Vote to Expand Vouchers Happening Tomorrow!
Chattanooga, Jackson, Knoxville could soon be included
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The Tennessee House of Representatives will vote tomorrow (Monday, April 17th) on legislation that would expand the state’s voucher program to Chattanooga, Jackson, and Knoxville.
The plan is a massive expansion of the state’s voucher program - and it reveals that Gov. Bill Lee was less than sincere when he suggested that the state would try vouchers in Memphis and Nashville and wait five years for results before expanding to other parts of the state.
Of course, an alternative approach to school vouchers would be a robust investment in public schools - but Lee and legislative leaders have demonstrated they are unwilling to do that.
Meanwhile, Rep. Jason Zachary, who cast the deciding vote in favor of vouchers back in 2019, has now received a subpoena from a federal grand jury:
Republican lawmaker Rep. Jason Zachary, R-Knoxville, was the latest House Republican to be subpoenaed to appear before a federal grand jury next week, according to a report from Nashville news outlet WTVF.
WTVF cited sources familiar with the situation that have knowledge of the investigation. Several other House Republicans were served similar subpoenas, including Tennessee Speaker of the House Cameron Sexton.
Yes, that’s right - the vote to create vouchers is the subject of controversy and a federal investigation - and still, Gov. Lee and his allies seem intent on expanding vouchers to ALL of Tennessee.
Vouchers - and their privatizing cousins, charter schools - are an expensive proposition that will certainly mean both higher taxes and negative educational outcomes for Tennessee communities.
Tomorrow, we’ll see where Tennessee House members stand on raising local taxes in order to pay for a subpar private education.
Surely this will be an unpopular opinion on this thread ...but fingers cross they pass the bill allowing vouchers!!!
I am an advocate for educating children ...not an advocate for schools (there’s a monumental difference between those two concepts)