March 24, 2025 • 59 mins
Episode Notes My guests include two MSCS School Board members, Stephanie Love and Natalie McKinney. With all the drama involving the board which has now led to a possible legislative takeover drafted by Rep. Mark White, they tell me how they think we got here, and how will this action will affect the future education of our children. Also, the role the County Commission might have played in this situation. Next, Rachael Goodwin Spriggs is an educational advocate who is a staunch supporter of our children. She has been very outspoken about how we got to this place and she will tell me what concerns her most about possible state intervention. Lastly, we all know that technology is clearly the wave of the future. Meka Egwuekwe is the Chief Executive Officer of CodeCrew. They mentor underrepresented youth to be the next tech innovators and leaders. He joins to tell me how they do that and why the future is now! That and more on air and online Monday, 6pm, on 91.7 FM WYXR. Also, on the WYXR app, Tunein, Facebook Live, YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts. It’s time to talk!
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
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Jail, Welcome to Real t Real.
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Speaker 5 (01:13):
And here we go.
Speaker 6 (01:14):
Here we go on an absolutely beautiful Monday evening in
the city. It's the twenty fourth day of March twenty
twenty five, six o'clock straight up, which means it is time,
ladies and gentlemen, for an all new and live edition
of Real Talk Memphis.
Speaker 5 (01:31):
Very happy to have you with us this evening. I
am your humble host.
Speaker 6 (01:35):
My name is Chip Washington, and I think we have
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thank you in advance. I appreciate that in advance. If
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and I appreciate it in advance.
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We will get.
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To the lineup and the rundown in just a minute,
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all the good ways to be able to find us
and find out what we're doing and how we're doing.
What we're doing in terms of our guests tonight, this
(03:15):
is going to be a school centered broadcast, I will say.
First up, we have not one, but two members of
the Mempherson Sheby County school Board. They are Natalie McKinney
and Stephanie Love will be joining me in just a
few minutes. Of course, lots of conversations these days about
the Memphison Shelby County school Board. What is happening with
(03:39):
the state. Is this takeover really going to happen. If
it does happen, how does it affect the school board?
How does it affect the face of education here in
Memphison Chevy County?
Speaker 5 (03:49):
Moving forward?
Speaker 6 (03:50):
Lots of questions in reference to all of that, so
we'll talk to them in just a couple of minutes.
A little bit later on, we're going to be talking
with Rachel Goodwin Spriggs. She is an education advocate and
very outspoken in reference to this whole situation with the
school board going back to December of last year. Now
(04:12):
we are at another place, as I stated a minute ago,
with legislation moving through the house up in Nashville about
the possible takeover of our school district. She has some
definite thoughts in reference to that and what happens moving forward,
and a little bit later on in the show, we
(04:32):
have now see this is where I get in trouble
because I'm not real good at pronouncing names. But many
of you know if I say the name Mecca like Jamaica,
you know who I'm speaking of. Egway, I won't even
I won't even try to pronounce his last name because
(04:53):
I'm not good at that, but I will let him
do it, and of course uh Mecca as in Jamaica,
will be joined us. He is the director, i should say,
of Cold Crew, and many of you have.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Heard of Cold Crew.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
It is it is, it really is the wave of
the future for so many young people. You know, we're
getting into tech and a lot of things like that.
That's the wave of the future. And he has been
involved in this for quite a few years and he's
doing an amazing job teaching our young minds and taking
them to the next level. So I will be speaking
(05:28):
with him a bit later on in the broadcast, So
there's a rundown of what you can expect to this evening.
First things first, however, ladies and gentlemen, many of you
are fortunate enough to have made another trip around the sun,
aka your birthday, And we do a little thing on
this to broadcast each and every week, call the Shout Out.
(05:48):
We shout you out in case some of your friends
didn't know it was your birthday. They're going to know
it in a minute, but we can't do that until
I say hit it. Bran Happy birthday, Happy birthday Day,
going out.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
To the following folks.
Speaker 6 (06:03):
April Rutger, you know, April, Happy birthday, April. Marcus McCrary
celebrating his birthday today. Happy birthday to Anne Haines, she's
celebrating today as well. Carolyn Halsey celebrating her birthday. Happy
Birthday to Ivory Tailor, and Happy birthday to Ray Palmer.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
Since Lola has been songsed up to the mic, he has.
Speaker 6 (06:28):
No birthdays today, but all of us here at Real
Talk mempers happy birthday, teaching every one of you. I
hope this day has been filled with love and laughter,
and we also hope that we are all here next
year to celebrate your next trip around the sun.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
Happy birthday, everybody. Thank you, Brian.
Speaker 6 (06:48):
Before we get into some news and notes, a couple
of deaths. Two note George Foreman, two time heavyweight boxing
champion and of course the creator of the George Forman Grille,
which a lot of you probably have in your closet
somewhere or in a cabinet somewhere. He died on Friday
at the age of seventy six. He was a pastor,
(07:11):
he was a preacher, he was a teacher, and of
course he was an entrepreneur and a very nice man.
But again the passing of former boxing great George Foreman.
I saw a picture someone posted on Facebook that I
don't know if it was AI or what, but it
was a picture of Joe Lewis, Joe Lewis, Joe Frazier,
(07:34):
Mahamon Ali in the middle and George Foreman on the right.
I thought that was absolutely classic because they were some
of the greatest the boxers ever in the history. And
also yesterday we heard of the death of Mea Love.
Mea Love was the first black Republican congresswoman elected from
(07:56):
the state of Utah. She died after a courageous battle
with brain cancer. She was only forty nine years young.
So to each of those individuals, may you rest in
the peaceful love of the Lord, and may your memories
always be a blessing to each one of us. Some
(08:19):
news and notes, of course, we're talking a little bit
about this proposed takeover.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
It advances.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
Now it has gone through the subcommittee in Nashville, and
now it is this week is going to the full committee,
the Education Committee. As it continues the roar on down
the road Representative Mark White, who I don't know why
he won't say what this thing is, which is a
state school takeover? If the state is initiating legislation, if
(08:49):
the state is initiating selecting five nine individuals to be
a management team that will be selected by the governor
and several other legislative individuals, is not a state takeover.
I don't know what is, but in any event, he says,
it's not. But because the people who are going to
(09:10):
be picked are going to be from Memphison Shelby County.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
But who are they going to report to?
Speaker 6 (09:14):
That's the question. Okay, we'll get more into this in
just a couple of minutes. Anyway, as this continues to
move through, I would imagine the process now of selecting
individuals to be a part of this quote unquote management committee.
And by the way, these folks who are selected will
be the governing body, which means the current elected board
(09:37):
won't have a whole lot to do. They'll be there
in an advisory capacity, but all of the decision making
will be if this thing goes through, done by this
management board of governance, however it goes So, yeah, this
could be a pretty pretty pretty big deal because it's
never happened here before. I do know that initially when
(09:59):
a this was brought up, this was going to include
other places, other school districts around the state that we're
having a low performing school districts, as Representative White says,
is happening here. But those folks squawked and moaned about
all of this to the point to where all of
(10:21):
a sudden, no one else in the state is included
except for Memphis and Cheby County.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
What do you know about that?
Speaker 6 (10:28):
Just little owe Memphis one more time, one more opportunity
for them to come in here and take over and
control everything that happens down here.
Speaker 5 (10:36):
But I digress.
Speaker 6 (10:37):
We will keep an eye on it, and we will
talk to a couple of school board memberies about this
in just a couple of minutes a little bit.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Let me see here, Shelby.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
County, our county and Tennessee's largest county, experienced the largest
population decline in among US counties between twenty twenty three
and twenty twenty four. The US Sinitus Bureau says the
county's population declined by almost thirty four hundred residents between
(11:06):
July first, twenty twenty three and July first, twenty twenty four.
Estimated population in Mefherson Chubby County is that a little
over nine hundred and ten thousand people declined from nine
hundred thirty thousand people in twenty twenty. Guests which county
has the most population growth in this little period of
(11:28):
time we're talking about, Yes, it would be Davidson County.
Speaker 5 (11:31):
Yes, that would mean Nashville.
Speaker 6 (11:33):
They increased their population from seven hundred and twelve thousand
to seven hundred and twenty nine thousand, five hundred people
during the same period. Very interesting. A lot of folks
shifting gears and headed up headed up north to nash Vegas.
So we don't need to lose any more population here.
But according to the census folks, that is what happened.
(11:56):
And finally, in reference to the the the.
Speaker 5 (12:02):
What am I trying to say?
Speaker 6 (12:03):
Look the basketball tournament that happened over the weekend and
c the wil A Tournament. Memphis lost unfortunately in the
first round to Colorado State, but that does not diminish
the season that Penny and his boys had. So we
congratulate them on an absolutely wonderful and magnificence in the
basketball season. So if your team is still in it,
(12:26):
the sweet sixteen starts, who go do okay? Now she's okay,
Lolas says, go do so we'll see what happens. I
like Auburn myself, that's my that's my team, So we'll
see what happens. Let's take a break and when we
come back, let's get into all of this tonight. Shall
we very happy to have you all with us. If
you're checking us out on Facebook Live, really appreciate that
(12:47):
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Real Talk with zib Washington.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
If he Welcome back to Real Talking Memphis on this
Monday evening in the city.
Speaker 5 (15:04):
Chip Washington with you.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
Very happy to be here and very happy to have
you with us, and also very happy to have my
first two guests with me. We alluded at the broadcast
the top of the broadcast, that is, I've been a
lot of conversation about the Memphison Sherby County School District
and some of the things that have happened that have
brought us to a particular place. And that particular place
right now is the very real it seems possibility of
(15:31):
being taken over by the state. I will say from
what I know that no one is happy about this
particular situation, but I wanted to talk a little bit
about all of this with a couple of school board members.
Please welcome to the show, Stephanie Love and Natalie McKinney. Ladies,
it's great to see you. Thank you for taking the
time to be with me tonight. Thanks for being.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Here, Thank you for the invitelcome.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
Absolutely that. Okay.
Speaker 6 (15:57):
So we sort of laid out at the beginning of
what is happening here with this legislation, which is driven
by Representative Mark White in reference to taking this district
over because of what he says is the low performances,
(16:17):
the last low performing schools the last several years, and
several other things that have brought us to this place.
So I'll ask you both, and each of you can
answer separately, what what, in your opinion, what has brought
us to this place that we're at right now.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Go ahead, go ahead, Stephanie, go ahead.
Speaker 10 (16:42):
Mark White said last week that he has been working
on the.
Speaker 8 (16:47):
Bill for two years, okay.
Speaker 10 (16:51):
Superintendent Fagins was only in the job for eight months.
Money and Facility and Project twenty twenty five. That is
what I think the bill is centered around.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
Natalie, What say you on that?
Speaker 4 (17:17):
I think my take on this is and I think
I said it. I'm in the board meeting last week
with a resolution that I presented and everyone's signing on.
