Gov. Bill Lee’s threats to cut education funding would hurt students, senators say
NASHVILLE—Sens. Brenda Gilmore and Heidi Campbell are speaking out against Gov. Bill Lee’s latest threat to withhold public school funding from Metro Nashville Public Schools.
The Tennessean reported Monday that Gov. Lee’s administration may choose to hold back federal funds from Nashville’s school system.
Tennessee’s public schools are already severely underfunded. The National Education Association ranks Tennessee 46th in student funding.
Sen. Brenda Gilmore said further cuts would hurt Tennessee families.
“Withholding funds from Davidson County schools will hurt Tennessee families. Congress approved this funding and Dr. Adrienne Battle and the teachers at Nashville’s public schools need these funds badly and have used these resources to keep children learning through this pandemic,” Sen. Gilmore said. “Many of these children are from the inner city and have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic already. The threat of losing badly needed funds won’t help a single child learn how to read and will, in fact, hurt children in Davidson County.
“These funds belong to MNPS and all of Nashville’s public school families. I implore Gov. Lee to rethink the threat of withholding funds from Tennessee children,” Sen. Gilmore said.
Sen. Heidi Campbell was dismayed by the funding threat, which comes less than a week after the supermajority issued a funding threat against school districts, such as MNPS, that have not returned to in-person classes.
“Nearly one out of 10 students in Tennessee live in Nashville. If the governor’s office really cares about student outcomes, he wouldn’t be threatening, for the second time in two weeks, to defund Nashville’s schools.”
