One More Time Around the Mulberry Bush
“For the first time, he truly understood what Nietzsche had meant when he had yammered about looking into abysses. Not only had the abyss looked into him, it had noted his name, address and shoe size.”
― Jonathan L. Howard, The Fear Institute
Ah...the madness continues.
First, it's worth noting how many people in the Tennessee education world have become enamored with the state's new Commissioner of Education Lizzy Gonzales, while now freely admitting former Commissioner Penny Schwinn's troubles with the truth.
In the case of the latter, it has become a case of mild amusement to me. Why is Schwinn's lack of veracity only now being publicly recognized?
During her tenure, she made little secret of her willingness to bend the truth in order to serve her ambition, yet nobody publicly spoke out and said, "Hey you are talking bullshit."
This failure to hold policymakers accountable is symptomatic of the education system in Tennessee. From the school board level up to the Governor's office, more care is spent on not appearing disagreeable, than on ensuring we are best serving kids.
Sorry if that bruises anyone's ego, but I got receipts, and allowing the commissioner to continually present her version of the truth without challenge is among the biggest.
We have got to do a better job of putting policy before personality.
It's one of the reasons I've come to appreciate State House Representatives John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge) and Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka), along with state Representatives Harold Love (D-Nashville), Bob Freeman (D-Nashville), and Joe Townes (D-Memphis).
While I don't always agree with them, I do always feel like they are less concerned with being on Hannity and Maddow, than they are crafting the best policy possible.
I never get a sense that they parse their words in an effort to generate more donations or to conveniently fit on a t-shirt. We need more of that and less working of a partisan agenda.
As for the love fest with Gonzales, I am having a hard discerning how much of it is an appreciation for her skills, and how much is an appreciation that she ain't Penny.
For those in the former group, I pose this question, what's the definition of insanity?
Doing the same thing over and over while expecting a different outcome.
Gonzales comes from the same organization - Chief for Change and ExcelinEd - promoting the same failed policies as her predecessors - Kevin Huffman, Candice McQueen, and Penny Schwinn.
Hell, Schwinn took Reynold's gig with the Texas Department of Education when Reynolds left to join ExcelinEd.
So what makes you think we are getting anything different?
Let's look at this A-F school-grading traveling minstrel show playing out right now. By the way, this is the same primary initiative that Schwinn pursued when she hit the Tennessee shores.
Schwinn's actions irritated lawmakers so much that the heads of both the state house and senate educations felt compelled to issue a joint statement:
“We met and understand the commissioner’s concerns around our current accountability system. We are committed to ensuring we have a rigorous and transparent system in our state. We look forward to the Department of Education engaging all relevant stakeholders as they identify issues and evaluate solutions to our current system. And we look forward to our continued engagement with the commissioner during this process to ensure parents have accurate information as they make important decisions for their children.”
What we are now witnessing unfold as Tennessee takes strides to change its accountability model is borne from that joint statement.
Same goal different approach. Reynolds is using a screwdriver and an exact knife, whereas Schwinn only knows how to use a hammer. Either way, the outcome is likely to look the same - just a few less rumpled feathers.
Last week I wrote extensively about the current state of the process, so I don't want to go too deep in the weeds, but I need to raise a few questions.
Watching these work group meetings, I'm continually struck by how few people of color have been included. How are you going to evaluate schools when you don't have adequate representation of the people attending them?
As it stands, this working board more closely represents a group charged with creating an accountability system for private schools.
Normally, I'm one of the last to make these kinds of observations, but when you don't even try, it becomes difficult not to, and it is clear that somebody didn't even try. If you need some names for future working groups...call me.
Looking further at the composition of Reynold's created working group, I started to notice some other missing faces. Especially when I take the above joint statement made by Gresham and White.
Gresham was rumored at the time to be particularly irate with Schwinn and her efforts.
Gresham's chief policy advisor was Nathan James. James now serves in a similar role to the State Board of Education. Yet somehow, he wasn't invited to participate in the latest revision.
I asked James, why? He replied, 'I wasn't invited," but added, "The board is already adequately represented with four board members."
Maybe, but as someone who had a ringside seat for two years, while current policy was developed, it's likely that he could have added some context to why decisions were made and the conversations surrounding those decisions.
