Tennessee

Immigrant rights group files federal complaint over limited language options on Tennessee’s driver license test

Published

2 years ago

August 15, 2024

Immigrant rights group files federal complaint over limited language options on Tennessee’s driver license test

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A Tennessee immigrant rights coalition claims a Tennessee agency is violating the Civil Rights Act of 1964 due to the lack of language access on the state’s driver license test.

The Our State, Our Languages coalition (OSOL), which is a coalition of grassroots, community organizations that came together in the summer of 2022, filed a federal complaint against the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security’s Driver Services Division, arguing the state fails to provide “meaningful access” to different languages on the driver’s test.

Tennessee’s written driver license test is currently offered in five languages — English, Spanish, German, Japanese, and Korean, with the last three added after car manufacturers moved to the state. Meanwhile, the most widely spoken languages in Tennessee, including Arabic, aren’t offered, according to OSOL.

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“Think of the real-life consequences of not being able to take the test in the language that you speak,” Sabina Mohyuddin, the executive director of the American Muslim Advisory Council said.

OSOL argues the lack of language access is more than a roadblock for those with limited English proficiency — it’s a civil rights violation and goes against federal guidance.

Federal guidelines recommend federally-funded state agencies provide translation and interpretation services if 5% of the population or 1,000 people have limited English proficiency. The coalition claims under that guidance, languages, including Arabic, Chinese, Vietnamese, Swahili, and Kurdish should be added to Tennessee’s test.

“Our complaint is based on not providing meaningful access. It’s not that nothing is being provided. It’s not meaningful,” Diana Sanchez-Vega, founder and CEO of Sanchez-Vega Communications said. “From the moment someone walks into a driver services center, they should be able to interact with the front desk person in a way that they can meaningfully access that information so that they can meaningfully access those services.”

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OSOL conducted an in-person and over-the-phone test to compile consistent data before filing the federal complaint. The group said the results showed those with limited English proficiency who didn’t have access to tests in their native languages faced numerous negative consequences due to the language barrier, including failing the driver’s test multiple times, losing their jobs, and struggling to care for their families.

“Community members regularly share how a parent cannot pick their sick kid up from school, how someone cannot attend a job interview because their ride fell through, how a community member cannot take a sick parent to the emergency department; how one family has no food for dinner because their ride is delayed at their job and will arrive after the store closes,” Sanchez-Vega said.

“We had a Kurdish gentleman go into the driver services, and the staff there was sympathetic because the driver’s test is not offered in the Kurdish language, but the staff said, ‘Try going to another state,’” Mohyuddin said.

Neighboring states, like Kentucky, offer its driver’s license test in 20 languages, according to the state’s website. Virginia offers its driver’s test in 26 languages.

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Meanwhile, Tennessee eliminated multiple language options on its driver’s license test in the 1990’s, and last legislative session, some lawmakers tried to make the driver’s license test English only. However, the bill failed.

News 2 reached out to the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security for an interview or statement in response to the allegations in the federal complaint, but had not heard back by the time this article was published. OSOL said the department has previously cited cost as a concern in adding more language options.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2.

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Tennessee

Answering Tennessee Football’s Burning Questions Less Than 100 Days Until Kickoff | Rocky Top Insider

Published

4 hours ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

Answering Tennessee Football’s Burning Questions Less Than 100 Days Until Kickoff | Rocky Top Insider

tennessee football starting quarterback — Tennessee football QB Faizon Brandon (Photo via Ryan Sylvia | RTI)

We’re less than 100 days until Tennessee football meets Furman to open the 2026 season inside Neyland Stadium. As the team meets for summer workouts in Knoxville, there are some serious questions with strong implications still unanswered, though.

Here’s the latest on the answer to each burning question revolving around the Vols.

Who leads Tennessee’s quarterback battle?

Josh Heupel won’t name a starting quarterback until much closer to the start of the season, if not into the season itself, with an FCS game to open the year. The reason is he wants to see how each player develops over the summer and into training camp after receiving hands-on instruction from the coaching staff during the spring.

However, all the buzz is currently around five-star true freshman Faizon Brandon. Multiple college football insiders have given him the leg up entering the summer after he showed up to campus with a college-ready frame and strong understanding of Heupel’s offense.

The battle is far from over, though. Redshirt-freshman George MacIntyre will have a say as he pushes to take the reins of the offense after sitting behind Joey Aguilar and Jake Merklinger last season. Colorado transfer Ryan Staub will also get reps as he looks to emerge.

I think if you asked Heupel who the quarterback will be next season, he’d truthfully say he doesn’t know, though. It’s still a completely open competition as we gear up for fall camp at the beginning of August.

More From RTI: Tennessee Football’s First Three Games Officially Have Set Kickoff Times. Here’s What They are.

Will Chaz Coleman play for the Vols?

As spring camp progressed, Tennessee was without one of its key transfer portal pickups. Chaz Coleman, a highly-touted edge rusher from Penn State, began to miss practices and ultimately did not play in the annual Orange and White Game.

Now, it’s being reported that Coleman is not on campus for the start of voluntary workouts. We’ve seen missing practices and workouts be the end of tenures at UT in the past, as well. It was the final straw for Nico Iamaleava before he entered the portal in the spring of 2024, and Boo Carter missing workouts led to punishment before he transferred during the 2025 season.

It’s not a cut-and-clear case with Coleman, though. There’s still a chance he can work his way back into the fold for Tennessee this upcoming season, but there is plenty of work to be done. We’ll ultimately have to wait and see, but confidence is beginning to dwindle.

Either way, this now means Tulane transfer Jordan Norman is going to have to play a significant role this upcoming season and is a name to watch during fall camp.

How has the team adapted to the new big-name coaches?

