The following is a resolution I wrote in light of the special called session for January 27, 2025 and a letter from 7 Northeast Tennessee Mayors supporting the Governors voucher program.
RESOLUTION OPPOSING GOVERNOR LEE’S VOUCHER PLAN
WHEREAS, James Madison, Father of the United States Constitution stated, “The advancement and diffusion of knowledge…is the only guardian of true liberty;” and
WHEREAS, Thomas Jefferson, Founding Father and the Writer of the Declaration of Independence stated, “The tax which will be paid for this purpose [public education] is not more than the thousandth part of what will be paid to kings, priests, and nobles who will rise up among us if we leave the people in ignorance;” and
WHEREAS, both Jefferson and Madison saw a need for a public education system and went to great lengths to start public education in the early United States as a state and local government venture; and
WHEREAS, Jefferson’s principles emphasized local control, accountability, and the prevention of centralized interference in the education of future generations; and
WHEREAS, the introduction of a voucher program into private schools and homeschools gives government a stronger foothold into alternative forms of schooling; and
WHEREAS, public schools were established in the 19th century to provide equal opportunities for all children, regardless of socioeconomic status, recognizing education as a public good that strengthens communities and preserves freedom; and
WHEREAS, the Constitution of the State of Tennessee, in Article XI, Section 12, states that the Tennessee legislature “shall provide for the maintenance, support, and eligibility standards of a system of free public schools;” and
WHEREAS, the fulfillment of this constitutional guarantee is heavily reliant upon adequate state funding, which is vital for equipping schools with the necessary resources to serve the various needs of Tennessee’s students; and
WHEREAS, vouchers compel taxpayers to fund two separate education systems—public and private—placing undue strain on public school budgets and weakening their ability to serve all students effectively; and
WHEREAS, many of the vouchers are slated to go to families whose children are already in private schools and thus are a tax subsidy to families who can afford private schooling; and
WHEREAS, voucher advocates in the legislature have created language that protects school districts from loss of revenue due to losing students to private schools, thus this creates a new entitlement program, more spending, and thus higher taxation needs; and
WHEREAS, vouchers give choices to private schools, not families, as private institutions retain the right to refuse admission to students based on various criteria, potentially excluding those with special needs or from disadvantaged backgrounds; and
WHEREAS, many homeschoolers and private school parents value independence from government control and fear that voucher programs, by introducing public funds into private education, may lead to increased state oversight, regulation, and loss of autonomy through strings that are attached to the acceptance of state dollars; and
WHEREAS, the strength of our constitutional system lies in the principle of cooperative governance between state and local governments, and the use of financial threats to coerce support for state-level policies undermines this partnership, eroding trust and local autonomy; and
WHEREAS, withholding or threatening to withhold funding from local governments for failure to support specific legislation jeopardizes the welfare of students and communities by prioritizing political objectives over the needs of public education; and
WHEREAS, voucher programs threaten local control of education, which is vital to ensuring schools reflect the unique needs and values of their communities;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Greene County Commission opposes any legislation or policy that would create a school voucher program or divert public funds to private schools or organizations (including our own Greene County School System that employees nearly 900 men and women while educating nearly 6100 students), recognizing such efforts as detrimental to public education, local control, and community accountability.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Greene County Commission urges the Tennessee General Assembly to prioritize the strengthening of public schools and to invest in solutions that benefit all students, ensuring that taxpayer dollars are used transparently and effectively for the common good.
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