MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Republican Gov. Bill Haslam spearheaded Tennessee Promise, but Democrat President Barack Obama is praising his work and wants to see this idea become a model for the rest of the nation, something that doesn’t happen very often in highly partisan time.
Tennessee is making waves with a new promise to pay for two years of college for high school grads. And for once, partisan politics aren’t getting in the way of progress.
Democratic Representative Antonio Parkinson called us moments before the president arrived in Knoxville to share his support for Tennessee Promise.
Parkinson said, “There will be some mistakes made in some of these things. We will tweak them, make them work, and keep moving forward.”
Republicans and Democrats are sparring at every level of government, from City Hall all the way to the White House.
Friday, Mayor A C Wharton said the classroom is a place where all politicians agree: it’s time for change, and fast.
Wharton said, “I don’t know about a Republican education, or a Democratic education. Math is math. Science is science. English is English, and that’ the way it ought to be.”
Surprisingly, Congressman Steve Cohen spoke out against President Obama’s support of Tennessee Promise. saying, “Tennessee Promise is not what it appears to be. It is a last-dollar scholarship without standards to attain assistance and without reasonable standards to maintain that assistance.”
Cohen says funding for this is taking lottery scholarships.
Local leaders are working to highlight the positive changes happening in Memphis, and say education reform isn’t the only good thing on. It’s time for the rest of the county to see Tennessee is a real leader.
John Collins with City Leadership said, “National organizations aren’t looking to Memphis to find that story, because they don’t think that’s where the pot of gold is. But all the rainbows are leading here.”
