by Larry Proffitt
On March 6th, in Murfreesboro, TN, parents, grandparents, community members, and teachers, stood up to ask real questions of the NOT student-friendly group, “Students First.”
Not only were there TEA members in attendance from four different local affiliates, including the Tennessee Retired Teachers Association, but Murfreesboro and Rutherford County proved to have attentive educated parents who weren’t duped by shallow explanations, catch phrases, and unsupported documentation.
What a night! It was a great success for citizens who care for their Tennessee public schools! One lady seemed to know everyone there. She hugged most of them and greeted them with warm words. Toward the end of the evening, she was recognized to speak from the back of the room, which fell silent with her first words.
“You keep saying parents’ choice over our public schools, but our teachers don’t have a choice about common core or all this testing. You keep cherry-picking the people you want to answer your questions.”
It was phenomenal! Parents and grandparents spoke up, questioning the money trail entering the state from private interest lobbyists, certification of teachers in private schools, and accountability of the private schools that would be taking THEIR public tax dollars. Rutherford and Murfreesboro Education Associations have great, politically educated communities. An amazing night was had by all.
The organizers stopped the event short of their time limit when they saw the snowball building bigger and bigger. All of the General Assembly should hear the way the hosts talked about the lack of involvement that should be expected in the zoning of Tennessee’s school children. They also made it clear that their goal was not to stop with the current bill.
It is clear that representatives of the Beacon Center and Students First are steadfast in their message that bureaucrats have no place in determining where students go to school.