News Summary
Plans for a state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) have hit a roadblock due to disagreements in the Tennessee legislature. While both the House and Senate agree on creating a new governance structure, they are divided on how to appoint an advisory board. Local representatives advocate for community control over educational decisions, as tensions rise with a recent audit and the firing of the superintendent. The future of the schools’ governance remains uncertain as debates continue within the legislature.
Memphis Schools Takeover Plans Stall Amid Legislative Squabbles
Memphis is buzzing with news as plans for a state takeover of Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) have hit a snag. Yes, you heard that right! The bills that were paving the way for the takeover passed through both the Tennessee House and Senate but came to a grinding halt due to some serious disagreements.
The Battle of the Bills
Both the House and Senate had their own visions for how a new governance structure would look for MSCS. They wanted to establish a nine-member advisory board to oversee the elected MSCS board. But here’s where the fun begins: the two versions of the bill differed on how to appoint the members of this advisory board! The Senate proposed that appointees would come from both the county and city mayors, while the House version didn’t include that specification at all. This lack of agreement on such a fundamental point has left the future of the takeover in limbo.
In order for the bills to make it into law, both chambers need to come together and pass identical versions. However, that just didn’t happen, and now the clock is ticking. The current legislative session is set to wrap up this week, and with no compromise on the horizon, the future looks uncertain.
Voices from the Community
A voice in the midst of this chaotic scene is Representative Torrey Harris. He aims to give the Shelby County Commission the chance to come up with its own solutions for MSCS, essentially arguing that local hands should guide local education. And who can forget the local activists? They deserve a shout-out for rallying together and thwarting this attempt to shift control away from local officials.
Meanwhile, Governor Lee Harris of Shelby County is also giving credit where it’s due: to the community activists fighting to keep decision-making power close to home. A broad consensus appears to be that local residents should have the ultimate say in how their schools are run.
The Audit and Tensions Rise
The story doesn’t end here! There’s an ongoing audit of MSCS that’s causing quite the stir, with a generous $6 million allocated in the state budget for this examination. As if that wasn’t enough excitement, tensions recently escalated dramatically when the MSCS board made the controversial decision to fire Superintendent Marie Feagins. This led to a significant backlash from the community and even a vote of no confidence from the county commission. Oh, but wait! Feagins isn’t taking this lying down; she is suing the board for wrongful termination. What a twist!
Constitutional Concerns and Looking Ahead
Critics of the Senate version of the bill pointed out that it proposed an advisory board with the responsibility to select replacements for elected board members, calling it unconstitutional. With such opposition brewing, no one knows what will happen next. The main sponsor of the takeover legislation is not backing down, revealing plans to revisit the takeover measure again in 2026 if things don’t change this session.
If initiated, this advisory board would take on tasks like managing budgets, overseeing contracts, and making certain policy decisions. The board would also be required to present a transformation policy within just 90 days of its formation. Talk about hitting the ground running!
What Lies Ahead?
Local lawmakers continue to stake their claim on the importance of keeping control within the elected school board, emphasizing that taking this power away undermines what local voters stand for. As the ongoing discussions swirl, these bills could make a comeback when the General Assembly kicks off again in January, or they might even be brought up in a special session sooner. Keep those eyes peeled, Memphis! The future of our schools is definitely still on the line.
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HERE Resources
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Additional Resources
- Fox 13 Memphis
- Commercial Appeal
- Tennessee Lookout
- Fox 13 Memphis
- Commercial Appeal
- Wikipedia: Memphis Shelby County Schools
- Google Search: Memphis Schools Takeover
- Google Scholar: Memphis Shelby County Schools takeover
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Memphis
- Google News: Memphis Schools Takeover