But this is an opportunistic grab, right. We've seen this before.
We saw this in two thousand and six, We saw
this in two thousand and eight, we saw this in
(17:37):
twenty ten with the ASD which the state has said
was a failed attempt to take over the district. They
actually performed, They performed worse for our students than our
own schools. And then you had in twenty twenty three
in the midst of another superintendent search like that in
two thousand and eight, where we were threatened with takeover
(17:59):
because we weren't doing what the state wanted us to do.
So I think this is again, this is about our facilities,
and I think this is also about our budget. We
have one of the largest budgets of a public body,
I think in the state, but two approximately two billion dollars, and.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
It's an opportunity.
Speaker 5 (18:22):
Do you think that from the general public's perspective?
Speaker 6 (18:26):
And I did see that the uh that the district
put out last week, I think four or five bullet
points of some of the positive accomplishments within the school district.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
And Stephanie and I were talking a little bit about
that offline. UH.
Speaker 6 (18:41):
I think it is it is sort of kind of
a feeling, uh that that I get from most of
the citizens around here, most of the concerned folks, that
this proposed takeover is not the way to go.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
UH.
Speaker 6 (18:56):
And I guess from each of you, I want to
find out why this is not a good idea, Why
if moving forward this does happen. And I hear the
proposal of nine individuals coming that are being appointed to
the board, not elected, but appointed to the board by
the governor and several other individuals, and they will have
(19:18):
all of the power basically to make the decisions uh,
with the district moving forward, rendering you all no more
than I guess advisors in all of this. But really
you sort of laid out a little bit about you
know what you think about all of this. But how
detrimental could this be if this bill is passed.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
There's absolutely no recourse for public if you read the
bill closely. First of all, the bill if you know
that says nothing about student achievement. It talks It talks
about facilities, It talks about teachers in terms of why
the shortage, why we have a short why we know
why we have a shortage, But it talks about nothing
(20:03):
around focuses around student achievement. Secondly, it gives no voter
any right to do anything about that nine. If they
make a decision, their decision is found. There's there's nothing
that they can do about that. It appoints nine people
that are across the county, which means you have no
represent you have someone who no representation, one.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Man, one vote, and it's not there.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
You're just and these are people who could ostensibly not
even live in within the district, who would have authority
over the district. There's multiple problems with with that bill
because I don't think ostensibly that it is about student achievement.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
Stephanie, what's there you?
Speaker 10 (20:45):
I agree with Nanily. Fraser was the dumping ground for
the AOC. Every school in Fraser got adored by the
AOSD except for two of them. My kids were a
part of the ASD experiment. Shelby County didn't do a
(21:08):
good job at communicating with us as parents that changes
they were finished, that the schools were finna go through.
And like Natalie said, this bill is not about student achievements.
(21:30):
And Mark White testified before last week that eight six
of the thirty one school.
Speaker 8 (21:43):
Reached performance level. Where did the rest of the student.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
Go to?
Speaker 10 (21:52):
Thirty one schools did far worse than they were with
us then the ASC So the state, we do everything
that the state tells us to.
Speaker 8 (22:11):
We change.
Speaker 10 (22:14):
Policy, re change metrics, we do everything that the state
tells us too. Forty one percent of the state are
not reading on grade level. Less than forty one percent
(22:35):
of the state are not reading on grade level.
Speaker 8 (22:40):
The state has work to do.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
So you know, and hearing you both, you know lay
this out. There is one particular factor that I want
to ask about because now that we are this that
this snowball is starting to roll downhill a little bit,
fingers are starting to point in in various directions, and
people are bringing up the Chelby County Commission. Now we
(23:05):
all know that at one point in time, the Shelby
County Commission issued a proclamation or whatever it was, a
resolution of no confidence in the Memphison Shelby County School board.
I spoke with County Commissioner Erica Sugarman, who was one
of the individuals that voted for no confidence, and she
doesn't regret that because she feels changes need to be made.
(23:29):
There seems to be an attempt now on a couple
of fronts. One there's been a conversation of possibly rescinding that,
and I don't know what good that does now rescinding
that the vote of no confidence, but a referendum now
might be drafted for next year's election to a established
(23:50):
term limits for the school board members and the possibility
of a recall vote should they not feel that the
board is doing an adequate job.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
I'd like to get your opinion on.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
That, on what all of that.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
Yeah, well, first of all, well, first of all, I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (24:10):
Well, first of all, the the the the no confidence
vote with you, with you all were very you in particular,
were very outspoken on the fact that as we're your
fellow board members, that the board should they have enough
to do on their side of the street rather than yours.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
But go ahead. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
No, I mean absolutely, it was over It was overreach.
One elected body.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Advocating or filing a resolution that talks about no confidence
as a slippery slope, because we can do that all
over the place.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
I mean, we could. We could do a vote of.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
No confidence because they haven't appropriately given us money to
build new schools or for deferred maintenance, which is part
of their responsibility. We could we but that was just overreach,
and I think it was inappropriate, and I've said that
publicly and I'll continue to say that. I think the
other way we could have done this, which is what
I think we are moving towards, and I think there
(25:06):
are some people on the Commission who want to do that,
is that we work in partnership, which is what we
always should have done. We should have been working in
partnership because what we need to make sure that we
understand that we are one of many systems CHIP and
I think people look at the education system to be
the solution to these other systemic problems that we have.
(25:29):
For instance, we get the kids when they come through
the door, we get them as they come in.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
We have nothing to do.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
Outside of that, outside of that door, outside of that building.
So we need to be collectively working with other entities
that are responsible for health, public health and welfare, so
responsible for safety, responsible for transportation, responsible for ensuring that
our parents and.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Community members have local wage jobs.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
So I talk about the chamber and Workforce Development Network.
All of these other systems should be working with us
to ensure that our students our whole students, and they're
living in whole communities with whole families. So I think
that instead of coining the finger, because frankly, we are
doing a good job according to Council for Great City
(26:21):
Schools who said it compared to Tennessee. We are educating
our black students, whether they are whether they are considered economic, looly, discipent,
lantage or not better than Tennessee. Given given our that
we're in one of the poorest cities in the country,
and we're one of the blackest cities in the country,
(26:42):
and we're in an urban school district.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
So let's deal in what.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
We're really doing. Our graduation rate has steadily gone up.
Our ready graduate rate has gone up precipitously. So let's
deal in the data. Let's deal in the facts that
we are doing. We could do better, but we can
do better together.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
Not fingers.
Speaker 5 (27:05):
Stephanie, what do you say.
Speaker 10 (27:07):
I agree with Natalie, the Shelby County Commissioners. They have
a heap of trouble at the UH, at the jail,
a heap of trouble at juvenile court.
Speaker 8 (27:22):
I agree with Natalie.
Speaker 10 (27:23):
We take a budget down there every year and they
give us what they want to give us, not what
the students and the family and the teachers need. I
agree with Natalie. This is a collective issue. One person
or system can handle it all by themselves. We need
(27:47):
to separate personal opinions and get back to educating the
student and the parents and Shelby counting.
Speaker 6 (28:03):
I've been thinking about this this next question. Has Representative
White at any point in time spoken with either you
all individually or collectively as a board in reference to
these plans of this possible takeover? Has he has he
(28:24):
ever called a meeting with the with the board of
with with with with with you all in reference to
talk about what his plans might be.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
I know that Chair Coleman and I beg as the
co chair of the Policy and Governments and Legislative Affairs
Subcommittee or board committee, we met with him prior to
making a decision, and we talked. He talked about the
things that he was concerned about. We voiced an opinion,
(28:52):
we agreed with some of those things that we we
do need to work collectively. We even talked about how
to do that, and I believe he walked away thinking
something different. But I do believe that we have been
consistent both with Representative White and with anyone that we've
(29:13):
spoken to, including some of our county commissioners. We have
been consistent about, yes, we want to work in a
collaborative and partnership and in a partnership, but what we
are not willing to do. As my colleague board member
loved likes to say, is that we are an elected
body just like everybody else. We are elected and because
(29:37):
just like everyone else, and we took the same oath,
and she likes to say, we stood in the same
hot sun to get those and so we are beholden
to our constituencies and so and we get a decision
as a bookboard to make sure that our.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Students were getting what they needed.
Speaker 4 (29:59):
And that is what I think we did as we
when we made our decision. And this one thing in
time that happened in January that we are actually mandated
and obligated to do in by a statute we did.
(30:19):
And so for that to then precipitate or we're gonna
take you over, that's a little disingenuous. It's not a little,
it is in fact disingenuous.
Speaker 10 (30:28):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (30:29):
Final question, Uh, and I'll start with you, Stephanie. What
does the public need to do? Uh?
Speaker 5 (30:37):
What is their role in this now?
Speaker 6 (30:39):
Natalie said earlier, Basically, this, this takeover basically voids the
voice of the community and and and of the general public.
Speaker 5 (30:46):
But but but what would you like to.
Speaker 6 (30:49):
See the community, uh do in reference to what could
possibly happen in the near future.
Speaker 8 (30:59):
The first thing I would want the public to do is.
Speaker 10 (31:05):
Be informed, not superficial informed on Facebook, Go to visit
your child school, attend the meeting. We have a lot
of work to do and we are not shy of that.
(31:30):
This bill is unconstitutional. It is not about student achievements.
And I received for emails about the superintendent.
Speaker 8 (31:51):
From my district.
Speaker 10 (31:52):
I talked to the principal and the teachers that know
the work kids every day. I talked to some community members.
Maybe I didn't talk to all of them. And I
(32:13):
want to apologize for the way the process worth not
because of the vote, the way the process played out.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
And that's apology that I will say again that I
also apologize for the way the process played out. This
is the first time in our either legacy Mefacity Schools
or now Shelby County Schools, that we've ever fired a superintendent.
There's no there's no roadmap, there's no blueprint, and so
(32:51):
we used the processes we had at hand, and that's
what we did. But I do want to say that
the process we apologize.
Speaker 5 (33:00):
I do.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
I apologize for that, but I want to make sure
that people understand that we want to work with community.
And I like what my colleague Love said. It's she
used the term week.
Speaker 5 (33:14):
Not us, not I sure, but weak sure we as a.
Speaker 4 (33:18):
Community, not just our parents, not just our teachers and
our students and our school leaders, but all of us
and holding all of our bodies accountable to do the
work that it's going to take to make sure that
we educate our students to what they deserve.
Speaker 6 (33:38):
Well, listen, I got to run, But thank you very
much both of you for coming on tonight and and
talking about this, this issue and sort of what led
us here. This is this is going to be very
interesting as time moves forward. But I really appreciate your
candor and your honesty and reference to all of this,
and we'll see what happens next. School Board members Commissioners
(34:01):
Stephanie Love and Natalie McKinney, thank you both for coming
on the show to night.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
I really appreciate you. Thank you so much. Take care.
