that since a large percentage of students are drawn from outside their zoned area, transportation, as I can attest, is a challenge. It's possible that this is a root cause for the abnormally high rate. In any case, I'd argue more information is required.
I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that last year the board celebrated a school for it's football proweress that had a chronic absentee rare over 60%. Perhaps it would behoove KIPP to start winning some titles.
It is not my argument that these questions are with out substance, rather, that equity means asking everybody the qiuestions, noit just the people you don't like.
Before closing the discussion on KIPP, board memeber Taylor interject. "Competion always means winners and losers. In education there should be no losers."
That's a great tshirt slogan, but ending school choice would not put an end to students losing. The district is incapable of fully meeting the needs of every student. Sometimes it's okay to ask for help.
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I've included footage from this week's board meeting so you meet my new hero. Go to about the 49 minute mark to hear MNPS teacher Michael Vine lay it on the line for board members during open comments. He's got two things to talk about reading and leading.
Readingwise, he takes exception to the scripted lesson plans the district has implemented through Wit and Wisdom.
On leadership he says, "Just as up is defined by down, right is defined by left, leader is defined by follower, Willing followers, otherwise you have a dictatorship." Vine goes on to say, "As spoken by Chief Thunder Rolling in the Mountains, there is a whole of talking by people talking who have no business talking. You hired me and I'm fairly educated, please let me do my job."
He concludes by saying, "and yes there will be a test."
As he exits the podium, the camera pans back to the the board chair, catching Dr. Battle in the frame. The look on her face is priceless. I do not believe that was a approved message.
But he ain't wrong.
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