Latest news with #Chattanooga-area
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tennessee Sen. Bo Watson draws backlash from business leaders in his district for bill targeting immigrant students
A Tennessee senator is drawing rebuke from business owners in his own district for a controversial bill targeting undocumented students. The Tennessee Small Business Alliance, a statewide small business advocacy organization, condemned SB 836 which would require all schools in Tennessee to verify children have legal immigration or visa status prior to enrolling. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson, who has has argued undocumented students are potentially a financial drain on Tennessee school resources, citing a rise in English language learners in the state. The accompanying house bill, sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth, R-Portland, would not impose requirements on local schools, the Tennessean previously reported. In a statement, small business owner and constituent of Watson, Kelly Fitzgerald, said the bill is "not something legislators should be spending their resources on when there are much larger issues at hand in the current environment." "We should leave children out of the conversation," she added. The legislation, if passed, would open the door for policies that could "deprive millions of undocumented students across the country of their right to an education" said the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition in a social media post. "The ripple effects would be devastating, not only for Tennessee's schools and communities but for our nation's future workforce, economy and core values," read the post. On Tuesday, April 1, the Senate Finance committee voted 7-4 to advance SB 836. Here's what else to know about the bill and why it has become one of the most fiercely contested pieces of legislation that Tennessee lawmakers are debating this session. Earlier this month, Fitzgerald joined 20 other business owners in urging Watson to abandon the bill. In a statement, she described the legislation as a "political stunt that's cruel, economically reckless and completely out of step with local values." "My children are receiving a great education in our public schools, and I want every child to have the same rights and opportunities as mine do," she said. "Do our representatives believe that undocumented children — who had no say in their immigration status — should be denied a public education, even though their families already pay taxes that fund our schools?' On April 1, over 20 Chattanooga-area businesses condemned the bill, disputing Watson and Lambeth's claims that the bill addresses fiscal concerns. The bill's fiscal note states the proposed legislation may jeopardize federal funding to the state and to local governments, however, exact impacts remain uncertain due to "unknown factors." In 2023, Tennessee received a total of $3,368,495,310 in federal funding. "Going after children to deny them an education when he knows it is already paid for by immigrants in our state isn't just cruel — it's unethical, fiscally irresponsible, and politically desperate," said the alliance in a statement. Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle have been critical toward SB 836 and the companion House bill. On Monday, Rep. Jeremy Faison, R-Cosby, sided with Democrats to oppose the bill. House Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, slammed the bill, calling it a drain on state resources. "Our country has a broken immigration system. This isn't going to fix it. It's going to discriminate against innocent children who have no idea if they're undocumented or not," Clemmons said. "This is an education bill about punishing innocent children." Despite both bills firmly advancing in the General Assembly, final votes will likely not fall along party lines reported the Tennessean. Since being introduced, committee meetings have drawn hundreds of impassioned protestors. One protestor, Lynne McFarland, was arrested by Tennessee Highway Patrol troopers earlier this month and later carried away from her seat and to a patrol car. Contributing: Melissa Brown Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@ or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee bill targeting immigrant students draws business backlash
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
TSSAA Legislative Council votes to remove residence rule to address boarding school advantage
The TSSAA Legislative Council voted 12-1 Tuesday to remove the residence rule from its bylaws, in order to address a competitive advantage that boarding schools had over other Tennessee high schools. The Council's decision focused on leveling the playing field for schools, mostly private, that have not been allowed to enroll international students the way boarding schools have. The change does not have a direct or intended effect on the TSSAA's transfer rule. More: Hut Hargrove homer leads Lawson in Nashville area's boys top performers for Week 6 More: Kailey Plumlee's two home runs lead Gordonsville in Nashville girls' Week 6 top performers The TSSAA's previous residence rule allowed boarding students to gain immediate athletic eligibility without a bona fide change of address if transferring from 20 or more miles away. Transfer students at non-boarding private schools and public schools weren't allowed to do that because they did not have a 12-month established residence. Those students had to gain eligibility through TSSAA hardship waivers, or if their entire family unit moved into the zone to which they're transferring. Removing the rule also means schools don't have to verify if incoming freshmen have lived at their current residence for the past 12 months, something TSSAA executive director Mark Reeves said should have been done a long time ago. 'It's almost impossible for us to ask schools to be able to know the last 12 months history of a student, who they've been living with,' Reeves said. 'There's a comfort level we've developed in the months leading up to this, in visiting with other states who don't have those restrictions and have not seen a problem.' Discussions about the boarding school advantage go back years. Chattanooga-area boarding schools Baylor and McCallie have dominated the Division II-AAA football state championships since 2019. McCallie has won back-to-back TSSAA football titles in addition to three straight from 2019-21. Baylor won it in 2022. Those teams included international athletes who were granted immediate eligibility. In February, the Council approved a change that denies athletic eligibility for an international student who has completed secondary school requirements in his/her country of origin. That remains in effect. McCallie athletic director Kenny Sholl, who voted for the change Tuesday, has said most of McCallie's international transfers have been coming from Quebec, Canada, which ends high school after 10th grade. Webb School - Bell Buckle, a boarding school, defeated MTCS 73-43 in the TSSAA 2023 Division II-A girls basketball championship with a powerful roster of international players 'I think (equity) is what we accomplished today,' said Council member Robert Sain, who is the MTCS principal and voted for the change. 'Now, if a school can attract a student athlete for whatever reason in the Division II world, at least we have the same opportunity to attract the same athlete that boarding schools can without the residence part being a restrictor.' The residence rule and transfer rule are not the same. To illustrate the difference, the Council pondered the example Tuesday that if a student begins school as a freshman at one high school while living with their aunt and cousin, they cannot transfer to a school in a different zone where their parents live and gain immediate eligibility, because their whole family unit where they established their athletic record did not move with them. Transfer students with established athletic records still must have a bona fide change of residence to be eligible at the varsity level, unless they meet the criteria for the TSSAA's recently amended transfer rule. The rule allows students one free transfer to another school due to reasons of significant academic, social-emotional, environmental or mental health need as long as the sending school's administration could attest the move is not for athletic or disciplinary reasons. There could be scenarios where not having a residence rule allows more opportunities for immediate transfers under the 'social-emotional' exception, but Reeves said the TSSAA approves many of those as hardships anyway. Schools being able to weigh in on the transfer is a guardrail too, he said. Council member Catherine Chubb, assistant head of school at Hutchison, was the only vote against the residence rule change. She said she believes not having a residence rule could nudge Tennessee closer to an environment like the NCAA's where transfer opportunities expand rapidly. 'I think there's some concern that some of this is moving that way,' Chubb said. 'This is part of a bigger conversation with what's collectively happening with some of our rules.' Tyler Palmateer covers high school sports for The Tennessean. Have a story idea for Tyler? Reach him at tpalmateer@ and on the X platform, formerly Twitter, @tpalmateer83. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: TSSAA Legislative Council votes to remove residence rule