Speaker 6 (34:09):
All right, Let there you go, ladies, gentlemen, let's take
a break. When we come back, we'll continue the conversation.
Think about what was said, uh, and we will will
be talking with an education advocate after the break. This
is real talking, men, for some Chip, don't go away,
We'll be right back.
Speaker 7 (34:37):
If you like real talk, here's the way you can
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Speaker 1 (34:57):
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Now back to more real talk with zib Washington.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
It's real, It's.
Speaker 6 (35:59):
Real, and welcome back to real Talk memphers on this
Monday evening chip with you. And of course we just
heard from a couple of school board commissioners, Stephanie Love
and Natalie McKinney talking about this potential state to take over.
And at the end they both admitted that the process
of maybe getting us to this place in reference to
(36:21):
Superintendent Fagans, former Superintendent Fagans, was not properly done and
apologize for that. On the back end, I have with
me now and I'm very happy to have her. Rachel
Goodwin Spriggs and Rachel is an education advocate and during
those meetings that we're dealing with doctor Fagin's you saw Rachel. Rachel.
(36:44):
Rachel is not afraid to voice her opinion or give
her a comment. She's very passionate, and that's what I
think we need a whole lot more of in the city. Rachel,
thanks for coming on the show. I really appreciate it.
Good to see you tonight.
Speaker 8 (36:57):
Oh, absolutely, absolutely good to be here.
Speaker 10 (37:00):
So.
Speaker 6 (37:00):
I don't know if you heard any of the conversation
before you, but we are. We are sort of in
the process now, watching and waiting what is happening up
in Nashville. The snowballs, as I said, the analogy I used,
is starting to roll downhill in reference to this state takeover.
I know that you were vehemently against doctor Fagan's being removed,
(37:24):
and I think you probably feel the same way about
this potential's takeover.
Speaker 12 (37:29):
Absolutely absolutely, And I think that's important to state because
many people feel like if you were against Fagan's being removed,
you automatically it's for the takeover, and that's just not
the case for me.
Speaker 8 (37:43):
I have always been against.
Speaker 12 (37:45):
The state takeover, and I am equally disappointed with the
way that that process took place in removing and terminating
doctor Fagans as well.
Speaker 6 (37:56):
Yeah, and I think a lot of people feel the
same way. In reference to it. Now we're starting to
hear conversation from folks around town about the County Commission.
Mark White said that there are four provisions I think
that qualify him or the state to be able to
look at taking over a district, and one of those
(38:16):
is a resolution of no confidence by the county Commission. Now,
let me ask you in reference to the County Commission's role,
if any in this, do you feel that what they
said was warranted? And is that enough of an excuse
for the state to look at taking over the district?
Speaker 11 (38:38):
Now?
Speaker 12 (38:38):
I think it's I think it's pretty clear that Memphis
Shelby County Schools is being targeted, and I continue to
try to keep the conversation larger than Memphis.
Speaker 8 (38:47):
This is happening across the country.
Speaker 12 (38:50):
You have and I've been in a lot of conversation
with individuals on the ground in Houston, and you know
that that is another school A lot of predominantly black
districts are being targeted for state takeover. And so yes,
we can look at all the different things that definitely,
the school board UH did not do a thorough process
(39:12):
in terms of firing our superintendent that we just selected
ten months ago. Uh was it idea for commissioners to
overreach and do a voter no confidence and putting us
in even worse position. I think I think that that
was a little bit overreach as well. So I think
all of I think, I think the city is just
(39:33):
all together longing for more accountability. I think that we
were so desperate for it that we we are a
lot of people. Hear a lot of people willing to
uh say, you know what, it can't get any worse.
And so those are the points that I'm speaking to
(39:54):
with data, with receipts. It can't get worse. We know
that it can get worse. It has been worse. We
know what has happened. We know what happened when the
state took over in our ASD schools and handed us
those schools back over a billion dollars later, with the
same felling students, with no growth, no proficiency. So when
(40:17):
they say it can't get worse, we absolutely know that
it can get worse, and so.
Speaker 8 (40:23):
I mean, we can't.
Speaker 12 (40:23):
I don't want to zoom in on the commission, I
don't want to zoom in on the school board. I
just want to state the fact that memphishill Be County
schools is being targeted.
Speaker 8 (40:32):
This is happening across the country, and.
Speaker 12 (40:35):
So it's just with them taking advantage of our crisis.
Speaker 6 (40:40):
And you know, when you look at this and the
proposal that has been publicly announced nine appointed members to
nine elected members school board, basically the nine appointed members
would be the governing body of the entire schoochool district UH,
(41:01):
and they would be the ones making the decision rendering UH.
In my opinion, the elected school board members are pretty
much useless in in in this UH, in this, in
this whole scenario. And I mean, how do we I mean,
what what happens from here? If that is indeed the case?
Speaker 4 (41:18):
UH?
Speaker 5 (41:18):
If the elected school board members are are are pushed.
Speaker 6 (41:21):
Back to an advisory status, and how much advising can
they do? More importantly, how much listening will the managing
board UH do in reference to to them?
Speaker 5 (41:33):
What do you think?
Speaker 8 (41:34):
These are all great questions.
Speaker 12 (41:36):
I've been asking these questions to the community who are
so upset, who are so up said with.
Speaker 8 (41:41):
The board right now and saying, you know, as long
as we can just get them out, get them out
of here.
Speaker 12 (41:46):
And I think that's crucial to repeat, as long as
we can get them out of here. That is a
democratic process that we have access to that we will
no longer have access to if this board is a
point and they have a minimum of four to six years,
and then we know that at any moment they can
(42:06):
come in and change that as well.
Speaker 8 (42:09):
And so I think that we want to keep the
power in our hands.
Speaker 12 (42:14):
And I say that because with us trying to get
revenge on a school board, the reality is if the
election cycle legislation that will put them on the same
cycle as the county commission passes through all the committee
and passes on the floor, then all of that seats
will be up next year. Anyway, you hear a lot
(42:34):
of people say, well, we can't wait till next year.
Speaker 8 (42:36):
Well, let's talk about this.
Speaker 12 (42:38):
I'm really trying to go deeper in conversation with individuals
who are who appear to be emotional or appear to
be pushing one point when they say we can't wait
until then.
Speaker 8 (42:48):
And then what happens when.
Speaker 12 (42:49):
We are disappointed with the appointed board and we're stuck
with them four to six years? So all of the
questions that you're asking, and then if they don't have
any power. If our school board don't have any power,
you got to think about it. We're an election costs
close about about two million dollars. Each election cost about
two million dollars. Who wants to continue investing in an
(43:10):
election and electing individuals with no power? So you got
to think about you know, all that, all the implications
of this legislation. So I think that we these are
definitely great questions. Who's going to right now? The board
members make roughly about twenty five thousand dollars a year,
(43:31):
So we're gonna pay this board, this elected board and
the disappointed board. Where does that money come from? Is
the state paying for that? Is that taxpayer dollars? Where
is that money coming from?
Speaker 5 (43:41):
You know?
Speaker 8 (43:41):
Those are all questions that we're asking the state that
they have not given us answer to suit.
Speaker 6 (43:45):
So we have heard from the County Commission that they
want to start working with the Memphis Chevy County school Board.
One of the members is looking to put a couple
of bills on the on the referendums on their ballot
for next year. One uh term limits for school board members,
(44:06):
which I, for the life of me, can't figure out
why everybody else has term limits, and they don't, and
then they also want to put in a provision UH
to be able to recall any county elected county officials
who aren't doing the job.
Speaker 5 (44:20):
You have any thoughts on that now?
Speaker 8 (44:23):
I think I think that. I mean, I'm for me.
Speaker 12 (44:26):
I understand when individuals say that's a slippery slope for me,
but I think.
Speaker 8 (44:31):
That we need we need more.
Speaker 12 (44:35):
Ways to hold we need mechanisms a whole elected officials
accountable in Memphis especially UH. So I'm not against it,
but I understand the conversation, the nuance around it, and.
Speaker 8 (44:49):
So that's you know.
Speaker 12 (44:52):
I think, I think whatever will well if the people
are asking for a way to hold UH our governing
bodies accountable, I think and time limits, I think recall
is a more aligned solution than rendering us voiceless, rendering us,
you know, our voices null and void. I say, I
(45:14):
keep saying that when it comes to our vote. So yes,
I'm forward.
Speaker 6 (45:20):
Well, listen, there's a lot to watch here, and there's
a lot to pay attention to you. You made a
point earlier in saying that a lot of folks are
pretty emotional about this, A lot of few you've been
talking to a pretty emotional about this whole thing. They've
been emotional every since what happened last year to doctor
(45:40):
Fagin's and now we're getting into a whole different, completely
different category and more importantly, how this is going to
affect education moving forward. Does that concern you?
Speaker 8 (45:52):
Absolutely? Absolutely? I think that is the consign for me.
Speaker 12 (45:56):
You have to think about what happens when you dismount,
because that is what's happening on the national level. We
are dismantling public schools and we're beginning with the blackest
in the brownness districts, largest districts, and so it absolutely
concerns me. If you look at Houston, had a two
(46:17):
hour conversation with a former teacher in researcher on a
school takeover, and we were just discussing what is happening
in Houston right now? You had over six hundred teachers.
They lost over six hundred teachers in five months. That
definitely concerns me when we think about the teacher deficits
(46:37):
we have already before takeover. You look at the stricter
statement of the mandates that they're putting on students, putting
on teachers, that concerns me. You look at there is
no proof of concept when it comes to improving like
improved results with the takeover.
Speaker 8 (47:00):
That concerns me.
Speaker 12 (47:02):
And so we need we need a thriving We need
a thriving We need thriving public schools.
Speaker 8 (47:08):
And for me, I think that if the state or.
Speaker 12 (47:12):
If this General Assembly is really concerned about improving academic
success and won't to see academic achievement, then go ahead
and invest in these public school systems. We are forty
second and teach a compensation in the you know, and
so Tennessee is invest in teacher compensation.
Speaker 8 (47:31):
If we are really interested.
Speaker 12 (47:33):
In improving student you know, outcomes, then go ahead and invest.
I think we put about eleven thous for each for
each student, it's eleven thousand per student. That's almost four
thousand less less than most states. So if we really
interested and we really care about student outcome, invest, invest, invest.
Speaker 6 (47:59):
That's a good place to leave it. Thank you very much,
Rachel Goodwin Spriggs, Ladies and gentlemen education advocate and feel
strongly about this as well. We'll keep an eye on it.
And now we'll probably have you back down on the show,
back down the road. But Rachel, thanks for coming on tonight.
Speaker 8 (48:14):
I appreciate you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 6 (48:18):
Yes, ma'am. Well, there you go, ladies and gentlemen. Now
we're gonna do a really really fast break. I have
my final guest is in the bullpen waiting. This is
Real Talk Memphis. Has been a really good show tonight
so far. Don't go away.
