Every legislator has a rendezvous with destiny the minute they take office. They will vote on legislation that affects the lives and livelihoods of every resident they are elected to represent and the rest of the state’s residents. By engaging with the present, they also connect with the future.
We can learn from our past experiences by making informed decisions about the future. We know policymakers can never address the root causes of education issues if they limit public input and lack transparency. The proposed voucher legislation should have been part of the normal legislative process.
No legislation should be focused on “leaving a legacy for a Governor” but instead on what is in the best interest of the citizens of this state. There is an old saying in Nashville that “The Governor proposes and General Assembly disposes.” We have three branches of government to prevent any one branch from becoming too powerful.
As Governor, Lamar Alexander built a community of education leaders to focus on education improvement. The Lee Administration could have followed a similar pattern but chose a different direction.
Instead, we have seen out-of-state bureaucrats with little in-state connections brought in to head up our state agencies and a growing reliance on out-of-state interests to drive our education agenda. One such lobbyist has bragged on social media that he helped write this voucher bill.
The goal of a “special session” should not be to reach a specific outcome on universal vouchers without genuine input from stakeholders quickly. In that case, the actions taken during a special session will reinforce the notion that education stakeholders and the majority of parents in Tennessee can no longer trust that our state is committed to addressing fundamental issues in our current public education system.
We must also remain committed to fiscally responsible education policies that enhance access and quality for all students.
We need evidence-based policymaking, active stakeholder involvement, and a commitment to continuous improvement to create effective policies for students and educators. Open dialogue is crucial, even in disagreement, as there is often more common ground than we think.
Therefore, we urge the Tennessee General Assembly members to reject the universal voucher legislation during this special session and to engage in open, transparent discussions with actual public input from Tennessee citizens.
Legislators must act with honor and integrity to safeguard our state’s future and uphold our values. The Tennessee Constitution requires the General Assembly to provide for the maintenance, support, and eligibility standards of a system of free public schools.
The Tennessee General Assembly has many constitutionally principled public stewards. They understand that the people who live and work here are the best people to address our education issues.
This moment in history illustrates the enduring spirit of Tennesseans: our commitment to something greater than ourselves and the quest for a meaningful legacy for all.
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JC Bowman is the Executive Director of Professional Educators of Tennessee, a non-partisan teacher association headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author and the association are properly cited. For more information on this subject or any education issue please contact Professional Educators of Tennessee. To schedule an interview please contact info@proedtn.org or 1-800-471-4867.
