Byron A Booker, Ph.D.
@ByronABooker
husband & dad @ home • Education Prof @carson_newman_u • Ph.D. @UTKnoxville • @TNedu 2012 TN TOY • former K12 admin & teacher • advocate for ELs • my opins
We’re warming up for lots of songs, laughs, and fun with Big Bird and @chrisstapleton. What are you up to?
The TN Board of Ed is considering the removal of the world language requirement from high school graduation requirements. What are your thoughts? substack.com/inbox/post/169…
The previously appropriated $5 billion will be unfrozen. edweek.org/policy-politic…
Excellent read on the differences between cutting staff and freezing funds.
Cutting Dept of Ed—which the Supreme Ct is allowing for the moment—is fundamentally different from cutting billions from public schools. Pres has inherent authority to manage staff (w/in legal bounds) but none to deny funds that others are entitled to. edweek.org/policy-politic…
East Tennessee school districts work to make up for thousands, millions of federal education dollars still on hold wbir.com/article/news/e…
AI generated hostile videos, hate speech, detainment of US citizens, personal threats, & childish name calling is not presidential. It’s not even humane. We were taught not to act this way at an early age from our grandparents, our parents, & our teachers. 🧵2/2
Gaslighting is so toxic & fails every test of civility or human decency toward immigrants, children, single parents, members of Congress, & even former presidents who question irrationality. 🧵1/2
International students don’t just study here—they power our economy, enrich our classrooms, and strengthen global ties. At Harvard and across the country, they contribute $44 billion annually and support nearly 380,000 jobs. Yet the Trump Administration’s visa probe risks…
“The decision to withhold this funding is contrary to President Trump’s goal of returning K-12 education to the states.” We need other legislators to champion the release of previously allocated monies. Our children deserve it.
10 Senate Republicans: Trump hold on school cash runs 'contrary' to promise of state control politi.co/4574FIe via @politico
Frozen funds could impact teachers, students and those learning English wptv.com/wptv-investiga…
Legislators passed the rescissions bill to save $9billion. They now quote the enormity of the national debt to justify additional cuts to Medicaid & additional tax cuts for top 1%. Be informed these are the same folks who added $4.5 trillion to the national debt by passing OB3.
This is not about Democrat or Republican – these funds were appropriated by Congress for the education of Kentucky’s children, and it’s my job to fight for them on behalf of our kids, our people and our future. courier-journal.com/story/news/edu…
The layoffs and personnel cuts at US Dept of Ed by the Trump administration and @EDSecMcMahon will leave only one employee in the Office of English Language Acquisition. Our 5.3 million English learners comprising 11% of preK-12 public education enrollment, deserve better.
The political retaliation to remove the WSJ from the WH press pool is unacceptable. At one time, there was agreement to disagree. A shared expectation of decency is what ensured our perspectives were civil & respectful. It’s not too much to still expect.
A high school classmate of mine has been so effective as leader of the SPLC for the last 5 years. Well done, Margaret. alabamareflector.com/2025/07/11/sou…
I am amazed at the degree to which deadcatting and diversionary politics abound in the release of 230,000 documents relative to the late MLK, Jr. While transparency is appreciated, one is prone to question if it was simply an attempt to divert attention from the Epstein files.