SUMMARY: Oak Ridge’s Robertsville school introduced a new house system schoolwide, piloted by sixth graders over the past three years with great success. The system includes four houses, similar to Harry Potter’s model but without Slytherin, each representing school values. Both students, teachers, and administrators belong to different houses, fostering a strong community and sense of belonging. This approach aims to improve attendance and students’ positive attitudes toward school by engaging everyone, including those not involved in athletics or extracurriculars. The excitement around house assignments is palpable as students start the school year, creating a welcoming, united school environment.
SUMMARY: Flags were flown at half-staff nationwide to honor 31-year-old conservative activist Charlie Kirk, shot and killed Wednesday while speaking at Utah Valley University. Kirk co-founded Turning Point USA, promoting conservative policies on campuses. Sympathy poured in from politicians and students, though a Middle Tennessee State University employee was fired for inappropriate posts after his death. Former Turning Point Lipscomb VP Isabella Turner highlighted Kirk’s faith and legacy of respectful political discourse. Sen. London Lamar urged canceling future Turning Point events citing safety concerns. Members of Turning Point USA commemorated Kirk, emphasizing his passion, respect, and dedication to dialogue and faith.
SUMMARY: Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), a vocal advocate for releasing Jeffrey Epstein documents, voted this week to block an amendment that would have made these files public. The amendment, sponsored by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), aimed to direct the Attorney General to release Epstein-related documents and was attached to the National Defense Authorization Act. Blackburn criticized the amendment as a “desperate political stunt” that threatened military pay, accusing Democrats of using the issue for political gain. Despite her vote, Blackburn has repeatedly expressed commitment to exposing Epstein’s associates and combating human trafficking. The amendment was tabled 51-49, with Sen. Bill Hagerty also voting to block it.
www.thecentersquare.com – By Kim Jarrett | The Center Square – (The Center Square – ) 2025-09-11 08:10:00
An assistant dean at Middle Tennessee State University, identified as Laura Sosh-Lightsy, was fired after posting insensitive comments about the murder of Charlie Kirk. Sosh-Lightsy wrote, “Looks like ol’ Charlie spoke his fate into existence. Hate begets hate. ZERO sympathy.” The university president, Sidney A. McPhee, condemned the remarks as inconsistent with the university’s values and damaging to its reputation, leading to her immediate dismissal. Sosh-Lightsy had worked at MTSU for over 21 years and was assistant dean for student care and conduct for more than a year. U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn publicly supported the firing and called for her removal.
(The Center Square) – An assistant dean at Middle Tennessee State University was fired after posting “inappropriate and callous comments,” about the murder of Charlie Kirk, the school’s president said in a Facebook post.
The employee was not identified in the post but U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., on social media identified her as Laura Sosh-Lightsy.
The post by Sosh-Lightsy said, “Looks like ol’ Charlie spoke his fate into existence,” she wrote. “Hate begets hate. ZERO sympathy,” according to Blackburn’s post.
The senator shared a post from Matthew Hurtt, director of professional services at the Leadership Institute, that showed Sosh-Lightsy was an employee of the university for more than 21 years. She was named assistant dean for student care and conduct a year and three months ago.
“The comments by this employee, who worked in a position of trust directly with students, were inconsistent with our values and have undermined the university’s credibility and reputation with our students, faculty, staff and the community at large,” said university President Sidney A. McPhee in the Facebook post. “This employee has been fired effective immediately. We extend our deepest sympathies to the Kirk family.”
Blackburn called for Sosh Lightsy’s firing in her post.
“This person should be ashamed of her post. She should be removed from her position at @MTSU,” Blackburn said.
Note: The following A.I. based commentary is not part of the original article, reproduced above, but is offered in the hopes that it will promote greater media literacy and critical thinking, by making any potential bias more visible to the reader –Staff Editor.
Political Bias Rating: Center-Right
The article primarily reports factual events regarding the firing of an assistant dean at Middle Tennessee State University following controversial comments about Charlie Kirk’s murder. The language is straightforward and mostly neutral, presenting statements from the university president and U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn without editorializing or overtly opinionated language. However, the selection of sources and the framing—highlighting Blackburn’s criticism and the assistant dean’s contentious comment—reflect a perspective more aligned with conservative viewpoints. The piece does not advocate for a particular ideological stance but centers on criticism from a prominent Republican senator, which could lead to a mild center-right slant in perception due to the nature of the voices emphasized and the context presented. Overall, it remains close to factual reporting without explicitly promoting an ideological agenda.
