Lee: Tennessee education

commissioner leaving at end of year

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn is leaving the state department at the end of the school year, Gov. Bill Lee announced Monday.

Schwinn will be succeeded by Lizzette Gonzalez Reynolds, who currently serves as vice president for ExcelinEd — an education think tank founded by former Republican Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Lee, a Republican, appointed Schwinn to be the state’s education czar in 2019. She previously was the Texas Education Agency chief deputy commissioner of academics.

Lee said in a statement that Schwinn “played a key role” in his administration’s education efforts, adding that he had “tremendous gratitude for her leadership and wish her much success in her next chapter.”

Schwinn’s career in Tennessee included overseeing the department’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, implementing the governor’s controversial school voucher program and overhauling the state’s school funding formula.

Lee’s administration did not immediately disclose where or why Schwinn was leaving the department.

Reynolds will take over July 1. The governor’s news release said her career “reflects a deep commitment to school choice, assessment and accountability, college and career pathways and education policy.”

“Lizzette’s significant education policy expertise and leadership make her well-suited to continue our work to deliver a high-quality education and expand school choice for Tennessee students,” Lee said.

No charges for ex-officer who hit Tyre Nichols with stun gun

MEMPHIS, Tenn.. (AP) — A former Memphis police officer who hit Tyre Nichols with a stun gun during a traffic stop that preceded Nichols’ brutal beating by other officers won’t be charged criminally, a prosecutor said Tuesday.

Nichols’ slaying was one in a string of violent encounters between police and Black people that have spurred protests and renewed debate about police brutality.

Five officers were charged with second-degree murder in Nichols’ death and his family has sued the officers and the city of Memphis.

Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy said his office did a thorough investigation of Preston Hemphill’s role in the arrest, reviewing hours of body camera footage and interviewing witnesses multiple times.

“By no means do we endorse the conduct of Officer Hemphill at that first traffic stop … but we do not believe that criminal charges are appropriate,” Mulroy said.

Attorneys for Nichols’ family said in a statement that they are supportive of the decision not to pursue charges because of Hemphill’s cooperation. Mulroy said Hemphill has cooperated fully with the investigation into Nichols’ death.

Hemphill was fired Feb. 3.