Today, the Republican supermajority in the Tennessee legislature rammed through a disastrous school voucher scheme that will funnel taxpayer dollars away from public schools and into the pockets of unaccountable, out-of-state private interests. The Washington County Democratic Party (WCDP) strongly condemns this attack on our students, our teachers, and our communities, especially since Tennessee families, Democratic and Republican, overwhelmingly opposed this voucher program.
“This is a sad day for Tennessee,” said Sylvain Bruni, WCDP Chair. “Republicans have abandoned our public schools—our children—so they can enrich private school executives with zero accountability. This scheme will strip essential resources from our already underfunded public schools, lower educational outcomes, and leave countless students behind.”
The legislation forces Tennessee taxpayers to subsidize private and religious schools, which are not subject to the same standards and regulations as public institutions. Instead of improving education for all children, this plan benefits only a privileged few while harming the vast majority of Tennessee families.
Washington County Democrats stand firmly with public school teachers, parents, and students who are fighting for fully funded, high-quality public education. We call on every Tennessean who values strong schools and fair opportunities to hold these Republican lawmakers accountable in the next election.