By Clint Confehr
NASHVILLE, TN — Gov. Bill Lee’s State of the State Address this week included claims of national leadership, and attracted rebuttals on difficult issues.
“We heard statements about ‘leading the nation,’” Sen. Charlane Oliver said, “but with this $55.6 billion budget, Tennessee Republicans are actually putting out fires they’ve created due to neglect of issues over the past 10 years they’ve been in power.”
The Nashville Democrat’s reaction came as a Knox County-area child’s father, his attorney, and state lawmakers cited problems with the Department of Children’s Services, offered solutions, and reacted to Lee’s speech after he was interrupted while talking about abortion.
“Pro-life is much more than defending the lives of the unborn,” Lee said. “America is rooted in a commitment to human dignity…” It’s about pregnant workers, premature babies, “the dignity of a father living with a disability, and the dignity of a family in crisis.”
Reacting to that, Joe Brian Siddens, a 45-year-old Knoxville father, said he’s on disability, fighting for custody of his young daughter and facing “false allegations about abuse and neglect” in divorce court, through DCS and in juvenile court. His daughter’s guardian ad litem — a court appointed lawyer advocating for his daughter’s best interests — resigned Monday, Siddens said.
DCS work in custody cases wasn’t mentioned by Lee, but he did say, “The needs of Tennessee children have evolved, and our approach to serving them...
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