Latest news with #RachelWegner
Yahoo
26-05-2025
- Yahoo
Police: 7 hurt in shooting that involved children at a Jackson park Saturday
A shooting that involved juveniles left seven people injured over the weekend, according to the Jackson Police Department. Officers arrived just after 8:40 a.m. to Kate Campbell Robertson Memorial Park on May 24 where they found seven people wounded. Police said one was seriously injured and later said that person was in critical but stable condition. Two others were injured but stable, while the remaining four were treated and released. Investigators are working to conduct interviews, process the scene and follow leads into what happened. Anyone with information on the shooting or the circumstances surrounding it is asked to call the Jackson Police Department at 731-425-8400. "Your cooperation is essential in helping us solve this case and ensure community safety," the department post read. No other details were immediately available Monday morning. Reach reporter Rachel Wegner at RAwegner@ This article originally appeared on Jackson Sun: Jackson police: 7 injured in shooting at Kate Campbell park
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tennessee school vouchers: Half of applicants request scholarships with income cap
Roughly half of those who have applied for Tennessee's taxpayer-funded school vouchers to offset private K-12 school costs put in for scholarships with income limits, according to the Tennessee Department of Education. As of May 19, more than 38,000 people applied for the newly launched vouchers, known as Education Freedom Scholarships, just four days after applications opened, a news release from the department stated. The program marks a statewide expansion to Tennessee's controversial school vouchers and offers 20,000 scholarships worth $7,295 for the 2025-26 school year. The first 10,000 are reserved for families who fall below an income threshold, have children with disabilities or received vouchers under Tennessee's previous program. The remaining 10,000 are open to all eligible students, regardless of income. The department said it received 18,852 applications for qualified income scholarships and 19,308 for universal scholarships as of May 19. It was not immediately clear if any applicants have been approved, including those who applied for the income-restricted scholarships. "The demand for universal school choice in Tennessee is strong, and families are embracing the freedom they have been provided through the Education Freedom Scholarship Program," Tennessee Commissioner of Education Lizzette Reynolds said in the release. "All students deserve the ability to access a learning environment that best fits their unique needs." The applicants so far span 300 zip codes, the release said. An average of 2,935 applications were submitted per grade level from kindergarten through 12th grade. Applications were still open as of May 20. They will be approved in the order they are received, but it will take some time for the department to process, approve and award the 20,000 vouchers, the release said. A waiting list will be established if additional scholarships become available. Applicants will receive updates from the email address Notifications@ More: TN private school voucher program gets over 33K applications for 20K spots within hours of opening As applications launched last week, parents reported mixed results on wait times, with some who were in the queue for hours as estimated wait times fluctuated wildly. Others were able to get through in a matter of minutes. Some said they received confirmation emails with the wrong child's name, but later received updates with the correct information. The department said it tested its website and system thoroughly to handle a large influx of traffic ahead of opening applications. It was not immediately clear when applications will close. Applications and more information can be found at Rachel Wegner covers education and children's issues for The Tennessean. Got a story you think she should hear? Reach her via email at RAwegner@ You can also find her on Twitter or Bluesky under the handle @RachelAnnWegner. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee school vouchers: How many listed income restrictions
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Yahoo
Meet the Tennessean's city reporters over local bagels. Here's where and when
If you've ever had a question for the members of The Tennessean's city team about how we do our work, now's your chance to ask us face-to-face. City editor Liz Schubauer, children's reporter Rachel Wegner, justice reporter Evan Mealins and Metro reporter Austin Hornbostel will be spending the day working from Crieve Hall Bagel Co., 4825 Trousdale Drive, on April 16. You can find us there from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We'd love to share a bagel with you and talk shop about what makes our team tick. As a team, we're looking to engage more directly with Nashvillians this year. We want to know what you're curious about — from the ways Nashville families are navigating a rigid Tennessee law that charges kids who make threats of mass violence against schools with a felony to how Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell plans on approaching the looming budget season as indiscriminate cuts run rampant at the federal level. Drop by and see us if there's a topic you feel we could be covering more, a quirk of local government you want us to decode, or an under-the-radar court case that readers like you might find interesting. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Meet the Tennessean's city reporters over local bagels
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
