Our country must make a direct investment in the very people who have the future of our society in their hands — K-12 public school teachers. Bo Roberts is a Nashville-based marketing consultant. He may be reached at bo@roberts strategies.com. Thanks to recent Belmont University graduate Emily Vo for her research on this project.Dear madam first lady: I am writing

A modest, honorable, former Republican president leaned in close to a modest, honorable, congressional Democrat leader, and, speaking through his face mask, said: “Joe Biden is the only one who could have been elected.” Those words, relayed by receiver Rep. Jim Clyburn of S.C., stood out most amidst all the immensely moving speeches, poems and songs heard on Inauguration Day

Dec. 7, 1941 (Invasion of Pearl Harbor): Deaths–2,035   Sep. 11, 2001 (Invasion of New York): Deaths–2,996   Dec. 3, 2020 (One day in COVID invasion of U.S.): Deaths-2,857   World War II: Total U.S. deaths: 407,316 in 3½ years   COVID-19: Total U.S. deaths as Dec. 6, 2020: 281,000 in 9 months   Projected total of COVID-19 deaths after

Not long ago I found myself differing— a rare occurrence during the past several decades—- with my friend Keel Hunt’s thoughts about “Who owns downtown Nashville, and what should its future be?” That subject, the centerpiece of his most recent column, totally got my attention. I don’t think I’d be exaggerating in suggesting that downtown Nashville is owned these days,

Tennessee headed for embarrassing Senate representation By Bo Roberts A long, impressive era of noteworthy U.S. senate representation in the Volunteer State is hurtling headlong towards its demise, as was illustrated so pointedly over the July Fourth weekend. It is the end of literate, ethical, non-partisan strain of politics that began with and encompassed the essence of the brilliantly diplomatic

Black and white ESPN hosts have compelling end to SportsCenter By Bo Roberts “There’s never a day off from being black.” That was the essence of a riveting conversation recently on ESPN’s SportsCenter between two young, attractive anchors, who had a three-minute talk about race. It was the most compelling discussion I’ve heard in the hours and hours of remarks

The constant refrains from Mayor David Briley’s challengers highlights the negatives while providing zero solutions. Mayor Briley discusses Nashville’s public schools during his State of Metro address. Mayor David Briley, Facebook.com livestream You know what? I like Nashville and I kinda like living here. Actually, I like living here a lot. Don’t you? It makes me wonder if the candidates

By Bo Roberts As the sand runs out on the Bill Haslam gubernatorial time clock, there were two major accomplishments during his eight years that few recognize, but which will change the culture of state government and higher education. Gov. Haslam’s major achievements, particularly in education, have rightly been praised in these pages and nationally, as well. A prime example

Maybe, just maybe (based on a personal experience years ago), there might be some hope in President Donald Trump’s recent meeting with Kim Jong Un, North Korea’s leader. As one who detests the performance of just about anything Trump does, and as an American, I truly hope this venture is successful beyond the momentous photo opportunity it provided for both

A burning cross in my front yard, and being labeled a communist on the front page of their national publication: these were the results of my first encounter with the Ku Klux five decades ago. As events unfolded recently in Charlottesville, and closer to home in Shelbyville and Murfreesboro, my Klan interaction came flooding back. During my twenties, when I