Nashville, Shelby County still weighing voucher lawsuit – Nashville Post

Metro Nashville Public Schools is still considering legal action against the state should Gov. Bill Lee’s voucher proposal continue moving forward.

A spokesperson for MNPS said district leadership, which threatened legal action in April, was still figuring out what to do but would prefer that the legislature repeal the bill, which would give qualifying families in Davidson and Shelby counties more than $7,000 in taxpayer funds to pay for private school tuition and other related costs.

“Metro Schools, along with Shelby County and non-governmental entities, continues to explore legal options that would invalidate this targeted attack on schools in Shelby and Davidson Counties,” MNPS spokesperson Sean Braisted said. “We do not yet have a timeline for legal action and would need approval from the School Board before moving forward as a district. We would prefer that instead of requiring litigation, the legislature would revisit and repeal this law that was passed under questionable circumstances.”

The entire Davidson County delegation voted against the proposal, which passed in the House by a single vote after then-Speaker Glen Casada held the board open for more than 30 minutes while trying to convince a series of lawmakers to switch their vote. (A group of Democrats, with the backing of a single Republican, has already filed an effort to repeal the legislation.)

The controversy surrounding the vote did not end there. One Democratic lawmaker, Rep. John Mark Windle, said he was promised a promotion in the Tennessee National Guard in exchange for his vote.

Then a $4 million grant fund tucked into the state budget fell under scrutiny, as critics questioned whether Casada had used it as a “slush fund” to incentivize lawmakers.

Another hiccup came late last month when Lee’s education commissioner, Penny Schwinn, told lawmakers that funds families received as part of the program would be considered taxable income. The administration quickly reversed itself after lawmakers who supported the bill expressed concern.

Lee has continued to stand behind the proposal, even pushing for it to be instituted a year ahead of schedule, an expedited timeline questioned by new Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton. Even with legislative support, it might be difficult to meet the accelerated deadline, as the Department of Education has seen unprecedented high-level departures under Schwinn.