Speaker 5 (48:28):
We're not done yet. We'll be right back.
Speaker 7 (48:44):
If you like real Talk, here's the way you can
get involved. Do you have a show topic, idea or
a suggestion I want to be considered a guest or
have a guest idea, Then send Chip a message on
his Real Talk show page and you can be a
part of the Real Talk experience. So, as he always said, days,
go out and tell somebody.
Speaker 1 (49:01):
We'll be right back.
Speaker 2 (49:04):
It's real, it's real.
Speaker 7 (49:07):
It's get Real Talk on the tune in mobile app
under w y XR. And he's now streaming live on
(49:28):
Facebook and you can also catch a rebroadcast on YouTube.
Just put w y x R in the search box
and hit subscribe. Now back to more Real Talk with
Jim Washington.
Speaker 2 (49:38):
It's it's it's real.
Speaker 6 (49:46):
It's real, and welcome back to Real Talk Memphis on
this Monday evening. A great show so far, and uh
my next guest is uh is a man who uh
has his eyes on the prize in terms of the future.
And uh what what the future is in terms of
our young people? Uh and and uh many of you
(50:06):
have heard something in reference to coding. Well, Uh, this
young man uh heads an organization, heads a group that
is teaching young minds and preparing them for the future.
Now I told him beforehand, I am really bad with names,
but I do. But many of you, because he told
me this, many of you uh go by his first
(50:26):
name and uh and it's Meca and uh like Jamaica.
I remember that. Well, make I tell everybody your last name.
I'm not gonna ever say it, but just tell everybody
what your last name is with you.
Speaker 13 (50:38):
Sure, Sure, I'm Maka.
Speaker 6 (50:41):
There you go, and uh and and and Maka. It
is great to have you on the show. We have
seen you in a couple of years and that's on me.
But I'm glad to have you back because cold Crew,
you're you're and you are the director of Cold Crew.
And for those who don't know what cold crew is,
give us the definition.
Speaker 13 (50:59):
So sure, first of all, thanks for having me back.
It's great to be back. Recently promoted to CEO A
Code Crew. That's my new titles, Yeah, yep, and who
we are Cold Crew. I jokingly say we're about the
gospel computer science education. But fundamentally what we are about
is teaching AI and computer science to kids and adults
(51:21):
such that we're getting algorithms on their menus before they
own the menus of the algorithms. And so we do
that in a number of different ways, sending teachers directly
in the schools to teach computers science in school and
after school. We trained adults who become software engineers, and
we get them jobs at pay fifty five sixty seventy
thousand dollars a year and higher. We trained teachers who
(51:42):
teach computer science, and then we've been successful at the
state level for computer science education bills, including a high
school graduation requirement statewide in Tennessee. So we just finally
believe that twenty fourth century education requires tech education.
Speaker 6 (51:56):
You know, I have been known to say that this generation,
this younger generation, is smarter than the generation I grew
up in because they have their exposed to so much.
And you talked about this computer science and coding and
a lot of the things that you teach are really
going to be fundamental and fundamentally necessary in the future,
(52:19):
is it not in terms of where we're going in
this technological age that we're in.
Speaker 13 (52:26):
Yeah, it's not just fundamentally essential for the future, it's
fundamentally essential today, right, I mean it is. You know,
the amount of technology in young people's lives is not decreasing.
It it's totally increasing. You can ask any child this
naked one hundred percent correct. And so, just like you
and I learned about photosynthesis in school, right, because photosynthesis
is foundational for agriculture, and agriculture is important for human civilization, right,
(52:50):
these kids are growing up in the world where they're
increasingly surrounded by digital technology. They need to at least
understand the fundamentals of how it works, right. And so
so we finally believe every child and every school and
every gradation of access to quality computer science education. And
so we're proud for the other work that we've done
at the state level along with other partners, to make
sure that that's in every school. But then also young
(53:12):
people are to have pathways to careers in this space.
We want to make a build a thriving tech ecosystem
in Memphis that not only are we proud of, but
others want to emulate and copy because we're so wildly successful.
So in the twenty first century, the cities of the
day and tomorrow, the ones that are generating the tech producers,
(53:33):
the influencers, the ones who are not doing the other
ones that are being left behind, and those are the
ones that technology happens to and we can't let that
happen here in.
Speaker 5 (53:41):
Memphis, Mega.
Speaker 6 (53:43):
How much has Code Crew grown in the last few years,
because I mean, it really does seem like, based on
what you're telling me, that this thing is really exploded.
Speaker 13 (53:55):
Well, yeah, we're proud. I mean, we're going to celebrate
ten years in May with a big awards program called
the Excider Awards on the eighth of May. But in
the ten years, we've served more than fifteen thousand unique
kids and adults, teaching them about artificial intelligence and computer
you know, in computer science broadly, robotics, drones, video game development,
all kinds of things. And not only that, we've trained
(54:19):
hundreds of teachers as well as again, like I said,
been chief advocates for changing the laws such that a
million kids across the state of Tennessee are learning computer
science in school and so it's grown a lot. But
we're not While we're proud of our past, we're not
just focused on the past. There's a lot of work
to do. Tech is forever quickly changing, and we have
(54:40):
got to look forward to making sure that we stay
ahead of the curve on what's relevant in tech and
making sure again that every Chaldery School and every grade
gets it, you.
Speaker 6 (54:51):
Know, one thing and listening to you talk about speak
about this so enthusiastically and because it isn't necessary a
thing to learn. Your Mayor Young is big on this man,
I mean he is. He is the technical aspects of
what comes next for you, what comes now, but also
(55:13):
what comes next is very important. It really is an
important component for you. I would imagine to have a
partner as enthusiastic as he is about this, am I correct.
Speaker 13 (55:25):
Absolutely no. We certainly appreciate Mayor Young' support. He's been
a great friend who the work we do at Code Crew,
helping us, you know, stay at the table with respect
to the future of Memphis and building these thriving tech ecosystems,
and so he knows you've got a great partner in
COLDE Crew in that regard, because again, this is all
about the gospel of computer science education. I jokingly say,
(55:46):
but it's really the you know again, staying relevant and
staying ahead of where we are in text. That's that again,
technology is something we can influence and lead instead of
technology happening to us. And so so we appreciate Mary Young,
and we appreciate Mary Harris as well at the county
level as well, as well as a number of other
(56:08):
partners in computer science education at the state level as well. So,
uh yeah, absolutely, so we definitely appreciate his support, Mary
Young support.
Speaker 6 (56:17):
One last thing, where do you see Cold Crew? Uh say,
in the next to five years? What what is your
vision at CEO for this amazing organization that you that
you hit.
Speaker 5 (56:32):
Well?
Speaker 1 (56:32):
I mean, you know, I do.
Speaker 13 (56:34):
Part of my job as CEO is to do a
lot of dreaming and a lot of visioning right of
what the future looks like. And and I certainly think
with just like technology pervades everything today, I see a
world where our artificial intelligence is pervading everything that that
is going to impact every career, every job, and so
we want to make sure that we're we're increasingly leading
(56:56):
with respect to AI and tech in general and its impact,
making sure that our citizens are ready. Right and so
so yes, we see us helping other fellow nonprofits five
years from now even tomorrow.
Speaker 5 (57:11):
Right.
Speaker 13 (57:11):
But but with gasoline on that fire, if you will,
of us being the first place nonprofits and small and
medium sized businesses come to when they need AI services, uh,
and they need AI.
Speaker 5 (57:22):
Training and upskilling. Right.
Speaker 13 (57:23):
We want to be that first that first entity that
that that organizations think of in that regard. While all
at the same time we're we're uh you know, uh
taking the lead and continuing to lead with respect to
educations for kids and adults. And so five years from now,
I I uh not only want to see us wildly successful,
(57:45):
more so in Memphis, but statewide in Tennessee, uh and
then across our region and ultimately nationally because I think
we have a lot to offer in terms of how
to do this. There's there are very few organizations that
are serving kids, serving adults, serving teachers and when policy
work like we are. And so but but I went
to Morehouse College and uh and Benjaminal Lodge and May said, uh,
(58:07):
he was behind on the race of life was twice
as fast as the man in front, and and so
we're gonna we're gonna do all those things because we
need to do all those things to make sure that, uh,
we are a leader in that regard. So Memphis five
years from now, Code Crew especially would be the place
that people think of locally, statewide, and nationally as where
they where they need, uh, you know, leadership, guidance, you know,
(58:30):
skills upskilling all those things with respect to computer science
and especially in the AI space, because that's that's definitely
a game changer today.
Speaker 6 (58:38):
Meccah, I am so proud of the organization and you,
uh and congratulations on all of the success and we
know that you will continue forward in that uh as
the CEO of Code Crew, and uh, you know, very
very proud of all of the accomplishments and the efforts
that you've made. And thank you for taking the time
(59:00):
come on the show tonight. I really appreciate you, man,
Thank you so much.
Speaker 13 (59:03):
Thank you so much for having me back. And certainly,
if I may add, if folks want to learn more
about Cold Crew, visit us at code hyphencrew dot org
and certainly come come check us out. On the eighth
of May at the Kent Downtown and get your tickets
for that Excite Awards event where we celebrate the excellence
and computing, information technology, and engineering. So so invite Memphis.
(59:24):
We want to hunt you back in that way. So
thank you so much again. Chip's great to see you again.
Speaker 6 (59:28):
You too, my friend. Thank you so much for coming
and listen. That's a great way to wrap up this show.
He does in a magnificent job. Brin's are gonna play
us out. But guess what. Brn's not going anywhere, ladies
and gentlemen, because his show Event Horizon is coming up next.
Nine is here, said you ready to go? Got his
playlist all set and everything. Thank you all for being
with us tonight. I hope you enjoyed the show. If
(59:49):
you did, please go out and tell folks about real
Talk Memphis.
With your main Chip washes it when it comes to information,
the main guy in Oslo and bring you up to
speed with what you need. He's a hope and they should.
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It's real talk. Now it's real. It's real talk. It's
real talk.
Speaker 2 (00:41):
Jail, Welcome to Real t Real.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Hosts, Chip wash him, White Young like it. It's real talk.
It's a real talking. It's real talking.
Speaker 5 (01:13):
And here we go.
Speaker 6 (01:14):
Here we go on an absolutely beautiful Monday evening in
the city. It's the twenty fourth day of March twenty
twenty five, six o'clock straight up, which means it is time,
ladies and gentlemen, for an all new and live edition
of Real Talk Memphis.
Speaker 5 (01:31):
Very happy to have you with us this evening. I
am your humble host.
Speaker 6 (01:35):
My name is Chip Washington, and I think we have
a pretty good show for you this evening. If you
are out there and if you are checking us out,
thank you in advance. I appreciate that in advance. If
you're telling folks about this show, thank you in advance,
and I appreciate it in advance.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
We will get.
