To commemorate National School Choice week in Tennessee, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) released a statement calling for government funding to follow and benefit students.
“School choice is an issue that I hear about every single week from Tennesseans, and this is National School Choice Week. It has become even more important – as people have lived through the pandemic, as they are looking at how Critical Race Theory has been slipped into their children’s curriculum,” Senator Blackburn said in a statement. “And today, more than ever, we are hearing from parents in every county, every community across this great state that they want the opportunity to work with their children’s teachers, to make certain that they know how those children are being instructed in the classroom. I wish everyone well with National School Choice Week.”
Tennessee Governor Bill Lee also issued a proclamation recognizing January 23-29, 2022 as Tennessee School Choice Week. In a social media video, Governor Lee said, “We’ve fought hard to keep Tennessee parents in the driver’s seat of their kids’ education. School choice gives families the opportunity to set their children up for success in and beyond the classroom, and I’m proud to proclaim it School Choice Week in Tennessee.”
According to the National School Choice website, school choice is the process of allowing every family to choose the K-12 educational options that best fit their children. There are a variety of school choice options available for many of the 1.5 million children living in Tennessee. Families in Tennessee can choose from traditional public schools, public charter schools, public magnet schools, private schools, online academies, and homeschooling.
According to a poll previously reported on by The Tennessee Star, a majority of voters support school choice. The poll by Echelon Insights at the time showed among more than 1,100 registered voters surveyed, 65% supported school choice compared to 19% who opposed it, while 16% remained unsure.
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Kaitlin Housler is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]
