NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — When it comes to addressing Tennessee's teacher shortage, Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton (R-Cookeville) believes it's time to "think outside of the box," but his idea to possibly drop the state's bachelor's degree requirement for teachers is drawing some criticism.

During Speaker Sexton's state-of-the-state address last month, he suggested creating a two-year associate degree program for teaching to churn out more educators in Tennessee.

"Can we make it a junior college degree, knowing that the teachers will all go back to get their bachelor's degree, their master's degree, and if you want to be in administration, then yes, you have to have your master's degree," Sexton said.

Sexton compared it to the various levels of nursing, with licensed practical nurs

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