Tennessee Republicans this week advanced legislation to allow public schools to display the Ten Commandments.
The House Education Committee passed House Bill 47 on Tuesday over the objections of some Democrats who argued constitutional concerns would open up individual schools to lengthy lawsuits.
The bill would allow — though not require — local Tennessee schools to display the Ten Commandments as a “historically significant” document alongside documents like the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.
In his final State of the State address, Gov. Bill Lee made clear his support for rapid privatization of schools.
Lee called on the legislature to double the number of school vouchers (essentially, discount coupons for private schools), with a total voucher cost of $303 million.
Gov. Bill Lee wants Tennessee lawmakers to invest more than $155 million into the state’s voucher program, which would double the Education Freedom Scholarships pool from 20,000 to 40,000 private school vouchers.
Lee’s proposed budget also would more than double the costs of the program and blow past the expansion cap lawmakers voted on last year, growing the program beyond its original limits despite little data to indicate the program is impacting student achievement.
If Lee achieves his goal, Tennessee would spend more than $303 million in public dollars next fiscal year to help send 40,000 students to private schools across the state.
Lee’s budget move for vouchers follows a trend in other discount coupon states: Rapid expansion that eats more and more of the state budget and also disrupts local school funding.
Indiana, Arizona, and Florida have all seen voucher budgets grow to consumer significant state dollars, leaving crumbs on the table for public schools.
This is Lee’s top legislative achievement – voucherizing Tennessee public schools. It’s been his top priority since 2019, and as he leaves office, his dream (and the state’s nightmare) is on the verge of being realized.
Subsidize private education for the rich. School vouchers, on average, cover just 39% of middle school private school tuition across the sampled states. Even with a private school voucher, tuition prices are often out of reach for working-class families, meaning that the vouchers function as a subsidy to the rich who can already afford to pay for private education.
A group of Tennessee public school parents joined with faith leaders to oppose the establishment of a publicly-funded, explicitly religious charter school.
An email from the Education Law Center offers details:
The lawsuit, The Wilberforce Academy of Knoxville v. Knox County Board of Education, was filed in November 2025 by a religious organization that wants to run a public charter school—funded by taxpayers—that, according to the school’s own legal complaint, would provide an “explicitly biblical and Christian education.” The proposed intervenors are seeking to join the lawsuit on the side of the defendants, the Knox County Board of Education and its members. They oppose Wilberforce Academy’s effort to force the defendants to authorize and fund it as a religious public charter school.
Amanda Collins is one of those seeking to join the suit and stop the religious charter school:
“Public education is part of the common good. A religious charter school would be at odds with the need to ensure public schools remain appropriate for and welcoming to students of all faiths, families, and backgrounds,” said proposed intervenor Amanda Collins, a retired school psychologist and parent of Knox County public school students. “And it would divert already limited public funds and scarce resources away from other public schools in Knox County. We can’t let this happen.”
Faith leaders are also joining the effort:
“The Reformed tradition in which I am formed has long supported the separation of church and state, believing that our faith, and all faiths, are best supported when they are free of undue state interference. This is why I object to the use of tax dollars to support religious education of any kind, including my own religion. Religious education is the job of churches, denominations, and private religious schools,” said the Rev. Dr. Richard Coble, another proposed intervenor, who is a pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Knoxville and the parent of two Knox County public school students.
Despite the Knox County School Board voting to ask the Tennessee General Assembly to reject efforts to ask schools to enforce immigration law/ask for proof of legal status, the district’s Superintendent indicates he’s ICE-friendly.
With the ongoing push for immigration enforcement, some are wondering whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers will be allowed come into Knox County Schools.
KCS Superintendent Dr. Jon Rysewyk stated that the schools would have the same protocols with ICE as with any other law enforcement agency, saying, “We will follow the law.” He also specified that there had not been a situation where ICE had asked to enter a KCS classroom.
A KCS spokesperson added weasel words:
“KCS takes the safety and security of our school campuses seriously. We do not give any entity access to students or educational records without legal authorization. In accordance with state and federal law, we do not maintain records on the immigration status of students,” a KCS spokesperson said. “As always, we will follow the law and we will verify any documents necessitating access to school campuses through the Knox County Law Department. Our priority is and always will remain the safety of our students.”
Let’s be 100% clear: Allowing ICE on school campuses threatens the safety of students, teachers, and school communities. Anything short of a refusal to allow ICE to come on to school property is the same thing as saying you are OK with ICE and with the disruption and threat to safety they pose.
Educators who wish to put students first will reject the tactics of ICE, period. Those, like the Knox County Director of Schools, who suggest cooperation with a masked, paramilitary group that demonstrates zero accountability are, in fact, a part of the problem.
Dr. Rysewyk, your policy of appeasement is noted, and students in your care are less safe because of it.
NewsChannel5reports on a Manchester teacher who won a Milken Foundation Award, which includes a trip to Washington, DC and $25,000.
However, it was something else pretty great. Among the guests were past recipients of the Milken Educator Award. It’s part of the Milken Family Foundation and recognizes outstanding teachers. Winners get a trip to Washington DC for an awards program and $25,000.
Dr. Joshua Barnett of the National Institute for Excellence in Teaching had the name.
“Who is it? Are we ready to find out?” he asked the student body as they cheered. “Students, do we want to know who the best teacher is? The Milken Educator Award goes to Holly Logan!”
Tennessee Republican lawmakers, eager to prove their allegiance to Trump, have filed a raft of bills on immigration. And, they say they are considering a measure requiring schools to collect immigration information.
Lawmakers confirmed they are considering a proposal involving the collection or verification of immigration status data for K-12 students, but said details are still being worked out. Leaders said they are waiting on guidance from the U.S. Department of Education, particularly regarding potential impacts on federal funding.
It remains unclear how data would be stored or whether it would be shared beyond education agencies.
Some school districts are already speaking out in opposition to the effort:
The coalition representing public school districts says the voucher program violates the state constitution’s equal protection provisions by providing more funds for some students receiving vouchers than their public school peers.
In the 2023-2024 school year, students in Richmond Heights Local School District received $1,530 in state funding. Students in Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District received $2,600. That’s far less than whatEdChoice students in grades K-8 received, $6,166, and high school students got, $8,408.
The districts argue this disparity is unjustified and discriminatory, and that public school students should not have to leave public education to receive equal treatment.