Speaker 6 (01:52):
To the lineup and the rundown in just a minute,
but there are several ways you could get this fine
piece of radio broadcast. See, we're back up this week.
We're doing everything that we normally do here. We're doing
the zoom thing, and we're doing the live thing and
the whole nine yards. But first things first, you can
get us a ninety one point seven on your FM
dial right now. Wyx R, of course, is our station.
(02:15):
You can also find us on the wyx R app
live and we are live. Well, let me back up.
Let's go to the tune in. We'll do tune in.
We're on tune in. You can put the Real Talk
Memphis in the search and you can find us. And
we are live streaming again tonight, ladies and gentlemen, on
Facebook Live.
Speaker 5 (02:35):
So if you want.
Speaker 6 (02:36):
To see the interviews and see the guests and everything else.
You can go to Facebook Live my Facebook page and
you can see the show there once the show post
the next couple of days or so.
Speaker 5 (02:48):
You can find us on YouTube.
Speaker 6 (02:52):
And as we are a podcast, and yes, indeed we
are a podcast, you can find us whatever it is
you get your podcast at once the show post after
tomorrow or so, check it out. So there you go
all the good ways to be able to find us
and find out what we're doing and how we're doing.
What we're doing in terms of our guests tonight, this
(03:15):
is going to be a school centered broadcast, I will say.
First up, we have not one, but two members of
the Mempherson Sheby County school Board. They are Natalie McKinney
and Stephanie Love will be joining me in just a
few minutes. Of course, lots of conversations these days about
the Memphison Shelby County school Board. What is happening with
(03:39):
the state. Is this takeover really going to happen. If
it does happen, how does it affect the school board?
How does it affect the face of education here in
Memphison Chevy County?
Speaker 5 (03:49):
Moving forward?
Speaker 6 (03:50):
Lots of questions in reference to all of that, so
we'll talk to them in just a couple of minutes.
A little bit later on, we're going to be talking
with Rachel Goodwin Spriggs. She is an education advocate and
very outspoken in reference to this whole situation with the
school board going back to December of last year. Now
(04:12):
we are at another place, as I stated a minute ago,
with legislation moving through the house up in Nashville about
the possible takeover of our school district. She has some
definite thoughts in reference to that and what happens moving forward,
and a little bit later on in the show, we
(04:32):
have now see this is where I get in trouble
because I'm not real good at pronouncing names. But many
of you know if I say the name Mecca like Jamaica,
you know who I'm speaking of. Egway, I won't even
I won't even try to pronounce his last name because
(04:53):
I'm not good at that, but I will let him
do it, and of course uh Mecca as in Jamaica,
will be joined us. He is the director, i should say,
of Cold Crew, and many of you have.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Heard of Cold Crew.
Speaker 6 (05:08):
It is it is, it really is the wave of
the future for so many young people. You know, we're
getting into tech and a lot of things like that.
That's the wave of the future. And he has been
involved in this for quite a few years and he's
doing an amazing job teaching our young minds and taking
them to the next level. So I will be speaking
(05:28):
with him a bit later on in the broadcast, So
there's a rundown of what you can expect to this evening.
First things first, however, ladies and gentlemen, many of you
are fortunate enough to have made another trip around the sun,
aka your birthday, And we do a little thing on
this to broadcast each and every week, call the Shout Out.
(05:48):
We shout you out in case some of your friends
didn't know it was your birthday. They're going to know
it in a minute, but we can't do that until
I say hit it. Bran Happy birthday, Happy birthday Day,
going out.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
To the following folks.
Speaker 6 (06:03):
April Rutger, you know, April, Happy birthday, April. Marcus McCrary
celebrating his birthday today. Happy birthday to Anne Haines, she's
celebrating today as well. Carolyn Halsey celebrating her birthday. Happy
Birthday to Ivory Tailor, and Happy birthday to Ray Palmer.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
Since Lola has been songsed up to the mic, he has.
Speaker 6 (06:28):
No birthdays today, but all of us here at Real
Talk mempers happy birthday, teaching every one of you. I
hope this day has been filled with love and laughter,
and we also hope that we are all here next
year to celebrate your next trip around the sun.
Speaker 5 (06:45):
Happy birthday, everybody. Thank you, Brian.
Speaker 6 (06:48):
Before we get into some news and notes, a couple
of deaths. Two note George Foreman, two time heavyweight boxing
champion and of course the creator of the George Forman Grille,
which a lot of you probably have in your closet
somewhere or in a cabinet somewhere. He died on Friday
at the age of seventy six. He was a pastor,
(07:11):
he was a preacher, he was a teacher, and of
course he was an entrepreneur and a very nice man.
But again the passing of former boxing great George Foreman.
I saw a picture someone posted on Facebook that I
don't know if it was AI or what, but it
was a picture of Joe Lewis, Joe Lewis, Joe Frazier,
(07:34):
Mahamon Ali in the middle and George Foreman on the right.
I thought that was absolutely classic because they were some
of the greatest the boxers ever in the history. And
also yesterday we heard of the death of Mea Love.
Mea Love was the first black Republican congresswoman elected from
(07:56):
the state of Utah. She died after a courageous battle
with brain cancer. She was only forty nine years young.
So to each of those individuals, may you rest in
the peaceful love of the Lord, and may your memories
always be a blessing to each one of us. Some
(08:19):
news and notes, of course, we're talking a little bit
about this proposed takeover.
Speaker 5 (08:25):
It advances.
Speaker 6 (08:26):
Now it has gone through the subcommittee in Nashville, and
now it is this week is going to the full committee,
the Education Committee. As it continues the roar on down
the road Representative Mark White, who I don't know why
he won't say what this thing is, which is a
state school takeover? If the state is initiating legislation, if
(08:49):
the state is initiating selecting five nine individuals to be
a management team that will be selected by the governor
and several other legislative individuals, is not a state takeover.
I don't know what is, but in any event, he says,
it's not. But because the people who are going to
(09:10):
be picked are going to be from Memphison Shelby County.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
But who are they going to report to?
Speaker 6 (09:14):
That's the question. Okay, we'll get more into this in
just a couple of minutes. Anyway, as this continues to
move through, I would imagine the process now of selecting
individuals to be a part of this quote unquote management committee.
And by the way, these folks who are selected will
be the governing body, which means the current elected board
(09:37):
won't have a whole lot to do. They'll be there
in an advisory capacity, but all of the decision making
will be if this thing goes through, done by this
management board of governance, however it goes So, yeah, this
could be a pretty pretty pretty big deal because it's
never happened here before. I do know that initially when
(09:59):
a this was brought up, this was going to include
other places, other school districts around the state that we're
having a low performing school districts, as Representative White says,
is happening here. But those folks squawked and moaned about
all of this to the point to where all of
(10:21):
a sudden, no one else in the state is included
except for Memphis and Cheby County.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
What do you know about that?
Speaker 6 (10:28):
Just little owe Memphis one more time, one more opportunity
for them to come in here and take over and
control everything that happens down here.
Speaker 5 (10:36):
But I digress.
Speaker 6 (10:37):
We will keep an eye on it, and we will
talk to a couple of school board memberies about this
in just a couple of minutes a little bit.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
Let me see here, Shelby.
Speaker 6 (10:45):
County, our county and Tennessee's largest county, experienced the largest
population decline in among US counties between twenty twenty three
and twenty twenty four. The US Sinitus Bureau says the
county's population declined by almost thirty four hundred residents between
(11:06):
July first, twenty twenty three and July first, twenty twenty four.
Estimated population in Mefherson Chubby County is that a little
over nine hundred and ten thousand people declined from nine
hundred thirty thousand people in twenty twenty. Guests which county
has the most population growth in this little period of
(11:28):
time we're talking about, Yes, it would be Davidson County.
Speaker 5 (11:31):
Yes, that would mean Nashville.
Speaker 6 (11:33):
They increased their population from seven hundred and twelve thousand
to seven hundred and twenty nine thousand, five hundred people
during the same period. Very interesting. A lot of folks
shifting gears and headed up headed up north to nash Vegas.
So we don't need to lose any more population here.
But according to the census folks, that is what happened.
(11:56):
And finally, in reference to the the the.
Speaker 5 (12:02):
What am I trying to say?
Speaker 6 (12:03):
Look the basketball tournament that happened over the weekend and
c the wil A Tournament. Memphis lost unfortunately in the
first round to Colorado State, but that does not diminish
the season that Penny and his boys had. So we
congratulate them on an absolutely wonderful and magnificence in the
basketball season. So if your team is still in it,
(12:26):
the sweet sixteen starts, who go do okay? Now she's okay,
Lolas says, go do so we'll see what happens. I
like Auburn myself, that's my that's my team, So we'll
see what happens. Let's take a break and when we
come back, let's get into all of this tonight. Shall
we very happy to have you all with us. If
you're checking us out on Facebook Live, really appreciate that
(12:47):
as well. This is Real Talk Memphis. I'm Chip, you
know who you are. Let's take a quick one and
we'll be right back.
Speaker 7 (13:07):
If you like real talk, here's the way you can
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Real Talk with zib Washington.
Speaker 6 (14:54):
If he Welcome back to Real Talking Memphis on this
Monday evening in the city.
Speaker 5 (15:04):
Chip Washington with you.
Speaker 6 (15:06):
Very happy to be here and very happy to have
you with us, and also very happy to have my
first two guests with me. We alluded at the broadcast
the top of the broadcast, that is, I've been a
lot of conversation about the Memphison Sherby County School District
and some of the things that have happened that have
brought us to a particular place. And that particular place
right now is the very real it seems possibility of
(15:31):
being taken over by the state. I will say from
what I know that no one is happy about this
particular situation, but I wanted to talk a little bit
about all of this with a couple of school board members.
Please welcome to the show, Stephanie Love and Natalie McKinney. Ladies,
it's great to see you. Thank you for taking the
time to be with me tonight. Thanks for being.
Speaker 3 (15:53):
Here, Thank you for the invitelcome.
Speaker 5 (15:55):
Absolutely that. Okay.
Speaker 6 (15:57):
So we sort of laid out at the beginning of
what is happening here with this legislation, which is driven
by Representative Mark White in reference to taking this district
over because of what he says is the low performances,
(16:17):
the last low performing schools the last several years, and
several other things that have brought us to this place.
So I'll ask you both, and each of you can
answer separately, what what, in your opinion, what has brought
us to this place that we're at right now.
Speaker 5 (16:40):
Go ahead, go ahead, Stephanie, go ahead.
Speaker 10 (16:42):
Mark White said last week that he has been working
on the.
Speaker 8 (16:47):
Bill for two years, okay.
Speaker 10 (16:51):
Superintendent Fagins was only in the job for eight months.
Money and Facility and Project twenty twenty five. That is
what I think the bill is centered around.
Speaker 5 (17:13):
Natalie, What say you on that?
