Latest news with #AngeleLatham
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tennessee can teach American exceptionalism and also end its book ban frenzy
My recent conversation with six Mt. Juliet High School students about book bans revealed something adults should all appreciate: young people are a lot smarter than we think. The students − three Republicans and three Democrats − shared their sincere beliefs during a panel discussion at the school in late January that complements The Tennessean's new series, which launched Sunday, called "Class Disrupted," written by my colleagues, Children's Reporter Rachel Wegner and First Amendment Reporter Angele Latham. The journalists reported that since the Tennessee General Assembly passed the 2022 Age-Appropriate Materials Act, nearly 1,400 books spanning more than 1,100 individual titles have been removed from school libraries across the state. Tomes like "Pinkalicious," "Game of Thrones" and George Orwell's classic "Animal Farm" are banned from at least one county school library. The students I spoke to were more interested in their personal safety at school and mental health needs than in being denied the chance to read a book adults might find controversial or objectionable for whatever reason. "I think people have made such a big deal out of these book bans," said Jackson Sanders, 17, leader of Mt. Juliet High's Young Republicans chapter. "It's now become a big priority in schools, and I just disagree with it. ... I just think there's so many more topics that could benefit people more than just book bans." Jackson is wise for his years, and state elected leaders should heed his message as they consider expanding civics education across the state. See for yourself: Tennessee sees surge in books banned in public schools. Here's which ones and why During his Feb. 10 State of the State address, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee proposed expanding the reach of the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee to K-12 students to "learn about the founding principles that make America the greatest country on earth." 'One way we strengthen tradition is by teaching civics and American exceptionalism,' Lee said. An exceptional part of this nation's design is that we can acknowledge mistakes of the past by amending the U.S. Constitution. Amendments like the 13th (ending slavery), 14th (birthright citizenship) and 15th (voting rights for Black men) would not have been necessary had it not been for the institution of slavery. The 19th Amendment extended the voting franchise to women in 1920 and Tennessee was the pivotal 36th state to ratify it. The 24th Amendment eliminated poll taxes in response to rectifying the institutional racial segregation under Jim Crow laws that kept many Black voters from the ballot box. These reflect an uncomfortable part of history that caused government to adopt laws and policies protecting every American's civil rights and the shot to compete for an equal opportunity. In recent years, the legislature has banned curriculum in K-12 and higher education under the guise of critical race theory and allowed for the banning of books that parents or community members may find offensive or uncomfortable. Opinion: Tennessee school library legislation is a win for parents, despite what critics say In 2021, I wrote a column in response to these efforts, saying: "State-sanctioned erasure of any lesson should bring chills to citizens in a free society, especially as these decisions were made in haste and in response to the politics of the day." How can teachers educate students on complex narratives in history if they are required to omit what actually happened? They must resort then to teach propaganda and fail to satisfy the intellectual curiosity of young minds. At least 11 tomes banned in Monroe County are about the Holocaust. Jan. 27 is Holocaust Remembrance Day and I had the privilege of presenting at Vanderbilt University's We Are Here concert, honoring Holocaust survivors, their stories and their memories through music. This occurred on a private university campus, not a public K-12 school, but it does not mean public school children should be denied lessons on tough topics in history. The state's Social Studies Standards introduces concepts at various grade level regarding slavery, women's rights and the Holocaust, which are necessary for students to get a more comprehensive understanding of history. As federal and state leaders seek to ban discussions or mentions of gender identity, sexual orientation, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, they further erode freedom, which is a fundamental part of American exceptionalism. We should not be about censorship. While parents should have a say in what their children read, avoid blanket bans that punish all children − some whose parents might want them exposed to diverse narratives. 'Is this harming (kids) or is it just something that makes you a little uncomfortable?' said Ava Craighead, 15, Gallatin High School. Another wise observation from a Middle Tennessee student. America and Tennessee need more civics education, but it should be about expanding knowledge not restricting history only to the parts that make our leaders feel comfortable. David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee. He is an editorial board member of The Tennessean. He hosts the Tennessee Voices videocast and curates the Tennessee Voices and Latino Tennessee Voices newsletters. Call him at (615) 259-8063, email him at dplazas@ or find him on X at @davidplazas or BlueSky at This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee needs fewer book bans, more civics education | Opinion
