Farragut Shopper news • January 4, 2017 • A-7
Joy to the world: Optimism restored Joy to the world. Good times have returned.
Marvin West
All together now, one more round of “Rocky Top” – even with the dreaded woo. Across all of Big Orange Country, and in several far-flung places, Tennessee football fans are celebrating the new year and the new outlook. The Volunteer victory in the “meaningless third-level bowl game” made a wonderful impact on orange-andgray psyche. The lingering pain from that loss in November has dwindled. Well, somewhat. The team bounced back and inspired the multitude to follow. Optimism has been restored. My friend Oscar says he may even renew
his season tickets. The win over Nebraska was more convincing than the score. Tennessee had more speed. Tennessee had more enthusiasm. Tennessee had Derek Barnett and Joshua Dobbs. The senior quarterback was not pin-point perfect in passing but he hit the big one. He ran for three touchdowns. He received the MVP trophy. Two harsh critics surrendered and agreed the performance was somewhat better than acceptable. One did keep count of overthrows. The celebration when Barnett induced the recordsetting sack was one for the ages. If you have a photo, frame it. Save the scene in your memory bank. The entire team ran onto the field to congratulate the warrior and share the moment. He was surrounded with respect. It was beautiful. I think it is safe to say nothing like that has ever happened at Tennessee. Through the decades, few have had a Barnett-style en-
gine. He is truly relentless. Great tailbacks and Peyton have claimed most of the applause. This was different. I and others said the Music City Bowl did not matter, that the Vols of 2016 had already established their identity. This was not a good team. It struggled with Appalachian State before injuries were a factor. It was not ready to play when the Florida game started. Fate awarded the win at Georgia. Alabama rubbed faces in the turf. Tennessee suffered two embarrassing upsets. One cost a trip to the Sugar Bowl, deserved or not. I and others said the season ended with the loss at Vanderbilt and it was time to begin next year. I and others were wrong. The Vols actually used December. They went after Nebraska with a fierceness seldom seen. Mistakes gave the Cornhuskers two touchdowns but the defense did not collapse. Josh Malone was tough enough in the clutch. The triumph was com-
forting, even therapeutic, for Butch Jones. He thanked Tennessee fans who kept the faith. He said the net result was “an illustration of progress.” I wouldn’t go that far. The Vols finished with nine wins, same as last year, short of expectations. Defensive statistics were a disaster. The offensive line showed some improvement. Dobbs and the passing game got better. Bowl success pulled the fat from the fire. The hot seat is cool enough for the coach to stop squirming. The “meaningless” victory was meaningful. Three consecutive wins over Big 10 foes might sway some neutrals. As he did previously, Butch will turn this into another building block, oops, brick. Winter workouts will have a purpose. Some days may even be fun. Recruiting will get a late boost. Coaches, players and fans can look forward to spring practice. Some time back, I said eight wins were not enough. Nine feels some better.
Lies, darn lies and statistics Research shows that teachers don’t improve in their effectiveness after their fourth year. At least that is what Mitchell Zais, the former South CaroHopson lina state superintendent of education, stated at a recent SCORE (State Collaborative on Reforming Education) event in Nashville. In this era of “fake news,” it is vitally important that decisions affecting our children be based on facts and a preponderance of all the research, not just cherrypicked data that support a particular agenda. Although SCORE should be up on the most recent data concerning education, not one person in the room challenged Zais’ statement. While there are a few studies linking teacher effectiveness to test score data, which back up Zais’ claim, there are many more that do not. In a June review of 30 studies, the Learning Policy Institute concluded that, “Teaching experience is positively associated with student achievement gains throughout a teacher’s career.” Gains continue for teachers in the second and often third decades of their careers and didn’t affect just test scores, but also the absenteeism and discipline rates of students as well. We know this to be true, however, even without the statistics. I certainly hope I am a better teacher now than I was in the fourth year of my career.
I have learned an abundance of things since then. When is the last time you thought, “Boy, I sure do hope my kid gets a rookie teacher this year?” I have, in fact, talked several parents off the ledge who were upset that their child was not placed in the classroom of an experienced educator. I reminded them that we were all new teachers once, and the experienced ones would be there to guide and mentor when needed. Their children did quite well, thanks to quality teacher education programs, but teaching is like other professions. That fifth-year heart surgeon may be brilliant, but I would bet on the experience of a 20-year veteran should an unexpected situation arise on the operating table. I cannot name a profession in which workers top out on their expertise after just four years. So when you hear that Knox County ranks in the 79th percentile among state districts for high school math and the 75th percentile in reading, you also need to know that the rate of students who were advanced or proficient was 20.8 percent and 30.3 percent, respectively. When you hear that only 43.5 percent of our high school freshmen are proficient in English, remember that the new test halved that percentage from last year. When you hear that Tennessee is the fastest improving state in education, you need to know that we didn’t really improve that much; most other states incurred flat or lower test scores.
When you hear that educators can be held accountable by having test score data included as a part of their evaluation, you need to know that the vast majority of teachers don’t teach tested subjects. That means they are judged on the performance of other teachers and even students they don’t teach or who may not even be in their school.