TDOE Chief of Staff Chelsea Crawford continues to lead these sessions, and I continue to be baffled as to why. Is Reynolds busy?
At least Schwinn didn't hand off the heavy lifting. She carried the weight of her own bad policies. I'm not sure why Reynolds is not following suit.
The working group's meetings last around four hours, and for the most part, center on the same issues we've publicly debated for decades - growth vs achievement, what makes a good school, and teacher vs programming. Yet somehow, these 50 individuals named to the board can carve out 8 hours plus a week to once again cover covered ground.
I can't carve an extra 15 minutes out of the week for a movie, yet somehow these highly compensated individuals got time to burn.
Does anybody really think Reynolds is going to hear anything out of these meetings that hasn't been raised in the past? Or that something is said that changes minds at ExcelinED?
The best part of it all is that the final meeting is scheduled for 3-5 today? Scheduling a summative meeting on a Friday at 3 p.m. tells you everything you need to know about the process.
The only real benefit of this working group is for Commissioner Reynolds, as it will provide cover for her intended plan, which she'll release come the end of November. It'll be hard for districts to criticize the process after 50 of the best and brightest education policy minds in the state were given an opportunity to weigh in.
The only question left to ask is, since Commissioner Reynolds is the most transparent commissioner evah, will she tell us who's paying for this traveling roadshow?
That's the info I'm waiting for?
- - -
It's always about the kids, except when it is not. Let me give you an example.
In response to concerns about students getting enough instruction in math and reading, Metro Nashville Public Schools created a program called "Enriching Scholars". Basically, it's a Saturday free tutoring program for students who need more help in academics. I'd say it's an important service.
Ah, but this weekend, the district has different plans. Enriching Scholars are being invited to attend Wellness Beyond Measure – The Every Student Known Summit. This signature, first-time event is an opportunity for students to connect with peers from across the district and attend sessions that are connected to youth mental health awareness and social-emotional wellness.
Special guest CeCe Winans is the keynote speaker. In case you didn't know, Ms Winans is a gospel singer. I know...you thought there was a separation between church and public schools. But that ain't always the case now is it?
MNPS apparently believes that this event supersedes the academic needs because not only will this event count as an Enriching Scholars Saturday, but transportation will re-route Enriching Scholars to and from McGavock High School. Students will be picked up and returned to their regular Enriching Scholars stops as well.
That's awfully generous of MNPS, so what kind of items will be covered instead of reading, writing, and arithmetic?
Session titles are:
• Loving What I See: Positive Affirmations for Young Women (Creative Girls Rock)
• That’s a Stretch: Mindfulness and Yoga (TenThirtyFive)
• A Winning Mindset: SEL Strategies to Help Student-Athletes Win (MNPS Athletics Department)
• Protect Your Peace: Techniques to Safeguard Against Online Bullies (TenThirtyFive)
• Coming of Age: Conversations with Young Men about Vision, Identity, and Voice (My Brother’s Keeper)
• Self-Management in Real Life: Making Solid Decisions for Your Future (TenThirtyFive)
If the kids go to their regular tutoring session they simply toil in obscurity while honing the skills they need to succeed. Those attending the FIRST ANNUAL WELLNESS BEYOND festival will help garner attention from the press about the good intentions of MNPS.
If my child needed tutoring, I'd likely be demanding the former. If not, I'd have my child enjoying a Fall weekend with friends and family.
But what do I know?
- - -
Students and teachers returning to MNPS after Fall Break faced a challenging week. The district's internet access was done this week, preventing students and teachers from utilizing the District's recently purchased technology.
According to Sean Braisted, MNPS’s chief communications officer, “We’ve experienced network traffic issues over the past few days, primarily linked to changes during a recent upgrade that has led to increased network saturation.”
Braisted added, “The situation has improved since Monday when there were district-wide outages, however, there are still intermittent issues being experienced primarily though not exclusively by students.”
Monday marked the start of a new quarter and for middle schoolers that meant a change in schedules. Lesson plans and grades are also housed digitally. None off which could be readily accessed.
Three years ago, MNPS used federal money related to the pandemic to supply every student with a personal laptop. Those laptops have replaced textbooks as the primary means of instruction.
