Statement following the conviction of Derek Chauvin
University School of Nashville shared the following message on April 20, 2021 following the guilty verdict in the murder trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin.
Nearly a year after the world witnessed the horrific last breaths of George Floyd, we watched today as Minneapolis takes a step to bring justice to his family and community — signaling the awakening efforts of a movement to stop the premature ending of Black lives throughout our nation’s past and present. Black lives matter — in Minneapolis, in Nashville, and across the United States. And University School of Nashville will continue to turn students’ attention to this social justice movement through age-appropriate yet honest examinations of hard history and focusing on basic human rights. Change begins with not only committing to advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in our hallways but also creating and investing in a well-rounded curriculum and programming for our students to lead our country to a better tomorrow for Blacks and all Americans.
The impact of USN’s Art Department is not confined to art studios in the Christine Slayden Tibbott Center. Students often engage with art in ways that transcend traditional classroom learning, such as at the opening reception for artist Yanira Vissepó's “Fantastical Views.”
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History has named Social Studies Teacher Ayesha Nawaz the 2026 Tennessee History Teacher of the Year for her innovative lessons that bring stories of the past to life for students today.
USN Mission: University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.