School board's Will Pinkston, consultant John Little fight on Facebook

A school board member and political consultant spent the weekend lobbing political and personal attacks at each other on Facebook.

The fight began Friday when Metro Council's Karen Johnson threw support behind the idea that the Metro Schools board further consider Angela Huff, Cobb County (Ga.) School District chief of staff, for the director job.

In the Facebook thread, board member Will Pinkston and political consultant John Little, of Little-Smith Strategies, began a war of words unrelated to Huff, with Pinkston lobbing the first attack. The two then spent 16 entries fighting between each other, questioning who each work for and their education views, including school choice.

The conversation turned personal in later posts.

“You fight for investors and your payday,” Pinkston wrote to Little. “My side will always win. Unless you bring your handgun as you're known to do. But go ahead: Bring your bullets. I have Kevlar.”

The brunt of the exchange lasted through Sunday, and started when Pinkston denounced Little in a 6 a.m. Facebook post by saying Little is out to destroy traditional public education, and that Democrats should silently boycott him and “his ilk.”

Little has listed the Tennessee Charter School Center as a client, which Pinkston referenced.

Little’s firm is also working on Charles Robert Bone’s mayoral campaign, and worked on the elections of Judge Rachel Bell, District Attorney Glenn Funk, Judge Sheila Calloway and Judge Lynda Jones.

“Let's resist the campaign by John Little and Republican legislators to tear down our public schools,” Pinkston wrote in a post.

Little fired back Sunday, this time in a more personal tone. In the post, Little called Pinkston intellectually dishonest and a walking contradiction. He also posted a screen grab in an attempt to show Pinkston's previous altercations on social media.

“He was the kid in the school yard that no one wanted to play because he wasnt(sic) taught how to play well with others,” Little said. “This made him a loner which is evident in his adulthood. Throughout his political career he has been known for supporting someone and then attacking them.”

The tempers escalated from there, with the two exchanging numerous personal barbs.

In a statement Monday, Pinkston said he helped Little get his start in the charter movement at Nashville Prep and explains why he referenced Little's criminal history.

Little couldn't be immediately reached for comment Monday afternoon.

"During the hiring process, John failed to disclose that he had been involved in what apparently was a pretty vicious shootout in the not-too-distant past," Pinkston said. "All of this information came out in a background check, as I recall. Basically, the school had hired someone who would not ordinarily be allowed to work with kids or in schools. Having a troubled recent past is one thing. Not disclosing it, and allowing people to find out about it through a background check, is dishonest and speaks to character. It's the same lack of character that has led John to help groups trying to dismantle public education through bullhorn protests, social media bullying and other political campaign tactics. It's time for students, parents, teachers and public education advocates to stand up to people who try to tear down our schools.

"It's uncomfortable being on the front line defending public schools, but I am fine playing that role and will continue to do so."

The fight is on the heels of the district not being able to hire its preferred candidate.

Williamson County Schools Director Mike Looney decided Friday to remain in his district after being offered a contract in Davidson County and a contract extension in Williamson County.

Other prominent black leaders, along with Metro Council's Johnson, have called for the board to reconsider Huff as a candidate after the fallout. Board Chairwoman Sharon Gentry has said Metro Schools will likely restart its search for a director to replace retired Director of Schools Jesse Register.

Pinkston is no stranger to conflict on the board and on social media. Pinkston has also gone to war with RePublic Schools charter school founder Ravi Gupta on Facebook.

The Facebook conversation between Pinkston and Little on Sunday unfolds as follows:

Will Pinkston: “Unlike John Little, I've never fired shots at people (see Nashville Prep criminal background report). John: Instead of worrying about me, shouldn't you be working on a mayoral campaign today? Or are the charter zealots paying you more?”

John Little: “Again Will you are an very angry guy. Why are you trolling my page. This is the reason people always see you hanging out at the bar alone. This is why you wake up and go to sleep being angry! You really need a hug. No one welcomed your endorsement for this reason. I still don't know who you work for which is intellectually dishonest.”

John Little: “Last point you should watch your words that you type on a public forum because it can come back to haunt you financially.”

Will Pinkston: “John Little: If you're worried about words that "haunt ... financially," then you should just disclose your past. My understanding from Ravi Gupta is that you were involved in a Wild West-style shoot-out not long ago. If true, just admit. If not, I'll take off my body armor.”

John Little: “Will Pinkston I've never ran from it. Unlike you I own my mistakes and move on. Learn how to be more direct when you speak to men. But while you are worrying about the wild wild west you need to be worried about hiring the next school director. Over 85000 kids are depending on you.”

Will Pinkston: “John Little: Just one request ... Give me a running start before you fire on me. Ok?”

John Little: “Will Pinkston ask yourself why do you attack everyone and then play victim. The more I think about your past I've noticed how many people you are disrespectful to. You are single handily destroying public education because no one can work with you. You have been on the school board 3 years and have disrespected multiple school board chairs, superintendents, teachers, students and constituents. We can keep this up all day but you are not worth it. At 6pm tonight I will post factual information about all the people you have publicly tried to bully.

I'll let your colleagues and friends decide if ALL of the people were at fault.

You picked the wrong one today Willy.”

Will Pinkston: “Bring it on. I fight for kids and public education. You fight for investors and your payday. My side will always win. Unless you bring your handgun as you're known to do. But go ahead: Bring your bullets. I have Kevlar.”

John Little: “I'll respond at 6pm Pinkston. In the mean time do your job and get off Facebook.”

Will Pinkston: “John Little: I won't be able to obtain your Nashville Prep rap sheet by 6p today, but I'll get it and post it in due time. Reasonable people, including Democrats, will not want to to touch you with a 10-foot pole in the future. Good luck with the Koch Brothers.”

Will Pinkston: “John Little On my FB page, dozens of people have now publicly agreed to "Boycott John Little" even though I advised them to stay quiet or else you might shoot them. You are not liked. People don't trust or like you. Quit and officially go work for the Republicans.”

Little later posts to Facebook and tries to step away from the feud.

“As we have a debate about who destroys public education, I think a potential superintendent who looked at this Facebook feed would not touch our city with a 10 foot pole. As Will referenced I grew up tough, never made excuses or wanted people to feel sorry for me. I tell my story because I want it to help other kids who have been in juvie, expelled from school, homeless and a ward of the court to be able to have hope. With that, the things that I have seen and experienced make Will a version of Sesame Street to me.

"I do find it odd that he gets a pass from mutual friends when he is disrespectful and flat out an embarrassment for civil discussions. I would hope the school board chair reprimands him or his employer tells him to tone it down. If they don't, and next week he is attacking someone else then life will still go on. Its just a bad look. The best advice my mother told me ‘Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference.’”

The fight doesn’t stop until Little says he blocks Pinkston.

Will Pinkston: “John Little: Play the victim. But everyone knows you are classless and out to destroy public education. You pander to the paycheck. You do harm to kids and teachers. I'll fight you and your ilk as long as it takes. And we'll win. Go away. Nashville deserves better.

Will Pinkston: “Btw: After I advised people not to "like" my post because of your tendency toward retribution, more than 50 people (so far) were brave enough to speak out against you. My hope is that you'll put away the handgun, tear up the charter school paychecks, and stop attacking public education. But I won't hold my breath. Or shelve my Kevlar.”

John Little: “Will you are a class act!”

John Little: “But I will be blocking you to stop you from FB trolling. Thank you!”

Reach Jason Gonzales at 615-259-8047 and on Twitter @ByJasonGonzales.