Southeast
Tennessee Democrat calls GOP governor’s school choice expansion plan a ‘real scam’
EXCLUSIVE: A Democratic Tennessee lawmaker said Gov. Bill Lee’s plan to take school choice statewide is a misnamed “scam” that is going to harm public education.
The Republican governor introduced the Education Freedom Scholarship Act on Tuesday, explaining that it will extend school choice to every family across rural and urban Tennessee communities. The plan calls for 20,000 scholarships to be made available to Tennessee students, including 10,000 scholarships for students who are at or below 300% of the federal poverty level, have a disability, or are eligible for the existing pilot program, and an additional 10,000 scholarships will be available to a universal pool of students entitled to attend a public school.
Students would get a little more than $7,000 in vouchers for the 2024-25 school year, with eligible expenses including private school tuition, fees, and uniforms required by the private school, textbooks, curricula, and instructional materials required by the private school, tutoring services, and computer hardware. By the following school year, the proposal would have “universal eligibility for all Tennessee students entitled to attend a public school, prioritizing currently enrolled students, low-income and public school students if demand exceeds available funding,” according to the governor’s office.
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Democratic State Sen. Heidi Campbell said the name of the measure may be “enticing,” but it was ultimately misleading.
“This is part of a real scam actually that’s been going on for a long time in our state,” Campbell told Fox News Digital. “It has absolutely nothing to do with choice, despite the really enticing name. It’s not about freedom at all. It’s about getting our public schools and taking money out of our public school system so that it can be funneled inevitably to private out-of-state investors.”
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“What’s really going on here is this $7,000 a year is not going to be something that people in low income demographics can take advantage of,” she continued. “Because there isn’t a private school in this state that I know of that costs $7,000 a year. So you’re putting people in a position where if they want to take advantage of this, they have to be able to subsidize it with their own dollars. And in the long run, what will happen is that it will become basically a tax subsidy for people who are already sending their kids to private school.”
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Tennessee is looking to become the 10th state to pass universal school choice. Asked to respond to proponents – particularly parents – who believe Lee’s plan will offer them the best options for their children, Campbell said data from other states suggests it will backfire in Tennessee.
“Public dollars should be going into public education,” she said. “And I’d also say that the data from other states who’ve employed us clearly shows us that that’s not the case. We see time and time again in other states where this has been enacted, the students are performing poorly and inevitably there’s huge attrition.”
She described the state of education in Tennessee as “not great,” saying the Volunteer State ranks 45 out of 50.
“We need to have public schools that are as good as those private schools,” she said. “We should aspire to have a public education system that’s like the system in Massachusetts or Minnesota, where we have great public schools and great public school options.”
Getting education right, Campbell said, should be one of the most important items on lawmakers’ agenda.
“I do think that one of the No. 1 charges for good government is to educate the public and educate our children,” she maintained. “That’s one of our highest callings. It very much disappoints me that we have a government in Tennessee right now that really kind of wants to get out of the business of education.”
Republican leaders say Lee is on the right track. Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who signed a universal school choice bill earlier in the year, joined him at Tuesday’s press conference.
“There is an absolute conservative education revolution happening in our country and I wanted to be part of it here in Tennesee and in my home Arkansas,” Huckabee Sanders said on Tuesday.
“Tennessee’s Education Freedom Scholarships will empower parents with the freedom to choose the right education for their child and give them a say in where their taxpayer dollars are invested,” Lee said this week.
Other school choice advocates are cheering on Lee’s plan.
“Tennessee will fund students, not systems – and there’s nothing Randi Weingarten and the teachers unions can do about it,” American Federation For Children senior fellow Corey DeAngelis told Fox News Digital.
Fox News’ David Rutz, Jeffrey Clark and Joshua Q. Nelson contributed to this report.
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Southeast
Apalachee High School student arrested for allegedly bringing gun to campus months after deadly mass shooting
The Barrow County Sheriff’s Office said a 14-year-old student was arrested Wednesday after he allegedly brought a gun to Apalachee High School, the same Georgia school where two students and two teachers were killed in a mass shooting in September.
At approximately 2:02 p.m., school resource officers arrested the student without incident.
“The student was cooperative and compliant when encountered by law enforcement officers, and there have been no reports of the student threatening anyone with the gun,” the sheriff’s office said.
The boy, who was not named due to his age, has since been transported to a youth detention center.
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The boy was charged with theft, being a minor in possession of a gun and possessing a weapon on school grounds.
