Shauna Russell is the Director of Academics at Purpose Prep Academy in Nashville.
Governor Bill Lee released a statement in October stating that he would “bring forward a solution for this school year that alleviates any burdens associated with educator evaluations and school accountability measures.”
But his recent decision to demand 80% participation on in-person testing penalizes schools and families who choose to keep their children safe and learning virtually at home—a decision we know families do not take lightly.
Tennessee already forced workers back into schools and put them in front of children without vaccine access; now it also seeks to mandate children return regardless of families’ concerns for safety.