When you hear that India and China have three times as many mathematicians and scientists as the United States, you have to realize they should. They have exponentially more people. And when you hear that teachers don’t improve after their fourth year, remember what they say about statistics. Lauren Hopson is president of KCEA.
A whole new world! He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation; for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers – all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together. He is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that he might come to have first place in everything. For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of the cross. (Colossians 1:15-20 NRSV) If you are in the habit of skipping the verses of Scripture that always appear at the beginning of this column, stop right now, and go back to the top! Read and reread those six verses and reflect on the power and the wonder of that passage. It is stunning! The magnitude of creation – the centrality of Jesus’ birth, life, ministry, death, and resurrection in that creation – is jawdropping! The Apostle Paul captured in those words an astonishing description of Jesus: the Creator, the Son, the Man, the Lamb, the Savior. Sometimes I fear we get so familiar with the Bible
Cross Currents
Lynn Pitts
we don’t read it with amazement and joy. We read it just like we would read yesterday’s paper: “Oh, yeah, I know what happened. I know all that stuff.” As we start a New Year, let’s try – every day – to remember what God has done for us in the person of Jesus Christ. Let’s live into His promises; let’s be His people on earth!
last words UT breakfast much more than social Mayor Madeline Rogero and council member Nick Pavlis deserve credit for adding to our greenway system with the recent announcement that almost a mile will be added in South Knoxville from the Mary Vestal Park over to the OgleMartin Mill Pike corner. Now that greenways in the city are under new management, progress is occurring at a faster pace than in the prior five years. Better late than never for Team Rogero. Let’s hope this pace is maintained and even accelerated. This column will keep checking on the actual progress. The announcement of a greenways maintenance crew under the able leadership of Chad Weth and David Brace is welcomed news as well. Small problems are more easily fixed than big ones, and a dedicated crew to this mission is important. ■■ It is disappointing to criticize the University of Tennessee, but when the President’s office purposefully issues inaccurate information, someone needs to call them on it. One likes to think UT President Joe DiPietro is factually correct and transparent, even on issues where there is division of opinion. As a UT Law graduate, I am proud of our university and feel it is one of Tennessee’s greatest assets, but when the law is ignored one wonders and asks why. Last month, DiPietro hosted a breakfast meeting for area lawmakers at Andy Holt Towers and closed it to the public, claiming it was purely social. A “social meeting” suggests that serious issues of interest to the public would not be discussed. Imagine the surprise after the meeting when participants were interviewed. We discovered the discussion centered almost entirely on diversity and the restoration of the Lady Vols name to women’s athletics. Both are issues that could face the UT board and certainly have already faced the Legislature. There are strongly divided views on both topics, and neither could be considered simply a “social” matter. Two members of the UT board were present at the breakfast, which triggers the Open Meetings law. The law applies equally to the UT Board of Trustees as it does to the Knoxville City Council and Knox County Commission. DiPietro, in a letter to a legislator, actually said the number of trustees present does not matter in regard to compliance with the Open Meet-
Victor Ashe
ings law. So on his theory, a majority of the full board could meet, discuss these pending issues with lawmakers and the public be barred. Does he ever confer with UT legal counsel? Because DiPietro says a meeting is social or hopes it is social does not mean the reality is consistent with the wish or statement. In this case, the President’s office was not truthful in its statement to the media. It was not a social meeting. After the meeting, participating legislators and UT officials spoke to the media about the issues discussed, which causes one to wonder why did they bar the public from the meeting in the first place if they planned to talk about it later? DiPietro should be and is better than this. His secrecy achieves nothing positive. He should take charge of the news releases being issued in his name and rewrite them to be accurate. His own correspondence should acknowledge that the breakfast was far more than social. If not, he runs the risk of people thinking he thinks he is above the law. A big mistake. ■■ Only last week it was disclosed the settlement of the latest Title IX lawsuit exceeds $3.2 million with final resolution nowhere in sight. These are public dollars which could be spent for better purposes than legal fees, media advice and consultants. This story never seems to end despite UT’s effort to keep the story quiet. But as long as it is someone else’s money the board does not seem inclined to call a halt. ■■ KCDC will pay Ben Bentley $160,000 per year. He is the new director from Nashville who was chosen by a closely divided vote of 4-3. The outgoing director, Art Cate, was making $184,704. KCDC is doing the smart thing by hiring the new person (under 38) at a lesser salary than the person he replaces and then let his performance determine what pay increase he may receive in a year or two. The decision was made last Friday at a KCDC meeting. ■■ This writer turned 72 three days ago on Jan. 1. ■■ The Legislature returns for its 2017 session next Tuesday in Nashville.
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"Run 4 Their Lives" 5K race www.freedom424.org/r4lt/races/knoxville To raise awareness for human trafficking
JANUARY 28, 2017
CONSIDER THESE STARTLING NUMBERS: • There are estimated to be 27 million slaves worldwide • This industry brings in $32 billion/yr., and those numbers are increasing daily. • Reportedly, 161 countries are affected by human trafficking as either sources, transit centers or destinations.
• 80% of trafficked victims are women. More and more young girls & women are being sold, trafficked, or forced into prostitution. • The average age of trafficking victims worldwide is 12 years old. • Every 120 seconds a child is sold into slavery – 30 per hour – 720 a day – 1.2 million a year.
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