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Tue, Aug 14 2012 19:27:00

Metro School Board defies state, defers Great Hearts

Even though they had been ordered to approve Great Hearts Academy's charter school application, the Metro School Board instead voted to defer 7-2, potentially setting up a legal showdown as a number of departing board members took shots at what they perceived to be the State usurping local authority

  1. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    If you're craving some more Great Hearts debate, some 20 people are signed up to speak on the topic at Metro's school board meeting tonight.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 13:31:22
  2. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    The state board of education has ordered Metro to approve Great Hearts' charter. Its authorization is likely to become official tonight.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 13:32:36
  3. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    We've got a full nine-member Metro school board tonight. Even Gracie Porter and Ed Kindall, losers in last week's elections, are here.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:04:14
  4. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Schools Director Jesse Register is recognizing the outgoing four board members. He praises their honesty, integrity and professionalism.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:07:36
  5. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    To remind the viewing audience, those leaving are Ed Kindall, Gracie Porter, Mark North and Kay Simmons.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:08:46
  6. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Register calls Porter a "champion for children" as he hands her an outgoing gavel. Porter lost to Elissa Kim, who is in the audience.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:12:19
  7. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Now we're at the public comments period where CM Steve Glover (an ex board member) is thanking school board members for their service.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:17:07
  8. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    And now we've reached the portion of the meeting where Great Hearts supporters and critics are giving their final two cents on the issue.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:19:11
  9. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Chris Moth, a parent at JT Moore MS, delivers the message to the school board: "Table Great Hearts. Do it unanimously!"
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:21:04
  10. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    With three Great Hearts critics leaving the board for good tonight, might the school board stick one to the gut of the state and vote no?
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:23:18
  11. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    I certainly don't expect this to happen, but some board members could make a symbolic vote, of sorts, against Great Hearts.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:25:54
  12. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Again, by process, what I'm expecting here tonight is a procedural vote of approval for Great Hearts at the command of the state board.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:30:59
  13. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Kwame Lillard demands that the school board enact campaign finance limits in light of the now-concluded school board elections.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:38:39
  14. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Lillard to Great Hearts: "Stay in the west with your mess!"
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:39:25
  15. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Great Hearts attorney Ross Booher just gave the school board one final case for approval. Theo Morrison is closing the argument.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 15:48:11
  16. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Steele's sidekick Jeff @yarbro has now arrived. He chairs Metro's Academies program, the centerpiece of Metro's high schools re-design.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 16:23:57
  17. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Actually, he's a community co-chair. See my previous tweet.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 16:28:10
  18. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Metro school board approves the district's calendar for the 2013-14 school year. For the second straight year, school will start Aug. 1.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 17:00:43
  19. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Now we're on the Great Hearts item. Board member Mark North makes the motion to approve Great Hearts contingent on three criteria.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 17:02:00
  20. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Board's Anna Shepherd says she feels so passionate about this issue that she will read a prepared letter about the topic.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 17:04:46
  21. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Kindall says he will be voting against Great Hearts even though the state has ordered Metro to approve. We might have a nail-biter vote!
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 17:06:50
  22. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Kindall: Great Hearts would "open the floodgates" for an unlimited number of racially isolated charters in Nashville.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 17:08:38
  23. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Kindall: "Don't use money to stack school boards. Do it to line up buses."
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 17:09:38
  24. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Kindall: Great Hearts is more "segregative" than the district's rezoning plan, which he voted against in '08.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 17:10:27
  25. joeygarrison
    Joey Garrison@joeygarrison
    Kindall accuses the state board of education and its director Gary Nixon of approving Great Hearts after very little investigation.
    Tue, Aug 14 2012 17:12:13

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