The risk of misidentifying and mislabeling teacher performance based on test scores is too high for it to be the major indicator of teacher performance, especially when you look at issues such as student demographic characteristics. A number of states, including Michigan, have since taken steps to lessen the impact test scores have on teacher evaluations, repeatedly mentioning factors outside an educator’s control which can influence a student’s academic performance.
Read MoreMonth: July 2018
Is Bredesen Running Away From President Trump?
Left-leaning Vanity Fair has a feature item up on the Tennessee U.S. Senate race featuring Marsha Blackbrun vs. Phil Bredesen. The item appears to confirm everything people have been saying about Bredesen, from his playing “duck and cover” on issues, to his simply not being willing to take a real stand…
Read MoreAfter 150 Years, Secretary Zinke Unveils Plan to Reorganize the Department of Interior
By Printus LeBlanc When Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke was sworn in, he came into a department that has not reorganized in 150 years. However, in the same timeframe new agencies were created, miles of red tape were introduced, and volumes of rules were added. The mammoth bureaucracy and inefficiencies…
Read MoreCooper and Cohen Refuse to Vote in Support of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
On Wednesday Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN-05) and Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) refused to vote in support of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency within the Department of Homeland Security.
Read More2018 TNReady Scores Show Mixed Results
Students improved most in early grades reading, narrowed achievement gaps; show need for deeper, more sustained work to support improvement. Professional Educators of Tennessee added comments and concerns.
Read MoreRandy Boyd’s Company Offshoring and Outsourcing ‘Good Paying Jobs’
GOP gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd’s campaign and political ads have tried to reduce the core concerns of Tennesseans to a three-word tagline: “faith, family and a good paying job.” At the same time, Boyd’s company, Radio Systems Corporation, has offshored and outsourced those “good paying jobs” to China and engineers around the world.
Read MoreDr. Carol M. Swain Commentary: Why I Am Not Supporting Bill Lee for Tennessee Governor
My decision to choose Black over Lee has caused considerable angst among Lee supporters who are demanding an explanation. Focusing solely on Lee, I will outline the factors I considered while I was formulating my decision.
Read MoreDisgraced Former FBI Director James Comey ‘Meddles’ in the 2018 Elections
Former FBI Director James Comey said that “all who believe in this country’s values must vote for Democrats” and that Republicans have been “incapable” in a Tuesday tweet.
Read MoreWashington Post Debunks Bredesen Claim Tennessee’s Meth Problem Was ‘Cut in Half’ on His Watch
Fact-checkers at The Washington Post have awarded Democrat Phil Bredesen three Pinocchios for making the false claim that Tennessee’s meth problem was cut in half under his watch as governor
Read MoreSecret Service Agent Suffers a Fatal Stroke Overseas
A Secret Service agent who accompanied President Donald Trump during his overseas trip has died, the White House announced. Noel Remagen, 42, was found unresponsive Saturday while on duty, protecting National Security Advisor John Bolton during the President’s visit of Scotland. Remagen was rushed to the hospital, where he died…
Read MoreGubernatorial Candidates Karl Dean (D) and Randy Boyd (R) Both Invested in La Raza Affiliate Conexion Americas
Gubernatorial candidates Karl Dean and Randy Boyd both considered Renata Soto’s Conexion Americas organization a worthy investment. Democrat Karl Dean used the government’s money while mega-millionaire Republican Randy Boyd used his personal wealth to help Conexion’s legal and illegal alien clients.
Read MoreTennessee Projected To Face Record Number Of Deportations And Asylum Request Rejections
Tennessee is projected to face a record number of deportations and asylum request rejections for fiscal year 2018.
Read MoreCommentary: Why Should Trump Pick A Fight With Putin Over The Failures Of Obama, Clapper, Strzok and Brennan?
by George Rasley President Trump’s statement about the poor state of US – Russian relations, “I hold both countries responsible. I think that the United States has been foolish. I think we’ve all been foolish. We should have had this dialogue a long time ago — a long time,…
Read MoreThe Battle To Repeal An Obama-Era Regulation On Trucks Heats Up
by Michael Bastasch The battle over the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) plan to repeal an Obama-era regulation has been reignited. The Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund and Center for Biological Diversity sued EPA on Tuesday to prevent the agency from repealing regulations on refurbished truck engines, called glider kits. Their suit…
Read More$87 Million Government-Run Pre-Kindergarten in Tennessee Failing Kids, Report Says
A report examining findings from a randomized controlled trial of Tennessee’s $87 million voluntary prekindergarten program for low-income children casts doubt on its effectiveness. Indeed, the report’s authors say the data show adverse effects on math and science achievements.
