Speaker’s Charter School Bill Targeting Homeschoolers And “At Risk” Youth Draws Ire From Homeschool Community, Questions Regarding Migrant Children
Image Credit: Speaker Cameron Sexton / Facebook
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A bill being pushed by Speaker Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville-District 25) that creates two very different kinds of charter schools is drawing ire from the state’s homeschool community.
Questions are also being raised over the boarding school component of the proposed legislation in regards to migrant youth who could be housed at residential charter schools.
House Bill 1214 (HB1214) and it’s companion Senate Bill 1194 were both rolled last week until March 22nd.
According to Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA), who sent out an alert last week to homeschooling families in Tennessee, an amendment to the caption bill makes significant changes to state homeschool law and “it threatens to significantly blur the lines between public charter schools and home schools.”
If the bill becomes law, it will amend Tennessee code 49-6-3050 that regulates homeschooling, creating an additional way to “homeschool” in Tennessee.
Homeschool advocates take issue with this proposed definition of homeschooling as students participating in these part-time public school charters will be funded by TISA, categorizing them as public school students.
Students taking part in public school instruction while in their own homes is no more “homeschooling” than when the entirety of Tennessee’s public school population was thrust into virtual learning at home during the pandemic.
HSLDA Tennessee attorney Kevin Boden says that the heavy regulation that will come with this third homeschooling option may bleed over onto the existing legal ways to homeschool in the state.
Tennessee Homeschool Education Association (THEA) President Claiborne Thornton spoke to The Tennessee Conservative over the weekend and expressed concern regarding the redefinition of public school students as “homeschoolers” and hopes that the bill will be amended this week to take out any changes to current homeschool law.
Thornton told us that Governor Bill Lee once asked him how he can “help” homeschooling families in Tennessee. As President of THEA since 1984, and having organized an annual Homeschool Rally Day at the Tennessee General Assembly since 1985, Thornton told Lee not to give “a penny” to the roughly 200 thousand homeschoolers in the state, who value freedom over any kind of government assistance.
The language in the amendment has been edited since we first reported on the bill. Those who would qualify for enrollment at year-round residential charter schools now includes chronically absent, as defined in Tennessee’s Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA); truant after having accumulated five or more unexcused absences, or who have previously dropped out of school; or students who have been expelled or who have been placed on probation or parole.
These additional categories join those we reported before: At risk of educational disadvantage due to abuse, neglect or disability; or at risk of state custody due to family dysfunction, as well as “economically disadvantaged” which is no longer specifically spelled out in the bill.
At a quick glance, it is not obvious that the boarding schools HB1214 would allow are meant to house and educate migrant youth but according to Tennessee code 49-3-104 part 10, economically disadvantaged is defined as homeless, foster, runaway, or migrant student or a student eligible for free or reduced-price school meals or milk.
During a zoom call with Representative Bryan Richey on Saturday, concerns were raised over boarding schools in the state specifically housing migrant youth should the bill become law. Tennesseans speculated as to whether the state will be incentivized to continue housing migrants if they receive federal and state funding to do so, thereby welcoming ever increasing numbers of migrant youth to the state.
Flights of migrant children were smuggled into Chattanooga in 2021 under the cloak of darkness.
If more youth with illegal immigration status are brought into Tennessee in the future, they could be housed and educated at a residential charter school, if approved by either an LEA or Charter School Commission, at taxpayer expense.
If you have concerns about either of the types of charter schools outlined in this bill, contact members of the House Education Administration Committee before Wednesday, March 22nd, and members of the Senate Education Committee where companion Senate Bill 1194 (SB1194) will be heard the same day.
House Education Administration Committee
Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) – rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-4415
Rep. William Slater (R-Gallatin) – rep.william.slater@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-2534
Rep. Charlie Baum (R-Murfreesboro) – rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-6849
Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood) – rep.gino.bulso@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-6808
Rep. Ed Butler (R-Rickman) – rep.ed.butler@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-1260
Rep. Monty Fritts (R-Kingston) – rep.monty.fritts@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-7658
Rep. Ron Gant (R-Piperton) – rep.ron.gant@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-6890
Rep. John Gillespie (R-Memphis) – rep.john.gillespie@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-8201
Rep. Kirk Haston (R-Lobelville) – rep.kirk.haston@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-0750
Rep. Chris Hurt (R-Halls) – rep.chris.hurt@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-2134
Rep. Justin Jones (D-Nashville) – rep.justin.jones@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-2184
Rep. Justin Lafferty (R-Knoxville) – rep.justin.lafferty@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-4110
Rep. Harold Love, Jr. (D-Nashville) – rep.harold.love@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-3831
Rep. Sam McKenzie (D-Knoxville) – rep.sam.mckenzie@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-0768
Rep. Antonio Parkinson (D-Memphis) – rep.antonio.parkinson@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-4575
Rep. John Ragan (R-Oak Ridge) – rep.john.ragan@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-4400
Rep. Robert Stevens (R-Smyrna) – rep.robert.stevens@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-3830
Rep. Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill) – rep.todd.warner@capitol.tn.gov – 615-741-4170
Senate Education Committee Members
Jon Lundberg (Chair) (R)- sen.jon.lundberg@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-5761
Bill Powers (Vice-Chair) (R) – sen.bill.powers@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2734
Raumesh Akbari (2nd Vice-Chair) (D) – sen.raumesh.akbari@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1767
Rusty Crowe (R) – sen.rusty.crowe@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2468
Todd Gardenhire (Chair) (R)- sen.todd.gardenhire@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-6682
Ferrell Haile (R) – sen.ferrell.haile@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1999
Joey Hensley (R) – sen.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3100
Mark Pody (R) – sen.mark.pody@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2421
Dawn White (R) – sen.dawn.white@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-6853
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
Sounds like migrant kids would qualify. Biden would probably send them to TN. People are right to worry that the worst could happen.
Another case of educated fools thinking they know better than anyone else. There’s seems to be an attitude in Nashville that says if it ain’t broke, lets fix it so it is. That way we can pass more laws, put more relatives to work and, just in general, screw up a state that once operated fairly well.
The rinos are just as bad as the demonrats. Tennessee was once a great red state but now it is becoming more blue each passing day. Totally disgusting behavior on the part of so called republicans. With total disregard for the people that elected them into office. We need to hold their feet to the fire. They need to be held accountable for their actions and voting records. The so called leaders of both political parties have lost their moral compasses. They need to get God back in their lives. They will be judged for their actions.
In God we trust not government or man.
Have a blessed day.