You may have heard the term “innovative school model” before. In Tennessee, Governor Bill Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly made an investment that pumps $500 million into this initiative bringing this to every public high school and middle school across the state.

The school year has wrapped up and summer vacation is now in full swing. Over the summer many families will contemplate their educational options for next school year. It is a regular occurrence for me to be contacted by parents who are considering home schooling.

Have you heard about the new buzz in education: The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model (or WSCC)?

I hate to say, “I told you so” . . . but, I told you so. I have been writing for the Murfreesboro Pulse since 2021, and many of my articles have focused on the repercussions of school choice on private education. Today, as I pen this article, home-school families and supporters of educational freedom are currently fighting legislation that originally sought to jeopardize home schooling (a form of private education) in the state of Tennessee.

Where are the men?

State legislatures across the nation are back in session and hard at work. That means that on the education front, “school choice” is front and center. For many states, Tennessee included, charter schools are at the top of the list of legislative priorities, but the real question is: are charter schools the answer to the major issues facing education today?

The holidays have passed and a new year has dawned. I don’t make New Year’s resolutions, because with those come a sense of failure if they are not checked off the list. Instead, I prefer to look at the new year with a sense of reflection.

After a year of contributing content to the Murfreesboro Pulse, I was recently offered the unique opportunity to start my own radio show covering similar subjects on a Middle Tennessee radio station.

This month I have been busy working with individuals across the nation to take a close look at school counselors and their associations with the American School Counselor Association.

Did you know that Social Emotional Learning is tied to COVID relief funds?

I was recently asked if I knew what “social emotional learning” is. Many proponents of SEL, for short, ask this question in order to shut down civil discourse. The answer to that question takes research, which I have done. I encourage all parents to do the same.

I have heard the statement “Everyone can’t home school” many times over the years. Parents and educators often suggest that single parents, working parents and parents of children with special needs can’t home school. Throughout the years I have watched and continue to watch parents destroy these misconceptions by simply doing what so many have said can’t be done. They effectively home school their children.

Recently, I watched in dismay as many naive individuals celebrated the Carson v. Makin U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Our family just finished up our 18th year of home schooling. We still have 10 more years left on our journey. Throughout the years, I have had the opportunity to meet many wonderful families and consult with countless others.

It takes a bold pastor to be willing to address what is being taught in public schools. There aren’t many pastors brave enough to tackle the elephant in the room. Upwards of 80 percent of Christians send their children to government schools. Most pastors aren’t willing to offend that 80 percent, lest they leave and take their money with them. It poses the question: What is more important, is it money or souls?

With all the buzz around school choice, I decided to take a look at some of the key points that school choice proponents pose.

I have been very vocal in regard to my concerns with charter schools. I have consistently warned about fraud and the lack of regulation; therefore, I have been closely monitoring HB2833 filed by Rep. Mark White (R–Memphis), which aims to allow charter school corporations to apply directly to the State Charter School Commission, bypassing local school boards.

“For every ten people who are clipping at the branches of evil, you’re lucky to find one who’s hacking at the roots.” — Henry David Thoreau

This month I had planned on highlighting parents in our home-school community that were successfully home schooling despite difficult circumstances. However, due to the arrest of a local educator in our community, I felt compelled to address the issue of abuse in the educational system.

You know how the saying goes: “if it’s important enough you will find a way, or if not, you will find an excuse.”