Read MoreReagan/Trump Advisor Dr. Arthur Laffer Endorses Andy Ogles for Maury County Mayor
Dr. Arthur Laffer, famed economist, has endorsed Andy Ogles for Mayor of Maury County.
Read MoreFacebook Removes Death Threats Toward Republicans After Florida Representative Matt Gaetz Called It Out
by Kyle Perisic Facebook removed a page Tuesday that posted incitements to violence and implied death threats after a Republican lawmaker called the company out. During a hearing Tuesday with representatives from Facebook, Twitter and Google, Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida asked Facebook’s Head of Global Policy Management Monika…
Read MoreTrump to Germany: Don’t Give Russia More Weapons
By Sheryl Kaufman The press and former CIA Director John Brennan are expressing hysterics over a press conference where President Trump disappointed them by not showering outright insults on the Russian President. The reporters moved past what may be the most significant development of Mr. Trump’s very busy trip…
Read MoreRandy Boyd Attacks Bill Lee in New Ad
In a surprise move, GOP gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd launched an ad attacking Republican rival Bill Lee on Tuesday.
Read MoreSEIU Endorses La Raza Affiliate Conexion Americas’ Education Policy Director For Nashville School Board
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 205 has endorsed Gini Pupo-Walker for the Metro Nashville School Board: ‘Gini has extensive experience in the school system and outside of it and will bring great leadership and professionalism to the board,’ said SEIU member Lilldeus Russell, a paraprofessional in MNPS. ‘She has…
Read MoreCongressional Candidate Dr. Mark Green Announces 2nd Quarter Fundraising Totals Over $400,000
Republican State Senator and congressional hopeful Dr. Mark Green announced Monday that his campaign raised $420,000 in the second quarter, and his cash-on-hand totals $909,908. “We’re honored that more than 1,000 donors have invested in our mission to bring battle-tested leadership to Washington. These funds will allow us to continue…
Read MoreSteve Gill: GOP Gubernatorial Primary Debate Cancellation May Be Due To Perceived Lack of Effectiveness
A top political analyst says he is not surprised that three of the candidates running in the Tennessee Republican gubernatorial primary dropped out of the last statewide televised debate scheduled for this weekend in Knoxville. The cancellation comes after Randy Boyd, Beth Harwell and Diane Black dropped out, WKRN said. “My…
Read MoreThe Janus Decision Scored a Major Win for Workers’ Rights – Here’s What Should Come Next
by David Kreutzer and Rachel Greszler Last month’s Supreme Court decision in Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees hit public-sector unions like a bombshell. Now that public-sector unions can no longer extract union fees from workers who want nothing to do with them, public unions will have…
Read MoreTrump Asks the Right Question: Where’s the DNC Server?
By Robert Romano In federal court, the DNC said it decommissioned 140 servers, erased 180 computers and rebuilt 11 servers after the Russia hack. “Where is the server? I want to know where is the server and what is the server saying?” That was President Donald Trump at the Helsinki,…
Read MoreBlackburn Raises More Money from Contributions Than Bredesen, But He Loans His Campaign Another $2 Million
Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-07) raised more money from contributions during the 2nd quarter of 2018 than her Democrat opponent in the U.S. Senate race in Tennessee, former Gov. Bredesen. But Bredesen ended up with more deposits in his campaign account due to an additional $2 million loan he made to his own campaign.