Yahoo
16-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
'Class Disrupted': Students weigh in on the contentions book ban debate in new series
Not too long ago, most education discussions centered around budgets and test scores. But today it can feel like the public school system has been pulled to the center of all the nation's most contentious debates. During the pandemic, districts grappled with whether to require masks — and whether to offer in-person school at all. In the years since, those intense disputes have spiraled to encompass a widening array of topics. Debates about education are inherently emotional. They're about the future of the country because they're about its children. But adults often don't give those kids the chance to weigh in on how all this is affecting them. In 2025, The Tennessean will take a close look at key issues facing the U.S. education system — and how students feel about them — through our new series "Class Disrupted." First up, education reporter Rachel Wegner joined First Amendment reporter Angele Latham to learn more about how Tennessee districts are implementing book bans. Check out their coverage below. Over the course of this year, The Tennessean will undertake similarly ambitious projects on a range of education topics. In each chapter of the "Class Disrupted" series, journalists will prioritize the voices of the students whose days are directly affected by these issues. Please let us know what you think our reporting should include going forward. You can reach education reporter Rachel Wegner at rawegner@ and city editor Liz Schubauer at lschubauer@ High school students with a variety of backgrounds and political stances weigh in on why book removals do — or don't — matter. Their points of view converged in some surprising ways. Plus, this story is a good reminder of how articulate high schoolers can be when given a platform, something they are often denied: Members of the Young Republicans and Young Democrats at Mt. Juliet High gathered to discuss book bans after their district, Wilson County Schools, banned the second-most titles in the state last year at 425. Watch them share their nuanced takes on the topic, and learn about the group text that keeps them engaged with each other: To learn which school districts in Tennessee are removing the most books from shelves, The Tennessean sent more than 100 requests for records to those districts and then spent weeks sorting through the data they provided. The result is a one-of-a-kind, comprehensive, sortable list of the 1,155 titles removed across Tennessee in 2024: When studying the list of books removed in Tennessee, themes emerged. Books on topics like LGBTQ+ identities, race, the Holocaust and even, ironically, book bans have been pulled from shelves. And some titles were banned more often than others: This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: The Tennessean's 'Class Disrupted': Inside heated education debates
Yahoo
27-01-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Why the First Amendment is important it and why it's my beat
My name is Angele Latham, and I am the First Amendment reporter at The Tennessean — a first-of-its kind beat created through a partnership with The Tennessean, the Freedom Forum and the Journalism Funding Partners. I cover a wide variety of fascinating topics throughout the state, including protests, lawsuits over free speech and religious liberty, investigations, books bans and extremism, just to name a few. Anything that impacts your freedoms enshrined in the First Amendment, I'm there. The First Amendment contains five freedoms: religion, speech, press, assembly and the right to petition the government. The importance of these rights cannot be overstated. These rights transcend our work as reporters — they shape the lives of everyday Americans and how they interact with the world around them. This beat has surprised even me with how well it has been received. Since this is the first dedicated First Amendment beat in the nation, I have a consistent onslaught of story tips coming in from across the country. There is a massive untapped well of First Amendment issues that need coverage, and I am honored to be at the helm. A recent example: The fight over TikTok and how to balance the free speech rights of those who use the social media app and the national security interest of the United States and its relations with China. I also recently wrote about a nonprofit with Tennessee connections and its First Amendment rights to send aid to Israeli settlers in the West Bank. Consistent inspection of legislative bills often reveal new First Amendment issues. As do lawsuits, such as a recent one where a Smyrna man won the right to protest outside a business wearing a chicken mask. I also keep close watch on school boards for any book removals, and keep my ear to the ground on social media for brewing problems. The best way to find stories, however, is simply by talking to people. The First Amendment is inherently about the people's speech, and well, that means I need to talk to people. Making connections and listening will always be the best way to report stories that matter and make an impact. Got a First Amendment issue you want to let me know about? Don't hesitate to reach out. I'm at alatham@ This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Why the First Amendment is important it and why it's my beat