Speaker 4 (17:17):
I think my take on this is and I think
I said it. I'm in the board meeting last week
with a resolution that I presented and everyone's signing on.
But this is an opportunistic grab, right. We've seen this before.
We saw this in two thousand and six, We saw
this in two thousand and eight, we saw this in
(17:37):
twenty ten with the ASD which the state has said
was a failed attempt to take over the district. They
actually performed, They performed worse for our students than our
own schools. And then you had in twenty twenty three
in the midst of another superintendent search like that in
two thousand and eight, where we were threatened with takeover
(17:59):
because we weren't doing what the state wanted us to do.
So I think this is again, this is about our facilities,
and I think this is also about our budget. We
have one of the largest budgets of a public body,
I think in the state, but two approximately two billion dollars, and.
Speaker 3 (18:19):
It's an opportunity.
Speaker 5 (18:22):
Do you think that from the general public's perspective?
Speaker 6 (18:26):
And I did see that the uh that the district
put out last week, I think four or five bullet
points of some of the positive accomplishments within the school district.
Speaker 5 (18:36):
And Stephanie and I were talking a little bit about
that offline. UH.
Speaker 6 (18:41):
I think it is it is sort of kind of
a feeling, uh that that I get from most of
the citizens around here, most of the concerned folks, that
this proposed takeover is not the way to go.
Speaker 5 (18:56):
UH.
Speaker 6 (18:56):
And I guess from each of you, I want to
find out why this is not a good idea, Why
if moving forward this does happen. And I hear the
proposal of nine individuals coming that are being appointed to
the board, not elected, but appointed to the board by
the governor and several other individuals, and they will have
(19:18):
all of the power basically to make the decisions uh,
with the district moving forward, rendering you all no more
than I guess advisors in all of this. But really
you sort of laid out a little bit about you
know what you think about all of this. But how
detrimental could this be if this bill is passed.
Speaker 4 (19:42):
There's absolutely no recourse for public if you read the
bill closely. First of all, the bill if you know
that says nothing about student achievement. It talks It talks
about facilities, It talks about teachers in terms of why
the shortage, why we have a short why we know
why we have a shortage, But it talks about nothing
(20:03):
around focuses around student achievement. Secondly, it gives no voter
any right to do anything about that nine. If they
make a decision, their decision is found. There's there's nothing
that they can do about that. It appoints nine people
that are across the county, which means you have no
represent you have someone who no representation, one.
Speaker 3 (20:25):
Man, one vote, and it's not there.
Speaker 4 (20:27):
You're just and these are people who could ostensibly not
even live in within the district, who would have authority
over the district. There's multiple problems with with that bill
because I don't think ostensibly that it is about student achievement.
Speaker 5 (20:42):
Stephanie, what's there you?
Speaker 10 (20:45):
I agree with Nanily. Fraser was the dumping ground for
the AOC. Every school in Fraser got adored by the
AOSD except for two of them. My kids were a
part of the ASD experiment. Shelby County didn't do a
(21:08):
good job at communicating with us as parents that changes
they were finished, that the schools were finna go through.
And like Natalie said, this bill is not about student achievements.
(21:30):
And Mark White testified before last week that eight six
of the thirty one school.
Speaker 8 (21:43):
Reached performance level. Where did the rest of the student.
Speaker 3 (21:50):
Go to?
Speaker 10 (21:52):
Thirty one schools did far worse than they were with
us then the ASC So the state, we do everything
that the state tells us to.
Speaker 8 (22:11):
We change.
Speaker 10 (22:14):
Policy, re change metrics, we do everything that the state
tells us too. Forty one percent of the state are
not reading on grade level. Less than forty one percent
(22:35):
of the state are not reading on grade level.
Speaker 8 (22:40):
The state has work to do.
Speaker 6 (22:44):
So you know, and hearing you both, you know lay
this out. There is one particular factor that I want
to ask about because now that we are this that
this snowball is starting to roll downhill a little bit,
fingers are starting to point in in various directions, and
people are bringing up the Chelby County Commission. Now we
(23:05):
all know that at one point in time, the Shelby
County Commission issued a proclamation or whatever it was, a
resolution of no confidence in the Memphison Shelby County School board.
I spoke with County Commissioner Erica Sugarman, who was one
of the individuals that voted for no confidence, and she
doesn't regret that because she feels changes need to be made.
(23:29):
There seems to be an attempt now on a couple
of fronts. One there's been a conversation of possibly rescinding that,
and I don't know what good that does now rescinding
that the vote of no confidence, but a referendum now
might be drafted for next year's election to a established
(23:50):
term limits for the school board members and the possibility
of a recall vote should they not feel that the
board is doing an adequate job.
Speaker 5 (24:01):
I'd like to get your opinion on.
Speaker 3 (24:02):
That, on what all of that.
Speaker 5 (24:06):
Yeah, well, first of all, well, first of all, I'm sorry.
Speaker 6 (24:10):
Well, first of all, the the the the no confidence
vote with you, with you all were very you in particular,
were very outspoken on the fact that as we're your
fellow board members, that the board should they have enough
to do on their side of the street rather than yours.
Speaker 5 (24:26):
But go ahead. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt.
Speaker 3 (24:27):
No, I mean absolutely, it was over It was overreach.
One elected body.
Speaker 4 (24:33):
Advocating or filing a resolution that talks about no confidence
as a slippery slope, because we can do that all
over the place.
Speaker 3 (24:42):
I mean, we could. We could do a vote of.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
No confidence because they haven't appropriately given us money to
build new schools or for deferred maintenance, which is part
of their responsibility. We could we but that was just overreach,
and I think it was inappropriate, and I've said that
publicly and I'll continue to say that. I think the
other way we could have done this, which is what
I think we are moving towards, and I think there
(25:06):
are some people on the Commission who want to do that,
is that we work in partnership, which is what we
always should have done. We should have been working in
partnership because what we need to make sure that we
understand that we are one of many systems CHIP and
I think people look at the education system to be
the solution to these other systemic problems that we have.
(25:29):
For instance, we get the kids when they come through
the door, we get them as they come in.
Speaker 3 (25:35):
We have nothing to do.
Speaker 4 (25:37):
Outside of that, outside of that door, outside of that building.
So we need to be collectively working with other entities
that are responsible for health, public health and welfare, so
responsible for safety, responsible for transportation, responsible for ensuring that
our parents and.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
Community members have local wage jobs.
Speaker 4 (25:59):
So I talk about the chamber and Workforce Development Network.
All of these other systems should be working with us
to ensure that our students our whole students, and they're
living in whole communities with whole families. So I think
that instead of coining the finger, because frankly, we are
doing a good job according to Council for Great City
(26:21):
Schools who said it compared to Tennessee. We are educating
our black students, whether they are whether they are considered economic, looly, discipent,
lantage or not better than Tennessee. Given given our that
we're in one of the poorest cities in the country,
and we're one of the blackest cities in the country,
(26:42):
and we're in an urban school district.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
So let's deal in what.
Speaker 4 (26:46):
We're really doing. Our graduation rate has steadily gone up.
Our ready graduate rate has gone up precipitously. So let's
deal in the data. Let's deal in the facts that
we are doing. We could do better, but we can
do better together.
Speaker 3 (27:03):
Not fingers.
Speaker 5 (27:05):
Stephanie, what do you say.
Speaker 10 (27:07):
I agree with Natalie, the Shelby County Commissioners. They have
a heap of trouble at the UH, at the jail,
a heap of trouble at juvenile court.
Speaker 8 (27:22):
I agree with Natalie.
Speaker 10 (27:23):
We take a budget down there every year and they
give us what they want to give us, not what
the students and the family and the teachers need. I
agree with Natalie. This is a collective issue. One person
or system can handle it all by themselves. We need
(27:47):
to separate personal opinions and get back to educating the
student and the parents and Shelby counting.
Speaker 6 (28:03):
I've been thinking about this this next question. Has Representative
White at any point in time spoken with either you
all individually or collectively as a board in reference to
these plans of this possible takeover? Has he has he
(28:24):
ever called a meeting with the with the board of
with with with with with you all in reference to
talk about what his plans might be.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
I know that Chair Coleman and I beg as the
co chair of the Policy and Governments and Legislative Affairs
Subcommittee or board committee, we met with him prior to
making a decision, and we talked. He talked about the
things that he was concerned about. We voiced an opinion,
(28:52):
we agreed with some of those things that we we
do need to work collectively. We even talked about how
to do that, and I believe he walked away thinking
something different. But I do believe that we have been
consistent both with Representative White and with anyone that we've
(29:13):
spoken to, including some of our county commissioners. We have
been consistent about, yes, we want to work in a
collaborative and partnership and in a partnership, but what we
are not willing to do. As my colleague board member
loved likes to say, is that we are an elected
body just like everybody else. We are elected and because
(29:37):
just like everyone else, and we took the same oath,
and she likes to say, we stood in the same
hot sun to get those and so we are beholden
to our constituencies and so and we get a decision
as a bookboard to make sure that our.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Students were getting what they needed.
Speaker 4 (29:59):
And that is what I think we did as we
when we made our decision. And this one thing in
time that happened in January that we are actually mandated
and obligated to do in by a statute we did.
(30:19):
And so for that to then precipitate or we're gonna
take you over, that's a little disingenuous. It's not a little,
it is in fact disingenuous.
Speaker 10 (30:28):
Uh.
Speaker 6 (30:29):
Final question, Uh, and I'll start with you, Stephanie. What
does the public need to do? Uh?
Speaker 5 (30:37):
What is their role in this now?
Speaker 6 (30:39):
Natalie said earlier, Basically, this, this takeover basically voids the
voice of the community and and and of the general public.
Speaker 5 (30:46):
But but but what would you like to.
Speaker 6 (30:49):
See the community, uh do in reference to what could
possibly happen in the near future.
Speaker 8 (30:59):
The first thing I would want the public to do is.
Speaker 10 (31:05):
Be informed, not superficial informed on Facebook, Go to visit
your child school, attend the meeting. We have a lot
of work to do and we are not shy of that.
(31:30):
This bill is unconstitutional. It is not about student achievements.
And I received for emails about the superintendent.
Speaker 8 (31:51):
From my district.
Speaker 10 (31:52):
I talked to the principal and the teachers that know
the work kids every day. I talked to some community members.
Maybe I didn't talk to all of them. And I
(32:13):
want to apologize for the way the process worth not
because of the vote, the way the process played out.
Speaker 4 (32:27):
And that's apology that I will say again that I
also apologize for the way the process played out. This
is the first time in our either legacy Mefacity Schools
or now Shelby County Schools, that we've ever fired a superintendent.
There's no there's no roadmap, there's no blueprint, and so
(32:51):
we used the processes we had at hand, and that's
what we did. But I do want to say that
the process we apologize.
Speaker 5 (33:00):
I do.
Speaker 4 (33:01):
I apologize for that, but I want to make sure
that people understand that we want to work with community.