Officials didn’t say what type of gun was seized or how the child acquired the gun.
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In response to the incident, the Barrow County School System canceled Thursday’s classes at the high school and called for a meeting to discuss immediate safety enhancement options.
“We understand this brings up many different feelings in each of us,” the school system said. “We will update you all following the board meeting tomorrow with any changes regarding school procedures.”
COLT GRAY PLEADS NOT GUILTY, DEMANDS JURY TRIAL
On Sept. 4, 14-year-old student Colt Gray allegedly opened fire at Apalachee High School, killing two teachers and two students.
Teachers Richard Aspinwall, 39, and Cristina Irimie, 53, and students Mason Schermerhorn and Christian Angulo, both 14, were killed.
Gray has since been indicted on 55 counts as an adult, including 25 counts of aggravated assault. He has pleaded not guilty and faces a maximum penalty of life in prison without parole or life with the possibility of parole if convicted.
His father, Colin Gray, who was arrested and charged with buying the semiautomatic AR-15-style rifle used in the shooting and giving it to Colt for Christmas, is facing 29 counts, including two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of involuntary manslaughter. He has also pleaded not guilty.
Georgia is one of 42 states in the U.S. that holds parents criminally responsible for their children.
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Southeast
I know Pam Bondi personally and she will make an amazing attorney general
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
As someone deeply invested in the safety of our communities – as someone who’s lost a baby brother to senseless murder – I’m asking you to join me in full support of Pam Bondi as our next attorney general of the United States.
For the past four years, the U.S. Attorney General’s Office has been plagued by partisanship, inconsistent justice enforcement and prioritizing political agendas over public good. From selective prosecutions to eroding public trust, its failure to act independently has undermined the rule of law, creating a perception of bias and deepening divisions within the country.
With Bondi at the helm, I have no doubt the Department of Justice will usher in a new period of genuine integrity and rise to meet our time’s challenges. Admittedly, one of the reasons I’m so enthusiastic about Bondi’s potential as our next attorney general is her work with the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety.
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Bondi, who’s been on our advisory board since our launch, has been an active mentor and ally of mine. So, I’ve gotten a front-row seat to how she’ll handle the challenges America faces in combating violent crime and gang violence, addressing the opioid epidemic and safeguarding victims of human trafficking.
Our organization is focused on reducing violent crime through innovative strategies and evidence-based policies, and Bondi’s expertise and commitment to real solutions, and real justice, have made her an invaluable advisor in this effort.
Bondi’s record speaks for itself. During her tenure as Florida’s attorney general from 2011 to 2019, she transformed the office into a powerhouse for consumer protection, crime prevention and justice reform. She took on powerful interests, negotiating billions of dollars for the economic damages suffered by the State of Florida due to the BP oil spill, including lost tax revenues. In addition, she negotiated settlements to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable for the opioid crisis and worked tirelessly to dismantle human trafficking networks.
For example, Bondi’s leadership in holding pharmaceutical companies accountable was groundbreaking as she secured significant financial settlements that funded treatment and prevention programs, saving lives and giving hope to those struggling with addiction. Bondi also pushed for stronger laws to curb the spread of synthetic opioids, ensuring that Florida was at the forefront of the fight against this deadly scourge. Imagine what she could achieve on a national level with the resources of the Department of Justice at her disposal.
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She’s been a relentless advocate for crime victims, championing measures like Marsy’s Law to ensure their voices are heard, and their rights are protected. And under her leadership, Florida became a national leader in anti-trafficking efforts, setting an example for other states to follow. Her experience tackling complex issues — from gang violence to synthetic drugs — aligns perfectly with our mission to address the root causes of crime and foster safer communities.
With Bondi at the helm, I have no doubt the Department of Justice will usher in a new period of genuine integrity and rise to meet our time’s challenges. Admittedly, one of the reasons I’m so enthusiastic about Bondi’s potential as our next attorney general is her work with the Caldwell Institute for Public Safety.
What really sets Bondi apart may be her ability to now lead on a national stage. As a former president of the National Association of Attorneys General, she’s already demonstrated her skill in building coalitions and working across state lines to address pressing issues like cybercrime and drug trafficking. She has consistently defended state sovereignty while respecting the balance of power between state and federal governments. This collaborative approach to governance is exactly what we need in an attorney general.
As someone who has worked closely with her through the Caldwell Institute, I can attest to her passion for justice and her relentless drive to make our communities safer.