Read MoreBill Gates Backs $30 Million Push for Early Alzheimer’s Diagnostics
Reuters Billionaire Bill Gates and Estée Lauder Cos chairman emeritus Leonard Lauder on Tuesday said they will award $30 million over three years to encourage development of new tests for early detection of Alzheimer’s disease. For Microsoft co-founder Gates, launch of the Diagnostics Accelerator program follows an announcement in November of a…
Read MoreCommentary: Trump – Putin Summit Craziness
by George Rasley Monday’s Trump – Putin Summit news conference brought out a new level of craziness in the anti-Trump Democrats, self-appointed foreign policy experts in the media and their fellow travelers among #NeverTrump Republicans. What seems to have enraged President Trump’s opponents the most is that their attempt…
Read MoreMusic Spotlight: Kalie Shorr
When I first heard Kalie Shorr, it was on Sirius XM’s The Highway in 2016. Fight Like a Girl was a gutsy song by a cute girl who was trying to navigate the murky waters of country music in Nashville. But when I sat down to speak to her, as…
Read MoreJC Bowman Commentary: On Combining the Departments of Education and Labor
President Trump’s concept to merge the U.S. Department of Education with the Department of Labor lacks significant details and will be difficult to maneuver through a deeply divided Congress.
Read MoreUS Lawmakers Warn Trump Tariffs Threaten Local Newspapers
About a dozen members of Congress warned Tuesday that newspapers in their home states are in danger of reducing news coverage, laying off workers or going out of business if the United States maintains recently imposed tariffs on Canadian newsprint. The Trump administration ordered the tariffs in response to a…
Read MoreCalifornia Congresswoman Says There’s No Bias Against Conservatives In Tech – Here’s Why She’s Wrong
by Kyle Perisic A Democratic congresswoman said on Tuesday that conservatives and Republicans’ concerns over bias on the Facebook, Google, and Twitter platforms are unjustified. Here’s proof she’s wrong. Democratic Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California said at a hearing addressing political discrimination against conservatives and Republicans on Facebook, Google,…
Read MoreTickets for Multiple Nashville Symphony Concerts Go on Sale Friday, July 20
Single tickets for the Nashville Symphony’s 2018/19 season — including 100+ classical, pops, jazz and family concerts, as well as a host of special events — will go on sale to the public at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 20. Featuring four classic works by one of America’s greatest composers,…
Read MoreHardly ‘Crumbs’: Cookie Maker Hires Five Workers, Raises Pay, Expands Production Under Tax Cuts
by Rachel del Guidice The overhaul of the tax code by congressional Republicans didn’t produce just crumbs for the business of a popular cookie maker based in Florida. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act has meant hiring, raises, investment in new equipment, and expanded operations, he says. “It has had…
Read MoreRick Santorum Endorses Diane Black for Governor
Former Senator and 2012 presidential contender Rick Santorum announced his strong endorsement of Diane Black for Governor Tuesday. “I’ve always known Diane to be a strong conservative leader, a passionate advocate for the unborn and a champion for religious liberty and traditional values,” Santorum said in a statement. “With Diane…
Read MoreTrump Says He Misspoke at Helsinki Press Conference: ‘I Accept Our Intelligence Community’s Conclusion’ That Russia Meddled in 2016 Election
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he accepts the conclusion of U.S. intelligence agencies that Russia sought to influence the 2016 U.S. election. “I accept our intelligence community’s conclusion that Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election took place. Could be other people also. A lot of people out there,” Trump…
Read MoreState Governments Move to ‘Off-Load’ Public Responsibilities to Faith-Based and Community Initiatives
State governments partnering with faith-based and community organizations to maximize the use of resources is not a new concept. In some states, public-private partnerships have been expanded across most government departments, a model GOP gubernatorial candidate Bill Lee proposes to follow for Tennessee. With President Trump’s intention to trim federal…
Read MoreSoros-Linked Group Will Spend Millions To Stop Kavanaugh
by Kevin Daley and Andrew Kerr – Progressives have formed a new political outfit to mobilize left-wing energy on judicial confirmations, including Judge Kavanaugh – The group, Demand Justice, is financed and administratively supported by the Sixteen Thirty Fund – George Soros’ advocacy network has given millions to the Sixteen…
Read MoreCommentary: What Happened to Williamson County?
