The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is urging Rutherford County school officials not to remove "Beloved" and six other books from campus libraries, arguing that books may not be removed simply because they tell stories about race or racism or include references to sex and the human body. The Daily News Journal reports that the school board is set to meet tonight. In addition to “Beloved,” the other books to be considered are "Homegoing," "Queen of Shadows," "Skin and Bones," "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," "Tower of Dawn" and "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West." The ACLU also urged the board to bring back 30 books it previously removed from school libraries for being “obscene.”

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Reagan Taylor Fondren has been named acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee following this week’s resignation of Kevin G. Ritz. Fondren earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law and has served with the U.S. Department of Justice her entire career, first with the Drug Enforcement Administration and then with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. In 2014, she returned to her hometown of Memphis to join the U.S. Attorney’s Office as an assistant U.S. attorney. She has served in both the criminal and civil divisions, heading the Civil Rights Unit and leading the Financial Litigation and Bankruptcy divisions. In October 2022, she was named first assistant. Read more about her career in a press release from the office.

The TBA website, member database and discussion forums will be unavailable this Saturday night beginning at 9 p.m. CDT for required maintenance. The site is expected to be operational by 3 a.m., but no later than 6 a.m., CDT on Sunday. Any messages sent to TBA Talk or Section Talk forums will be queued and sent once the maintenance work is done. Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.

About 40 law students from Belmont University College of Law met with leaders of the TBA Young Lawyers Division (YLD) last month. YLD Board members Ginny Blake, Grace Benitone Burnett, Billy Leslie, Alix Rogers and Ross Smith participated in a lively panel to discuss the many benefits of getting involved with the TBA. Membership, which is free to law students, provides access to continuing legal education, opportunities to network and savings on school supplies and insurance. The lawyers encouraged students to volunteer at clinics to help others, attend CLEs to increase their professional knowledge, and apply for the 2025 Diversity Leadership Institute (DLI), a six-month leadership and mentoring program. See photos from the event.

A recent revision to Tennessee's school library law, passed in 2023, has led to the removal of more than 1,100 books across the state, according to a survey by the Tennessee Association of School Librarians. The Tennessee Lookout reports that the law requires periodic reviews of catalogs to ensure materials are appropriate for the ages and maturity levels of the students who can access them. It also broadened the definition of what school library materials are prohibited. Kathy Sinback, executive director of the ACLU of Tennessee, suggests that the law is vulnerable to a legal challenge, alleging it is vague and applied unevenly across the state. While some school districts have removed books proactively, others are using a more deliberate review process. Sen. Joey Hensley, R-Hohenwald, a sponsor of the law said its intent is "simply to ensure public schools do not give children access to materials that are not appropriate for their ages.”

The Hamilton County Jail has launched a new electrical vocational program in partnership with Chattanooga State Community College, aiming to reduce recidivism by providing inmates with job training. Participants in the eight-week program will receive instruction mirroring Chattanooga State's courses and earn college credit applicable towards vocational programs, according to the Chattanooga Times Free Press. Hamilton County Mayor Weston Wamp said funding for reentry programs comes from opioid abatement dollars. Organizers believe the initiative can offer inmates a pathway to employment outside the criminal justice system.

Kimberly Lund was sworn in as chancellor of the newly created 19th Judicial District Chancery Court, which covers Montgomery and Robertson counties, last week. She will share the workload of the court, which covers Montgomery and Robertson counties, with Chancellor Ben Dean. Appointed by Gov. Bill Lee, Lund previously served as an assistant district attorney in the district for nearly two decades. Lund earned her bachelor's degree from the University of Kentucky and her law degree from Michigan State University. Smokey Barn News has more on the story.

U.S. Attorney Kevin Ritz announced his resignation today, effective immediately. Ritz, who has served as the U.S. attorney for the Western District of Tennessee since 2022, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate this week to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. In announcing his resignation, Ritz said, "It has been such a tremendous honor to serve our country in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for 19 years — and to lead the office for the last two years. I’m especially lucky to have served as an Assistant United States Attorney and as United States Attorney in my hometown of Memphis. I am immensely proud to say that the United States is the only client I have ever had.” Read more in a press release from the office.

A new program is being launched nationwide to provide incarcerated individuals with the opportunity to earn high school diplomas through virtual classes on tablets. The initiative, a partnership between ViaPath, Promising People and American High School, aims to increase educational access and reduce recidivism rates. According to News Channel 5 Nashville, advocates say the program is promising, as many inmates are reported to lack basic literacy skills. The devices' functions are limited by design for security purposes. Tony Lowden, chief social impact officer for ViaPath, said the company's tablets will not carry note taking apps due to security risks like inmates communicating covertly.

Vanderbilt Law School announced that Kelly Bahiraei has been named assistant dean for legal studies, reporting to Vice Dean Lisa Bressman. In this position, Bahiraei will be responsible for developing and managing several non-law degree academic programs within the law school, including the undergraduate minor in legal studies, the master of legal studies and the master of laws. Bahiraei previously served as associate director of Admissions, Recruitment and International Student Services at Vanderbilt Law from 2014-2019. Prior to her return to the law school, she worked at K&L Gates as legal recruiting manager, and at Bass, Berry & Sims, leading a team responsible for student programming and recruitment.