And I like what my colleague Love said. It's she
used the term week.
Speaker 5 (33:14):
Not us, not I sure, but weak sure we as a.
Speaker 4 (33:18):
Community, not just our parents, not just our teachers and
our students and our school leaders, but all of us
and holding all of our bodies accountable to do the
work that it's going to take to make sure that
we educate our students to what they deserve.
Speaker 6 (33:38):
Well, listen, I got to run, But thank you very
much both of you for coming on tonight and and
talking about this, this issue and sort of what led
us here. This is this is going to be very
interesting as time moves forward. But I really appreciate your
candor and your honesty and reference to all of this,
and we'll see what happens next. School Board members Commissioners
(34:01):
Stephanie Love and Natalie McKinney, thank you both for coming
on the show to night.
Speaker 5 (34:05):
I really appreciate you. Thank you so much. Take care.
Speaker 6 (34:09):
All right, Let there you go, ladies, gentlemen, let's take
a break. When we come back, we'll continue the conversation.
Think about what was said, uh, and we will will
be talking with an education advocate after the break. This
is real talking, men, for some Chip, don't go away,
We'll be right back.
Speaker 7 (34:37):
If you like real talk, here's the way you can
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a guest idea, Then send Chip a message on his
Real Talk show page and you can be a part
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go out and tell somebody. We'll be right back.
Speaker 1 (34:57):
It's it's real talk.
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Now back to more real talk with zib Washington.
Speaker 1 (35:52):
It's real, It's.
Speaker 6 (35:59):
Real, and welcome back to real Talk memphers on this
Monday evening chip with you. And of course we just
heard from a couple of school board commissioners, Stephanie Love
and Natalie McKinney talking about this potential state to take over.
And at the end they both admitted that the process
of maybe getting us to this place in reference to
(36:21):
Superintendent Fagans, former Superintendent Fagans, was not properly done and
apologize for that. On the back end, I have with
me now and I'm very happy to have her. Rachel
Goodwin Spriggs and Rachel is an education advocate and during
those meetings that we're dealing with doctor Fagin's you saw Rachel. Rachel.
(36:44):
Rachel is not afraid to voice her opinion or give
her a comment. She's very passionate, and that's what I
think we need a whole lot more of in the city. Rachel,
thanks for coming on the show. I really appreciate it.
Good to see you tonight.
Speaker 8 (36:57):
Oh, absolutely, absolutely good to be here.
Speaker 10 (37:00):
So.
Speaker 6 (37:00):
I don't know if you heard any of the conversation
before you, but we are. We are sort of in
the process now, watching and waiting what is happening up
in Nashville. The snowballs, as I said, the analogy I used,
is starting to roll downhill in reference to this state takeover.
I know that you were vehemently against doctor Fagan's being removed,
(37:24):
and I think you probably feel the same way about
this potential's takeover.
Speaker 12 (37:29):
Absolutely absolutely, And I think that's important to state because
many people feel like if you were against Fagan's being removed,
you automatically it's for the takeover, and that's just not
the case for me.
Speaker 8 (37:43):
I have always been against.
Speaker 12 (37:45):
The state takeover, and I am equally disappointed with the
way that that process took place in removing and terminating
doctor Fagans as well.
Speaker 6 (37:56):
Yeah, and I think a lot of people feel the
same way. In reference to it. Now we're starting to
hear conversation from folks around town about the County Commission.
Mark White said that there are four provisions I think
that qualify him or the state to be able to
look at taking over a district, and one of those
(38:16):
is a resolution of no confidence by the county Commission. Now,
let me ask you in reference to the County Commission's role,
if any in this, do you feel that what they
said was warranted? And is that enough of an excuse
for the state to look at taking over the district?
Speaker 11 (38:38):
Now?
Speaker 12 (38:38):
I think it's I think it's pretty clear that Memphis
Shelby County Schools is being targeted, and I continue to
try to keep the conversation larger than Memphis.
Speaker 8 (38:47):
This is happening across the country.
Speaker 12 (38:50):
You have and I've been in a lot of conversation
with individuals on the ground in Houston, and you know
that that is another school A lot of predominantly black
districts are being targeted for state takeover. And so yes,
we can look at all the different things that definitely,
the school board UH did not do a thorough process
(39:12):
in terms of firing our superintendent that we just selected
ten months ago. Uh was it idea for commissioners to
overreach and do a voter no confidence and putting us
in even worse position. I think I think that that
was a little bit overreach as well. So I think
all of I think, I think the city is just
(39:33):
all together longing for more accountability. I think that we
were so desperate for it that we we are a
lot of people. Hear a lot of people willing to
uh say, you know what, it can't get any worse.
And so those are the points that I'm speaking to
(39:54):
with data, with receipts. It can't get worse. We know
that it can get worse. It has been worse. We
know what has happened. We know what happened when the
state took over in our ASD schools and handed us
those schools back over a billion dollars later, with the
same felling students, with no growth, no proficiency. So when
(40:17):
they say it can't get worse, we absolutely know that
it can get worse, and so.
Speaker 8 (40:23):
I mean, we can't.
Speaker 12 (40:23):
I don't want to zoom in on the commission, I
don't want to zoom in on the school board. I
just want to state the fact that memphishill Be County
schools is being targeted.
Speaker 8 (40:32):
This is happening across the country, and.
Speaker 12 (40:35):
So it's just with them taking advantage of our crisis.
Speaker 6 (40:40):
And you know, when you look at this and the
proposal that has been publicly announced nine appointed members to
nine elected members school board, basically the nine appointed members
would be the governing body of the entire schoochool district UH,
(41:01):
and they would be the ones making the decision rendering UH.
In my opinion, the elected school board members are pretty
much useless in in in this UH, in this, in
this whole scenario. And I mean, how do we I mean,
what what happens from here? If that is indeed the case?
Speaker 4 (41:18):
UH?
Speaker 5 (41:18):
If the elected school board members are are are pushed.
Speaker 6 (41:21):
Back to an advisory status, and how much advising can
they do? More importantly, how much listening will the managing
board UH do in reference to to them?
Speaker 5 (41:33):
What do you think?
Speaker 8 (41:34):
These are all great questions.
Speaker 12 (41:36):
I've been asking these questions to the community who are
so upset, who are so up said with.
Speaker 8 (41:41):
The board right now and saying, you know, as long
as we can just get them out, get them out
of here.
Speaker 12 (41:46):
And I think that's crucial to repeat, as long as
we can get them out of here. That is a
democratic process that we have access to that we will
no longer have access to if this board is a
point and they have a minimum of four to six years,
and then we know that at any moment they can
(42:06):
come in and change that as well.
Speaker 8 (42:09):
And so I think that we want to keep the
power in our hands.
Speaker 12 (42:14):
And I say that because with us trying to get
revenge on a school board, the reality is if the
election cycle legislation that will put them on the same
cycle as the county commission passes through all the committee
and passes on the floor, then all of that seats
will be up next year. Anyway, you hear a lot
(42:34):
of people say, well, we can't wait till next year.
Speaker 8 (42:36):
Well, let's talk about this.
Speaker 12 (42:38):
I'm really trying to go deeper in conversation with individuals
who are who appear to be emotional or appear to
be pushing one point when they say we can't wait
until then.
Speaker 8 (42:48):
And then what happens when.
Speaker 12 (42:49):
We are disappointed with the appointed board and we're stuck
with them four to six years? So all of the
questions that you're asking, and then if they don't have
any power. If our school board don't have any power,
you got to think about it. We're an election costs
close about about two million dollars. Each election cost about
two million dollars. Who wants to continue investing in an
(43:10):
election and electing individuals with no power? So you got
to think about you know, all that, all the implications
of this legislation. So I think that we these are
definitely great questions. Who's going to right now? The board
members make roughly about twenty five thousand dollars a year,
(43:31):
So we're gonna pay this board, this elected board and
the disappointed board. Where does that money come from? Is
the state paying for that? Is that taxpayer dollars? Where
is that money coming from?
Speaker 5 (43:41):
You know?
Speaker 8 (43:41):
Those are all questions that we're asking the state that
they have not given us answer to suit.
Speaker 6 (43:45):
So we have heard from the County Commission that they
want to start working with the Memphis Chevy County school Board.
One of the members is looking to put a couple
of bills on the on the referendums on their ballot
for next year. One uh term limits for school board members,
(44:06):
which I, for the life of me, can't figure out
why everybody else has term limits, and they don't, and
then they also want to put in a provision UH
to be able to recall any county elected county officials
who aren't doing the job.
Speaker 5 (44:20):
You have any thoughts on that now?
Speaker 8 (44:23):
I think I think that. I mean, I'm for me.
Speaker 12 (44:26):
I understand when individuals say that's a slippery slope for me,
but I think.
Speaker 8 (44:31):
That we need we need more.
Speaker 12 (44:35):
Ways to hold we need mechanisms a whole elected officials
accountable in Memphis especially UH. So I'm not against it,
but I understand the conversation, the nuance around it, and.
Speaker 8 (44:49):
So that's you know.
Speaker 12 (44:52):
I think, I think whatever will well if the people
are asking for a way to hold UH our governing
bodies accountable, I think and time limits, I think recall
is a more aligned solution than rendering us voiceless, rendering us,
you know, our voices null and void. I say, I
(45:14):
keep saying that when it comes to our vote. So yes,
I'm forward.
Speaker 6 (45:20):
Well, listen, there's a lot to watch here, and there's
a lot to pay attention to you. You made a
point earlier in saying that a lot of folks are
pretty emotional about this, A lot of few you've been
talking to a pretty emotional about this whole thing. They've
been emotional every since what happened last year to doctor
(45:40):
Fagin's and now we're getting into a whole different, completely
different category and more importantly, how this is going to
affect education moving forward. Does that concern you?
Speaker 8 (45:52):
Absolutely? Absolutely? I think that is the consign for me.
Speaker 12 (45:56):
You have to think about what happens when you dismount,
because that is what's happening on the national level. We
are dismantling public schools and we're beginning with the blackest
in the brownness districts, largest districts, and so it absolutely
concerns me. If you look at Houston, had a two
(46:17):
hour conversation with a former teacher in researcher on a
school takeover, and we were just discussing what is happening
in Houston right now? You had over six hundred teachers.
They lost over six hundred teachers in five months. That
definitely concerns me when we think about the teacher deficits
(46:37):
we have already before takeover. You look at the stricter
statement of the mandates that they're putting on students, putting
on teachers, that concerns me. You look at there is
no proof of concept when it comes to improving like
improved results with the takeover.
Speaker 8 (47:00):
That concerns me.
Speaker 12 (47:02):
And so we need we need a thriving We need
a thriving We need thriving public schools.
Speaker 8 (47:08):
And for me, I think that if the state or.