by Ira Weiss and Don Barnett As you travel about Williamson County you can’t help but notice the construction sites everywhere. Maybe it is time to take a closer look before you wake up one morning to find you no longer live in the suburbs or exurbs, but live…
Read MoreNashville International Airport Sets Another Record, Making It Fourth Fastest Growing Among Largest In Nation
Nashville International Airport served more than 14.9 million passengers in the fiscal year just ended, The Associated Press reported, making it one of the nation’s fastest growing airports. The record makes Nashville International, or BNA, the fourth fastest growing airport among the top 50 airports in North America, the airport’s…
Read MoreEXCLUSIVE: Sleeping Giants’ Anonymous Founder Unmasked – Top Ad Writer Behind Boycott Campaign Targeting Breitbart, Ingraham
by Peter Hasson – Sleeping Giants launched boycott campaigns against Breitbart and other right-wing voices. – The group’s founder took steps to protect his anonymity. – The Daily Caller News Foundation has revealed his identity. The founder of Sleeping Giants, a left-wing activist group that has targeted right-wing voices…
Read MoreTrump and Senators Offer Plans to Reorganize Bureaucracy, Drain the Swamp
by John York President Donald Trump’s administration released a plan June 21 that, if enacted, would impose some order on the sprawling administrative state—something that is long overdue. Decades of ceaseless expansion of the size and scope of the federal government have created a bloated and inefficient federal bureaucracy, replete with…
Read MoreNashville Metro Council Rule Change Will Let People Have Their Say (For 2 Minutes)
Nashville’s Metro Council meetings will see a major change beginning Tuesday July 16 thanks to a significant rule shift impacting public comments at the meeting. According to reports, “An open comment portion will be added near the beginning of the meeting to allow people to talk about issues even if…
Read MoreFor Those Who Want A New Facebook: Privacy Advocates Fed Up With The Tech Giant Are Launching Their Own Social Media Platform
by Eric Lieberman Cybersecurity and privacy experts are currently in the process of trying to rival Facebook by starting their own social media platform. With a fundraising page set to launch Tuesday, the “open source” social network called Openbook is aimed at “helping make the world a better place,” a similar overarching objective to that of Facebook.…
Read MoreCommentary: Obama Cybersecurity Failures Are The Real 2016 Election Story
by George Rasley Remember when the Democrats lost the 2016 election and the charge was that the Russians “hacked” the election? Then the charge morphed into, the Trump campaign, or maybe even Trump himself, “colluded” with the Russians to keep Hillary Clinton out of the White House? As Rowan Scarborough…
Read MoreFormer Congressman Zach Wamp Endorses Bill Lee For Governor
Former U.S. Congressman Zach Wamp endorsed Bill Lee for governor on Monday, the Lee campaign announced. The endorsement from Congressman Wamp, a Chattanooga Republican, comes after last week’s endorsement from the conservative Free Press editorial page at The Chattanooga Times Free Press. “It is an honor to have the support of…
Read MoreDemocrat Rep. Steve Cohen Denies Tweet ‘Where is Our Military Folks? The Commander in Chief is in the Hands of Our Enemy!’ Was Call for Military Coup Against President Trump
Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) denied this afternoon that his tweet earlier in the day in which he stated “Where is our military folks? Commander in chief is in the hands of the enemy” was a call for a military coup against President Trump. Where are our military folks ? The…
Read MoreCorker Goes Off The Rails On President Trump Over Putin Meeting
Outgoing Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN) went off the rails over President Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland today, saying, “I just felt like the President’s comments made us look as a nation more like a pushover. I was disappointed in that. When he had the opportunity to…
Read MoreDershowitz: Democrat Cohen’s Insult to Purple Heart Recipients ‘Low Point’ of Anti-Trump FBI Lovebird’s Congressional Testimony
Harvard Law Professor Emeritus Alan Dershowitz appeared on Maria Bartiromo’s ‘Mornings with Maria‘ on Fox Business Friday to discuss the public hearing of anti-Trump FBI lovebird Peter Strzok. However, the two wound up spending much of the segment on Rep. Steve Cohen’s (D-TN-09) deeply insulting suggestion that the embattled Strzok…
Read More73 Percent Increase in First Day of Primary Early Voting in Williamson County Compared to 2014
FRANKLIN, Tennessee–A total of 911 ballots were cast on the first day of primary early voting in Williamson County on Friday, a 73 percent increase from the 526 ballots that were cast in the county on the first day of early voting in the August 2014 primary. The Brentwood HomePage…
Read MoreJoe Carter Explainer: What You Should Know About Democratic Socialism
by Joe Carter While many left-leaning American politicians tend to avoid the labels “liberal” or “progressive,” two popular Democrats—Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and New York congressional candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez—proudly self-identify as a “democratic socialists.” Here’s what you should know about democratic socialism. What is democratic socialism? In Democratic Socialism: A…
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