SUMMARY: House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Ray Clemmons criticized an upcoming special session in Tennessee focusing on school choice and disaster relief, calling it an “affront to Tennessee families.” Governor Bill Lee’s three-day session includes a $450 million disaster relief package and educational reforms. Clemmons accused Lee of using the disaster relief as leverage for advancing a school voucher program, stating he could have acted sooner. Democrats likened the session to “hostage taking,” arguing that it unfairly forces a choice between aiding disaster victims and undermining public education. Despite opposition, a poll shows 67% of Tennesseans support school choice.
SUMMARY: The team reflects on their performance, highlighting moments of growth and support. Coach Kim emphasizes the importance of focus and consistency, noting that despite strong leads, the team has struggled with finishing games. Players like Talaysia, Kaniya, and Tess demonstrate growth, with Kaya showing maturity beyond her freshman year. Coach Kim is proud of the team’s ability to reset after adversity, especially during critical moments. The crowd’s energy has been a big motivator at home. Looking ahead, the team is focused on maintaining their momentum as they prepare for road games and continue developing individually and as a unit.
Tennessee capped off it’s three-game home stand with the win over the Crimson Tide.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-02-20 15:17:00
(The Center Square) – The Tennessee Senate will consider legislation that establishes a pilot program for an artificial intelligence weapons detection system.
One of the grant requirements is a loss of life on campus due to gun violence during the 2024-25 school year, which makes Metro Nashville Public Schools the only system eligible, said Sen. Todd Gardenhire, R- Chattanooga, the bill’s sponsor.
A 17-year-old student at Antioch High School killed one student before committing suicide with a gun in January. Another student was injured.
Metro Nashville Public Schools is implementing the Evolv weapons detection system in its schools.
“The system uses low-frequency radio waves and AI technology to scan individuals as they walk through,” the school system said on its website. “If an item is flagged, school staff will conduct a quick secondary check, making the process faster and less invasive than traditional metal detectors.”
The artificial intelligence system can differentiate between other metals such as cellphones and keys and weapons, the school system said.
Antioch High School began testing the technology just days after the shooting.
The Metropolitan Nashville Board of Public Education approved $1.25 million to place the system in all high schools.
The pilot program begins with the 2025-26 school year. The cost to the state for the start of the grant program is $17,000, but the amount of grant funding is unknown, according to the bill’s fiscal note.
The Senate Education Committee approved the bill unanimously on Wednesday. The full Senate will consider it on Monday.
A companion bill in the House of Representatives sponsored by Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D- Memphis, is assigned to the House Education Administration Subcommittee.
Tennessee State University officials are asking the State Building Commission to let them shift $154 million to daily campus operations after the funds were originally approved for building projects.
The university’s interim President Dwayne Tucker told the State Building Commission Wednesday that TSU’s five-year “sustainability plan” calls for reducing scholarships and trimming employee expenses by up to $17 million.
TSU wants to “reset the culture” and prove it can be more “transparent,” Tucker told the commission.
The university doesn’t need another cash injection to make it through May, Tucker said, after state officials authorized a $43 million infusion into its operating budget last November to make payroll and prop it up for the rest of the year.
Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower talks with Dwayne Tucker, newly-appointed interim president of Tennessee State University at the State Building Commission meeting December 16. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout 2024)
But to keep TSU running, university officials are requesting approval to use $154 million remaining from a $250 million campus improvements grant.
In addition, a university consultant said TSU could request nearly $300 million in capital funding after a land grant university funding study committee determined the state shorted TSU by $544 million over the course of a century.
“At some point, it has to be put in a budget,” Tucker said, though he wasn’t asking for approval Wednesday. He added later that the university isn’t “expecting the full enchilada to be served” without meeting some performance goals.
A subsequent federal study showed TSU was shorted by $2.1 billion over some 30 years, but Tucker didn’t mention that figure Wednesday.
To bolster TSU’s financial situation, Tucker also said he plans to announce a $100 million fundraising drive for the next two years.
The State Building Commission took no action Wednesday on TSU’s request or its financial plan.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton, a member of the Building Commission, suggested the university consider changing its tuition rates to expedite a financial turnaround.
Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, chairman of the commission, said in a statement afterward the TSU turnaround plan is a good starting point but declined to commit to supporting the funding requests.
“While some of the expectations about what TSU is owed by the state need to be right-sized, I believe the legislature has found a reliable partner in President Tucker. While there are still hurdles to clear and a long way to go, I am more optimistic that better days are ahead for TSU than I have been in quite some time,” McNally said.
TSU was forced to make a last-minute request of the Building Commission three years ago to house students in hotels and a nearby church, which led to Senate hearings and a move to vacate the Board of Trustees and push former President Glenda Glover out of office.
The university ran into financial trouble after starting an aggressive scholarship program on the heels of the COVID pandemic when large numbers of students wanted to attend a historically Black university. TSU used $37 million from a federal grant to pay for scholarships when enrollment jumped to 8,026 in fall 2022 before it fell back to 7,254 in fall 2023.
Once federal funds ran out, the university had to find other sources, such as $19.6 million in tornado insurance money. The university hit dire straits because of the increased cost of serving more students without enough revenue to balance increased expenses.
TSU is honoring the scholarships for students who remained enrolled at the university but is trimming scholarships over the next five years as part of its new operating plan.
Building Commission members were upset last fall when they found out the interim president before Tucker signed two $800,000 consulting contracts with Glover.
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Tennessee Lookout is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Tennessee Lookout maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Holly McCall for questions: info@tennesseelookout.com.
