Parents and Community Members Urge Tennessee Court to End Voucher Program
NASHVILLE, Tenn. 鈥� Today, a panel of judges for the Davidson County Chancery Court heard arguments in two consolidated cases challenging the constitutionality of Tennessee鈥檚 private school voucher law, which the state began implementing in August.听
The plaintiffs 鈥� Davidson and Shelby County parents and community members 鈥� argued that Tennessee鈥檚 voucher program illegally diverts taxpayer funds appropriated for public schools in those counties to private schools. They asserted that the program violates the Tennessee Constitution and state law, exacerbates underfunding of public schools, and treats Davidson and Shelby County students and taxpayers differently from their counterparts across the state.
鈥淢y daughter鈥檚 public school is wonderful. But it already struggles with funding for textbooks, technology, and enough teachers to keep class sizes down,鈥� said听plaintiff Roxanne McEwen,听whose child is a student in Metro Nashville Public Schools. 鈥淚t鈥檚 wrong to take money away from our public schools 鈥� which serve every child who walks through their doors 鈥� when they are already underfunded.鈥�
Private schools participating in the taxpayer-funded voucher program are not obligated to comply with the academic, accountability, and governance standards that apply to public schools. Unlike public schools, private schools can discriminate against students on the basis of religion, 人兽性交 status, and other characteristics, as well as refuse to provide services such as special education for students with disabilities.
鈥淭he state and the other defendants want the court to throw out this case before the plaintiffs have even had a chance to fully air their claims,鈥� said听Chris Wood, partner at Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd. 鈥淥ur clients have asserted multiple violations of the constitution and state law that the court has not yet heard or decided.鈥�
Public school parents and community members in Shelby and Davidson Counties filed听McEwen v. Lee听in 2020. They are represented by the ACLU of Tennessee, Education Law Center, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and Robbins Geller Rudman & Dowd LLP. The听McEwen听case has been consolidated with听Metro Government v. Tennessee Department of Education, another case challenging the voucher law.
More information about听McEwen v. Lee听is available听at:听.