This offseason, Tennessee added two significant coaches to its staff. To replace Tim Banks at defensive coordinator, Josh Heupel went out and got Jim Knowles. To revamp his strength program, he hired Indiana’s Derek Owings.

So far, it seems like both additions have gone very well. Knowles has a tough job in front of him, but he retooled the defense at multiple positions through the transfer portal. The linebacker room seems very strong, and he added talent to the secondary, but the defensive line will be interesting to watch.

Overall, it seems like the team has responded well to what Knowles and his staff are trying to implement on that side of the ball, though.

In the weight room, Owings has seemingly turned things around. Players don’t only look bigger, but plenty have talked to the media about how they feel faster and stronger already during spring camp. That impact could be one that goes under the radar but is felt in a big way this year.

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Tennessee

Tennessee is 230 years old, and it all started right here in Knoxville

Published

16 hours ago

May 29, 2026

Press Room

Tennessee is 230 years old, and it all started right here in Knoxville

Tennessee became the 16th state on June 1, 1796, after President George Washington signed the bill for its admission.
John Sevier was chosen as the first governor, and Knoxville was the state’s first capital.
Before becoming a state, the territory was known as the “Southwest Territory” and briefly existed as the unrecognized state of Franklin.
The state has had three constitutions, with the current one adopted in 1870 after the Civil War.

Much to-do is being made of America’s 250th birthday, as well it should.

But did you know June 1 is Tennessee’s 230th birthday?

It was on June 1, 1796, that President George Washington signed a bill granting Tennessee immediate admission as the 16th state. Gov. John Sevier was chosen to lead the new state, and Knoxville was picked as its first capital.

A decade before, settlers west of the Appalachian mountains had sought admission to the union for the state of Franklin. But despite four years of existence, Franklin never gained federal approval.

Tennessee’s first official state constitution – drafted by 55 delegates in Knoxville in 1796 – is on display at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

It was drafted in the home of William Blount, which still stands on West Hill Avenue in downtown Knoxville.

Tennessee actually has three state constitutions: the first, adopted in 1796, a revision adopted in 1834 to update the taxation and court systems, and the 1870 constitution, adopted after the Civil War.

The 1870 constitution permanently abolished slavery in Tennessee and remains the state’s fundamental charter.

Celebrate Tennessee’s birthday in Knoxville

Marble Springs State Historic Site, home of Gov. John Sevier, will have a two-day free party for Tennessee’s Statehood Day.

Tennessee Field Day for kids (or kids at heart) is noon-5 p.m. May 29 and Statehood Day is 10 a.m.-4 p.m. May 30. Field Day explores history through many aspects and activities, and Statehood Day focuses more on lectures, demonstrations, music, line dancing and food.

The historic buildings and learning center are at 1200 W. Gov. John Sevier Highway in Knoxville.

Look back at how Tennessee was founded

1785-1789: Settlers establish independent systems of government and petition to become a state, but they fail to gain recognition for the state of Franklin. The territory is again under the control of North Carolina.

1789: North Carolina ratifies the United States Constitution and cedes its Tennessee lands to the federal government. It is designated as the “Territory of the United States, South of the River Ohio,” more commonly known as the “Southwest Territory.” William Blount is appointed by George Washington to be governor. Early governance of the territory is focused on making treaties with Native Americans, securing settlers from attacks and encouraging settlement. Warfare with Native American tribes increases through the 1790s.

1792: Knoxville is selected as the capital of the Southwest Territory.

January 1796: Gov. William Blount calls for a constitutional convention in Knoxville to begin the process of joining the Union. The delegates form an organized government and constitution before applying to Congress for admission to the Union. The delegates select John Sevier as governor, William Blount and William Cocke as senators and Andrew Jackson as representative.

June 1, 1796: Tennessee becomes the 16th state in America. Knoxville remains the capital until 1812.

1812: Tennessee earns its nickname “The Volunteer State” during the War of 1812 because it sends 1,500 volunteer soldiers.

1812-1816: Nashville is Tennessee’s capital.

1817-1818: Knoxville is Tennessee’s capital again.

1818-1826: Murfreesboro is the capital of Tennessee.

1826-present day: Nashville becomes – and remains – the capital of Tennessee.

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Tennessee

Former Tennessee Baseball Pitcher Gets Called Up

Published

1 day ago

May 28, 2026

Press Room

Former Tennessee Baseball Pitcher Gets Called Up

The Tennessee Volunteers are constantly getting players in the MLB and the MILB farm system, which is the developmental program that all rookies and young players (a.k.a. prospects) start off in. One of the players who has been in the farm system since being drafted is Nate Snead, who was with the Tennessee Vols just last season as a pitcher, and one of the better pitchers on the Tennessee roster.

Nate Snead is one of the better players to come through the Tennessee program as a reliever, and he is one of the better pitchers when it comes to his fastball, as he throws what many would confirm to be “gas.”

Nate Snead Gets Called Up

Feb 18, 2026; Tempe, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Nate Snead poses for a portrait during photo day at Tempe Diablo Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Snead was in Single-A to start his career, but he is now on his way up, as he is moving up to Double-A after a great start to his career. He is heading to the Rocket City Trash Pandas, which is an affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. This would mean he is in the same farm system that both Christian Moore and Ben Joyce recently had to come through, and is one of the better players in the farm system for the Angels, anyway.

He currently holds an ERA of 2.80, which is great considering he has pitched 35.1 innings. He holds a win-loss record of 3-3, and also has a total of 39 strikeouts, which would mean he is averaging more than a strikeout every inning he pitches. He is also giving up less than a hit an inning, which is where he should be in order to get called up.

This decision doesn’t seem rushed, and it doesn’t seem that this is going to backfire. He will likely finish his season in Double-A, although a great stretch could lead to him being fast-tracked to Triple-A, the final team before the majors.

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