America stands at a crossroads. The challenges we face are immense, but they are not insurmountable. We need leaders who are not only qualified but who also possess the moral clarity and determination to guide us forward. The Honorable Pam Bondi is such a leader.
Join me in urging the Senate to confirm Bondi without delay. Our nation needs her leadership, experience and unwavering commitment to the principles of justice. We deserve, and clearly require, no less.
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Southeast
Neighborhood rocked by homeless camp triple murder as former police officer calls for government to intervene
A triple homicide at a Louisiana homeless camp, allegedly spurred by a stolen bicycle, emphasizes the inherent dangers of these encampments – not just for their inhabitants, but for those in surrounding communities, an expert told Fox News Digital.
On April 3, 44-year-old Mindy Ann Robert, 33-year-old Marcey Vincent and 53-year-old Warren Fairley were found dead, all shot multiple times, in a makeshift campsite, hidden from view by brush on a vacant lot in Jefferson Parish, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said.
Crime in these camps is a growing concern across the country, which has seen an 18.1% increase in homelessness in 2024, according to a December report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Federal officials cited a rising number of asylum seekers, lack of affordable housing and natural disasters as reasons for the increase in homelessness.
“These homeless encampments pose a health threat and a safety threat to the general public,” Mark Powell, a former reserve police officer in San Diego who oversaw the city’s Monarch School for Homeless Youth while on the city’s school board, told Fox News Digital. “It’s the duty, it’s the obligation of our city leaders, our elected politicians, to do everything they can within the law to eradicate these camps and provide the people living in the camps with the dignity they deserve through some type of shelter program.”
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In the Louisiana case, Noel Marine, who was known to visit the victims at the campsite, was arrested and faces three counts of first-degree murder and obstruction of justice in their deaths. He is currently being held on $100,000 bail, according to court records.
Investigators believe Vincent and Robert were homeless and lived at the campsite, while Fairley lived in a home nearby. Robert’s family assumed that she was living in the area because they recently saw her panhandling at a nearby street corner, NOLA.com reported.
“Periodically, other people would stay [at the campsite] and use narcotics,” Det. Ryan Vaught testified during a Nov. 19 hearing in Jefferson Parish Magistrate Court.
A man who was dating one of the female victims allegedly dialed 911 around 9:40 a.m. when he found the three bodies.
Marine, 55, became the prime suspect after his fingerprint was also found on a metal folding chair at the site. His fingerprints were in the national Combined DNA Index System due to previous convictions, including four counts of possession of cocaine with the intent to distribute and other drug charges.
He was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty in April 2005, court records show. At the time of the shooting, he was wanted for missing court in a misdemeanor theft case after allegedly stealing from a Walmart in February of this year, according to court records.
Marine allegedly claimed that he was staying at a friend’s house in Metairie at the time of the shooting, but his alibi was torn open after the friend told detectives that Marine was not there.
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Although a gunshot was heard in the area around 1 or 2 a.m., according to Vaught, no one saw the killings take place. However, Marine’s friend gave a statement to police after he allegedly confessed to the killings, Vaught testified.
After he was brought in for a second round of questioning, Marine claimed that another man shot the three victims. He said that he was talking to the man who confronted him at the encampment after Marine stole his bicycle. The other man brandished a gun, and Marine walked into the campsite to retrieve the stolen property, according to Marine, who said he then heard gunfire.
However, police have not named the man Marine accused, and no one else has been arrested in the homicides.
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Powell said that the incident is the latest example of why the government has an obligation to regulate homeless encampments.
“In this instance, three people were murdered. That’s not to say somebody jogging through the park or jogging near the homeless encampment could also become a victim just as easily as this,” Powell told Fox News Digital.
“It’s the duty of the city. If they’re going to allow homeless camps like this, it’s their duty to make sure that they’re cleaned, that they’re regulated, that there’s some type of law enforcement presence that frequents that homeless camp on a regular basis,” Powell said.
“Not once a month or when they get a call, but they have to have some type of security in there,” he continued. “[Otherwise] you’re going to end up with more of these incidences where there are rapes, murders, there’s assault, there are batteries, there’s a theft, there’s rampant drug dealing – this is what you’ll find in these homeless encampments.”
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“Many people don’t even want to jog through the park because they know there’s a homeless encampment in there, and they’re scared – the people who are committing the crimes are the ones who are controlling the property,” Powell said. “They’re not paying taxes, they’re not doing anything yet. [But] the people who do pay the taxes who do not commit crimes, they’re the ones who are impacted.”
Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
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