A Tennessee state senator said Dr. Bren Elliott, Tennessee’s new State Turnaround Superintendent, and new State Education Commissioner Lizette Gonzalez Reynolds, do not reflect “the educational philosophy desired by parents and Tennesseans.”
“The hiring of Bren Elliott is the continuation of the bad decision of hiring Commissioner Reynolds. They represent the destructive direction of schools becoming ‘mental and emotional institutions’ rather than traditional educational facilities,” State Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma).
Reynolds (pictured above, right) hired Elliott (pictured above, left) last week, who was the former DC Public Schools (DCPS) Equity Officer.
In her role with DCPS, Elliott oversaw the district’s push to become a “whole-child, anti-racist school district.” Toward that goal, her Office of School Improvement and Support released a recommended Reading and Resource list. Included are books like:
- Anti-Racism Resources for White People – By people across the U.S.
- How to be an Anti-Racist – Dr. Ibram X. Kendi
- Steps Latinos Can Take to Combat Anti-Blackness – Andrew. S. Vargas
- Guide to Allyship – Amélie Lamont
Not everyone in D.C. was on board with the district initiative. Jonathan Butcher, the Will Skillman senior research fellow in Education Policy at The Heritage Foundation, accused DCPS of “rewriting public school lesson plans to make them what they call “culturally responsive.”
As an example, he referenced resources D.C. officials recommend for District of Columbia public school teachers. These materials claimed “that science is said to have advanced “certain groups of people for profit and power” and must be changed to “solve social justice issues.”
While critics acknowledged that much of the district’s efforts seemed to be positive, they also saw evidence that the school district had embraced Critical Race Theory and LGBT ideology. As a result, DC is now considering legislation similar to that passed by Tennessee lawmakers in 2022 banning the teaching of “Divisive concepts.
Bowling said the Tennessee General Assembly determined that DEI is not welcome in the state. Tennessee was among the first states to pass laws regulating the teaching of race and gender in public schools.
“They create discrimination, not diversity, preference not equality of opportunity, and division, not mutual respect. These false flags, or any tenets thereof, are illegal in Tennessee public schools,” she said.
Bowling added, “The hiring of Elliott, recognized for her work in DEI begs the question…Who made the decision to hire her and what is the rationale in selecting anyone championing CRT or DEI.”
The state senator said she would appreciate a full explanation of the commissioner’s goals for our Tennessee schools in hiring Elliott.
Bowling added that she was “very concerned” when Governor Bill Lee hired Reynolds.
“[Reynolds] career-long support in Texas and DC in promoting No Child Left Behind was a huge warning sign to me. No Child Left Behind under Bush created the crisis we now see in labeling young students ADHD and in need of a pharmaceutical ‘treatment,'” the state senator said.
“The counter indicated ‘solution’ was and is much worse than the label. The explosion of Ritalin, Adderall, and Vyvanse has damaged many young children into adulthood,” Bowling added. “Addictions started by the ‘cure’ for a label have ruined many lives. Big Pharma has been the only winner.”
The state senator reminded Tennesseans that this is not the first time Governor Lee has appointed a education commissioner who doesn’t align with Tennessee’s education philosophy.
“In Tennessee, as in most other conservative states, the ‘wellness checks’ started by former Commissioner [Penny] Schwinn were immediately stopped by the correct rejection of ‘schools as wellness centers’ for children birth to 18. In Tennessee, we know that Parents have sole authority and responsibility for the well-being of their children,” she said.
– – –
TC Weber is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. He writes the blog Dad Gone Wild. Follow TC on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]. He’s the proud parent of two public school children and the spouse of a public school teacher.