Speaker 12 (47:12):
If this General Assembly is really concerned about improving academic
success and won't to see academic achievement, then go ahead
and invest in these public school systems. We are forty
second and teach a compensation in the you know, and
so Tennessee is invest in teacher compensation.
Speaker 8 (47:31):
If we are really interested.
Speaker 12 (47:33):
In improving student you know, outcomes, then go ahead and invest.
I think we put about eleven thous for each for
each student, it's eleven thousand per student. That's almost four
thousand less less than most states. So if we really
interested and we really care about student outcome, invest, invest, invest.
Speaker 6 (47:59):
That's a good place to leave it. Thank you very much,
Rachel Goodwin Spriggs, Ladies and gentlemen education advocate and feel
strongly about this as well. We'll keep an eye on it.
And now we'll probably have you back down on the show,
back down the road. But Rachel, thanks for coming on tonight.
Speaker 8 (48:14):
I appreciate you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 6 (48:18):
Yes, ma'am. Well, there you go, ladies and gentlemen. Now
we're gonna do a really really fast break. I have
my final guest is in the bullpen waiting. This is
Real Talk Memphis. Has been a really good show tonight
so far. Don't go away.
Speaker 5 (48:28):
We're not done yet. We'll be right back.
Speaker 7 (48:44):
If you like real Talk, here's the way you can
get involved. Do you have a show topic, idea or
a suggestion I want to be considered a guest or
have a guest idea, Then send Chip a message on
his Real Talk show page and you can be a
part of the Real Talk experience. So, as he always said, days,
go out and tell somebody.
Speaker 1 (49:01):
We'll be right back.
Speaker 2 (49:04):
It's real, it's real.
Speaker 7 (49:07):
It's get Real Talk on the tune in mobile app
under w y XR. And he's now streaming live on
(49:28):
Facebook and you can also catch a rebroadcast on YouTube.
Just put w y x R in the search box
and hit subscribe. Now back to more Real Talk with
Jim Washington.
Speaker 2 (49:38):
It's it's it's real.
Speaker 6 (49:46):
It's real, and welcome back to Real Talk Memphis on
this Monday evening. A great show so far, and uh
my next guest is uh is a man who uh
has his eyes on the prize in terms of the future.
And uh what what the future is in terms of
our young people? Uh and and uh many of you
(50:06):
have heard something in reference to coding. Well, Uh, this
young man uh heads an organization, heads a group that
is teaching young minds and preparing them for the future.
Now I told him beforehand, I am really bad with names,
but I do. But many of you, because he told
me this, many of you uh go by his first
(50:26):
name and uh and it's Meca and uh like Jamaica.
I remember that. Well, make I tell everybody your last name.
I'm not gonna ever say it, but just tell everybody
what your last name is with you.
Speaker 13 (50:38):
Sure, Sure, I'm Maka.
Speaker 6 (50:41):
There you go, and uh and and and Maka. It
is great to have you on the show. We have
seen you in a couple of years and that's on me.
But I'm glad to have you back because cold Crew,
you're you're and you are the director of Cold Crew.
And for those who don't know what cold crew is,
give us the definition.
Speaker 13 (50:59):
So sure, first of all, thanks for having me back.
It's great to be back. Recently promoted to CEO A
Code Crew. That's my new titles, Yeah, yep, and who
we are Cold Crew. I jokingly say we're about the
gospel computer science education. But fundamentally what we are about
is teaching AI and computer science to kids and adults
(51:21):
such that we're getting algorithms on their menus before they
own the menus of the algorithms. And so we do
that in a number of different ways, sending teachers directly
in the schools to teach computers science in school and
after school. We trained adults who become software engineers, and
we get them jobs at pay fifty five sixty seventy
thousand dollars a year and higher. We trained teachers who
(51:42):
teach computer science, and then we've been successful at the
state level for computer science education bills, including a high
school graduation requirement statewide in Tennessee. So we just finally
believe that twenty fourth century education requires tech education.
Speaker 6 (51:56):
You know, I have been known to say that this generation,
this younger generation, is smarter than the generation I grew
up in because they have their exposed to so much.
And you talked about this computer science and coding and
a lot of the things that you teach are really
going to be fundamental and fundamentally necessary in the future,
(52:19):
is it not in terms of where we're going in
this technological age that we're in.
Speaker 13 (52:26):
Yeah, it's not just fundamentally essential for the future, it's
fundamentally essential today, right, I mean it is. You know,
the amount of technology in young people's lives is not decreasing.
It it's totally increasing. You can ask any child this
naked one hundred percent correct. And so, just like you
and I learned about photosynthesis in school, right, because photosynthesis
is foundational for agriculture, and agriculture is important for human civilization, right,
(52:50):
these kids are growing up in the world where they're
increasingly surrounded by digital technology. They need to at least
understand the fundamentals of how it works, right. And so
so we finally believe every child and every school and
every gradation of access to quality computer science education. And
so we're proud for the other work that we've done
at the state level along with other partners, to make
sure that that's in every school. But then also young
(53:12):
people are to have pathways to careers in this space.
We want to make a build a thriving tech ecosystem
in Memphis that not only are we proud of, but
others want to emulate and copy because we're so wildly successful.
So in the twenty first century, the cities of the
day and tomorrow, the ones that are generating the tech producers,
(53:33):
the influencers, the ones who are not doing the other
ones that are being left behind, and those are the
ones that technology happens to and we can't let that
happen here in.
Speaker 5 (53:41):
Memphis, Mega.
Speaker 6 (53:43):
How much has Code Crew grown in the last few years,
because I mean, it really does seem like, based on
what you're telling me, that this thing is really exploded.
Speaker 13 (53:55):
Well, yeah, we're proud. I mean, we're going to celebrate
ten years in May with a big awards program called
the Excider Awards on the eighth of May. But in
the ten years, we've served more than fifteen thousand unique
kids and adults, teaching them about artificial intelligence and computer
you know, in computer science broadly, robotics, drones, video game development,
all kinds of things. And not only that, we've trained
(54:19):
hundreds of teachers as well as again, like I said,
been chief advocates for changing the laws such that a
million kids across the state of Tennessee are learning computer
science in school and so it's grown a lot. But
we're not While we're proud of our past, we're not
just focused on the past. There's a lot of work
to do. Tech is forever quickly changing, and we have
(54:40):
got to look forward to making sure that we stay
ahead of the curve on what's relevant in tech and
making sure again that every Chaldery School and every grade
gets it, you.
Speaker 6 (54:51):
Know, one thing and listening to you talk about speak
about this so enthusiastically and because it isn't necessary a
thing to learn. Your Mayor Young is big on this man,
I mean he is. He is the technical aspects of
what comes next for you, what comes now, but also
(55:13):
what comes next is very important. It really is an
important component for you. I would imagine to have a
partner as enthusiastic as he is about this, am I correct.
Speaker 13 (55:25):
Absolutely no. We certainly appreciate Mayor Young' support. He's been
a great friend who the work we do at Code Crew,
helping us, you know, stay at the table with respect
to the future of Memphis and building these thriving tech ecosystems,
and so he knows you've got a great partner in
COLDE Crew in that regard, because again, this is all
about the gospel of computer science education. I jokingly say,
(55:46):
but it's really the you know again, staying relevant and
staying ahead of where we are in text. That's that again,
technology is something we can influence and lead instead of
technology happening to us. And so so we appreciate Mary Young,
and we appreciate Mary Harris as well at the county
level as well, as well as a number of other
(56:08):
partners in computer science education at the state level as well. So,
uh yeah, absolutely, so we definitely appreciate his support, Mary
Young support.
Speaker 6 (56:17):
One last thing, where do you see Cold Crew? Uh say,
in the next to five years? What what is your
vision at CEO for this amazing organization that you that
you hit.
Speaker 5 (56:32):
Well?
Speaker 1 (56:32):
I mean, you know, I do.
Speaker 13 (56:34):
Part of my job as CEO is to do a
lot of dreaming and a lot of visioning right of
what the future looks like. And and I certainly think
with just like technology pervades everything today, I see a
world where our artificial intelligence is pervading everything that that
is going to impact every career, every job, and so
we want to make sure that we're we're increasingly leading
(56:56):
with respect to AI and tech in general and its impact,
making sure that our citizens are ready. Right and so
so yes, we see us helping other fellow nonprofits five
years from now even tomorrow.
Speaker 5 (57:11):
Right.
Speaker 13 (57:11):
But but with gasoline on that fire, if you will,
of us being the first place nonprofits and small and
medium sized businesses come to when they need AI services, uh,
and they need AI.
Speaker 5 (57:22):
Training and upskilling. Right.
Speaker 13 (57:23):
We want to be that first that first entity that
that that organizations think of in that regard. While all
at the same time we're we're uh you know, uh
taking the lead and continuing to lead with respect to
educations for kids and adults. And so five years from now,
I I uh not only want to see us wildly successful,
(57:45):
more so in Memphis, but statewide in Tennessee, uh and
then across our region and ultimately nationally because I think
we have a lot to offer in terms of how
to do this. There's there are very few organizations that
are serving kids, serving adults, serving teachers and when policy
work like we are. And so but but I went
to Morehouse College and uh and Benjaminal Lodge and May said, uh,
(58:07):
he was behind on the race of life was twice
as fast as the man in front, and and so
we're gonna we're gonna do all those things because we
need to do all those things to make sure that, uh,
we are a leader in that regard. So Memphis five
years from now, Code Crew especially would be the place
that people think of locally, statewide, and nationally as where
they where they need, uh, you know, leadership, guidance, you know,
(58:30):
skills upskilling all those things with respect to computer science
and especially in the AI space, because that's that's definitely
a game changer today.
Speaker 6 (58:38):
Meccah, I am so proud of the organization and you,
uh and congratulations on all of the success and we
know that you will continue forward in that uh as
the CEO of Code Crew, and uh, you know, very
very proud of all of the accomplishments and the efforts
that you've made. And thank you for taking the time
(59:00):
come on the show tonight. I really appreciate you, man,
Thank you so much.
Speaker 13 (59:03):
Thank you so much for having me back. And certainly,
if I may add, if folks want to learn more
about Cold Crew, visit us at code hyphencrew dot org
and certainly come come check us out. On the eighth
of May at the Kent Downtown and get your tickets
for that Excite Awards event where we celebrate the excellence
and computing, information technology, and engineering. So so invite Memphis.
(59:24):
We want to hunt you back in that way. So
thank you so much again. Chip's great to see you again.
Speaker 6 (59:28):
You too, my friend. Thank you so much for coming
and listen. That's a great way to wrap up this show.
He does in a magnificent job. Brin's are gonna play
us out. But guess what. Brn's not going anywhere, ladies
and gentlemen, because his show Event Horizon is coming up next.
Nine is here, said you ready to go? Got his
playlist all set and everything. Thank you all for being
with us tonight. I hope you enjoyed the show. If
(59:49):
you did, please go out and tell folks about real
Talk Memphis.
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