Bill Lee Calls for Suspension of Student Accountability

By: La’Jaunea Esaw

NASHVILLE, TN (mocsnews.com) – Tennessee governor Bill Lee has called for the suspension of student accountability for the 2020-2021 school year. Lee says that educators need to be able to teach there best this year in order to compensate for the learning gap that our students are currently facing. Both Bill Lee and the Education Commissioner, Penny Schwinn, are asking that there be no negative repercussions for any student or educator in relation to 2020-2021 school year assessments. 

Testing for students starts soon, and it is these scores that Lee and Schwinn ask that teachers not be evaluated based on the scores this year. “We can’t fill in the gaps with math or learning loss without understanding where they are,” says Lee. With only a small percentage of schools completely closed in Tennessee Lee thinks it’s important to focus on the students and staff more than the numbers at this time. 

Shakara Campbell, a 13 year old eighth grader, gave her comments on how this new school year has been affecting her school experience. “It’s weird having to be in class with masks on and having to sit so far away from one another. I think that i’m learning but I do feel distracted by all the new rules we have.” Both students and staff are having to adjust to this year’s unique situation and it’s taking a toll on not only the students but the staff as well. Beverly Coffee works at Beech High School in Hendersonville TN and she has been greatly affected by this pandemic and totally agrees with the governor’s new policy. “I don’t think it would be far to the students nor us if we put too much focus on our scores. People have more things going on at home than ever and not to mention the amount of caution we have to take just to go outside.” The governor has held a conference/livestream explaining this plan and how it will be most effective. Both students and staff are still taking the appropriate precautions everyday at school.

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