As a result of the internet outages, Teachers are being forced to print lesson plans and alter class assignments. The lack of internet access also means that teachers cannot access student work outside the school buildings.
The lack of internet access may make life difficult for Nashville’s public educators and students, but to some, there is a bright side.
Professional Educators of Tennessee Executive Director JC Bowman told The Tennessee Star, “Thank goodness, this didn’t happen in the middle of testing season.”
In 2018, the Tennessee Department of Education attempted to switch to an online platform to administer the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP). The transition was not successful, and the TDOE returned to administering a paper test.
High school students resumed taking TCAP online in the 2021 – 2022 school year. This past year, sixth-graders through eighth-graders returned to online testing.
As for the current MNPS-related technology crisis, Braisted told The Star, “We appreciate the patience of staff and students as these fixes are being applied. We will continue to provide progress updates throughout the week while working to return to normal operations as quickly as possible.”
“Our Technology Services team has been working closely with our ISP and hardware vendors to identify problems and develop solutions,” Braisted said. ” Steps have been taken to address these issues, including adjustments to our perimeter network to improve traffic flow. We’re closely monitoring the situation and have contingency plans in place for equipment replacements if required.”
- - -
Please join me in congratulating the Oliver Middle School Bulldogs are their recently completed undefeated season. Once again, they won the district championship. Next week begins the City Championships. The team is smaller in stature than most, but better coached than most, so they've got a chance at winning it all.
- - -
Sticking with Nashville, this week Metro Council considered whether or not to accept a $3.3 million state grant for school resource salaries. This was simply about the money, and not whether or not SROs would be employed.
I'll let the Nashville Scene's Nicole Williams provide the presumed narrative while forgetting that Metro Council is a non-partisan body.
Conservatives framed this as a purely fiscal decision. Accepting the money, they argued, would not increase the number of SROs in schools; it would simply reimburse the police department, freeing up the money for other priorities.
The progressives’ arguments took a dual track: First, they didn’t want to provide implicit approval of the SRO program by accepting the funds; second, they were concerned about what the department would do with that freed-up money.
Got it. Read a couple times because, for me, it don't make sense. Especially when many of these are the same people arguing that the state has to accept Federal money because otherwise taxpayers would pay twice, and admonishing Republicans for even considering the cost of accepting money.
Ultimately the vote passed, and the money was accepted.
One last note before closing. I offer these final two paragraphs from author Williams as evidence of us shifting to personalities over strength of argument.
Several council members praised Purdy for showing up and getting involved ... then promptly voted in favor of the resolution.
I’ve known Seamus for a minute, and this kid is incredible. You know what he doesn’t care about? Praise. Just vote the way he asks you to! It’s not that hard! And if you’re not going to do that, probably best to keep your “thank yous” to yourself.
No mention is made of the strength of the argument put forth. It's assumed that since he's an incredible kid, the argument is incredible.
The two aren't interchangeable, I can cite several instances where that doesn't hold true with other incredible people.
Second, when was it decided that you couldn't offer praise unless you were in agreement? Instead of offering acknowledgment of his actions, we are simply supposed to march to his drum.
I take all kinds of objection to that observation.
But what do I know?
- - -
Time to rattle the cup a little bit before I head out the door.
If you could help a brother out…and you think this blog has value, your support would be greatly appreciated.
To those who’ve thrown some coins in the basket, I am eternally grateful for your generosity. It allows me to keep doing what I do and without you, I would have been forced to quit long ago. It is truly appreciated and keeps the bill collectors semi-happy. Now more than ever your continued support is vital.
If you are interested, I’m sharing posts via email through Substack. This has proven to be an effective way to increase coverage. Readers have the option of either free or paid subscriptions. Paid subscriptions will potentially receive additional materials as they become available. Your support would be greatly appreciated.
If you wish to join the rank of donors but are not interested in Substack, you can still head over to Patreon and help a brother out. Or you can hit up my Venmo account which is Thomas-Weber-10. I don’t need much – even $5 would help – but if you think what I do has value, a little help is always greatly appreciated. Not begging, just saying, Christmas is right around the corner.
If you’d like less opinion and more news, check out my writing for The Tennessee Star. It’s a bit drier but equally informative.