Support Public Schools: Pastors Urge Gov. Lee to Reject Vouchers

Advocacy group opposes school vouchers, asks state to invest in public education

A group of Tennessee pastors affiliated with the Southern Christian Coalition issued a call for Gov. Lee and legislators to provide improved funding for the state's public schools during this year's legislative session.

In a video statement, a spokesperson for the advocacy group said Lee should abandon his plan to expand a school voucher program and instead focus on investing in public education.

Rev. Brandon Berg, a United Methodist pastor in Anderson County, said, "Why can't Governor Lee see how deeply Tennesseans believe that every student -no matter where they live in the state and no matter the color of their skin - deserve the freedom to a high quality public school? Instead, in spite of his constituents’ concerns, he insists on pushing his voucher plan that will bleed funding from our already underfunded, hyperscrutinized public schools and divert it to private schools with far weaker accountability. In fact, Lee and the other supporters of vouchers refuse to answer questions about accountability for those schools. When I look around here in Anderson county in East Tennessee I can see how profoundly our public schools bind our communities together. It is patently obvious that we are stronger as a community when we fully fund and support our public schools!"

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