School board election bills filed for special session
Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton (shown at a campaign rally in Collierville on Oct. 28, 2020) has proposed one of two school board election bills. (Patrick Lantrip/Daily Memphian file)
School board elections in Tennessee could become partisan under two proposed bills under consideration at the legislative session on COVID-19 issues that begins Wednesday.
Despite the focus on coronavirus issues, state Rep. Scott Cepicky, R-Culleoka, and House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, have each proposed school board election bills. Cepicky’s bill allows the partisan elections. The bill filed by Sexton has stronger language and requires it.
“The legislation fits the agreed-upon call for this special session,” said Doug Kufner, Sexton’s director of communications. “Since candidate filing deadlines are early next year, Speaker Sexton believes this time-sensitive matter should be addressed this week so it can take effect during the next election cycle, should the bill pass.”
The Germantown Municipal School District Board of Education expressed its dissatisfaction with the partisan concept during its business meeting Tuesday, Oct. 26. Ryan Strain, the board’s Tennessee Legislative Network representative, noted “concern that partisan school board elections will divert the focus of school board elections from education policy to immaterial partisan disputes.”
The GMSD board also sent a letter regarding the bill to legislators whose districts include Germantown: state Sen. Brian Kelsey, R- Germantown, state Sen. Katrina Robinson, D-Memphis, state Rep. Dwayne Thompson, D-Cordova, state Rep. Kevin Vaughan, R-Collierville and state Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis.
“A school board’s focus is on the education and well-being of students attending its district’s schools – matters that should always be above partisan disputes,” the letter stated among its concerns.
The letter also noted partisan elections should not impact a number of issues reviewed by the board. School board elections also have less fundraising and partisan races could place an undeserved emphasis on financials.
Thompson, reached by phone Wednesday, agreed with many points Germantown made in its letter. He planned to vote against the matter if the bill proceeds.
Vaughan, who formerly served on Collierville Schools Board of Education, has not decided how he will vote.
“My first reaction is negative, but I will listen with an open mind,” he added.
Topics
elections school board elections Germantown Board of EducationAbigail Warren
Abigail Warren is an award-winning reporter and covers Collierville and Germantown for The Daily Memphian. She was raised in the Memphis suburbs, attended Westminster Academy and studied journalism at the University of Memphis. She has been with The Daily Memphian since 2018.
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