Despite passionate opposition from Memphis faith leaders, educators and community advocates, a bill that could place Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) under state control advanced out of a key Tennessee House subcommittee Tuesday, March 19.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis), would allow the state to assume authority over a local school board if it determines the district is “fiscally impaired” or experiencing governance issues. Supporters argue the measure is necessary to ensure accountability, while critics — including MSCS board members and Memphis leaders — say it is a targeted attack on local control.
Organized by the S.O.S. (Save Our Students) Coalition, a delegation of Memphians traveled to Nashville in an effort to stop the bill, which critics argue is an overreach by state lawmakers into local education. Despite pushback from Democratic lawmakers and community members, the bill cleared its first legislative hurdle and now moves to the full House Education Committee.
Monday night, ahead of the legislative showdown, clergy members and advocates rallied at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church, calling on Memphis residents to contact their lawmakers and oppose the measure.
Ron Redwing, founder of the S.O.S. Coalition, opened the rally by emphasizing the faith community’s leadership in the fight against state intervention.
“We’re so proud to have today with us many of our faith leaders, many who’ve been leading congregations and us in this city for many, many years,” Redwing said. “This state takeover is something that we vehemently oppose, and the purpose of our gathering here this evening is to show this city, this community and this state that we’re not going to take it lying down.”
The rally began with a passionate prayer from Dr. Gina Stewart of Christ Missionary Baptist Church.
“God of justice, God of power, God of might, we come before you today with our hearts burdened for our schools,” she prayed. “We come out of concern for the roots that are being attempted to be uprooted.”
Faith leaders took turns reinforcing the rally’s central message: Memphis schools belong under local control.
Apostle Bill Adkins of Greater Imani Church reminded the crowd that the stakes go beyond education.
“We believe democracy must remain in this country,” Adkins said. “A city within the state ought to be able to elect board members, mayors, hire people, and govern its own city without interference from Nashville.”
Adkins suggested that the true motive behind the takeover was not education but control over the MSCS $2.1 billion budget.
“You’re not going to convince me that Republicans in Middle and East Tennessee care anything about our children,” he said. “What I believe they care about is that budget.”
Bishop Linwood Dillard of Citadel of Deliverance Church of God in Christ echoed concerns about outside influence in Memphis education.
“This takeover suggests that Memphis and Shelby County communities are incapable of providing leadership, implying that we need babysitting, micromanaging and dictatorship,” he said. “How can anyone rule what’s best for us if they don’t know us?” he asked.
His closing words summed up the community’s stance: “We may need a makeover, but we do not need a takeover.”
In fiery remarks after the event, Shelby County Board of Education member Towanna Murphy lit into the pro-Feagins movement that ultimately birthed a “no-confidence” vote by Shelby County Commissioners.
“Once they pushed that no-confidence vote, that gave the state the open door to say, ‘Hey, let’s go ahead and do the state takeover,’” Murphy said. “See, the community don’t know that when you do things like that, it comes back to slap us in the face like it is now. And now it’s real.
“This is real now because they made it real when they should have just allowed us to do our jobs and govern,” Murphy continued. “We were within our rights (to dismiss Feagins). We follow policies. We follow rules and regulations. But because we didn’t agree — they didn’t agree with us — they got us to this point now where the state wants to take over.”
While the overwhelming sentiment at the rally was opposition to state intervention, Ardez Clark, a vocal presence at recent school board meetings and a pro-Feagins activist, challenged the movement’s stance.
“We were telling them, ‘Hey, give (Feagins) just a little more time,’” said Clark, one of the more vocal Feagins’ supporters during school board meetings. “We were telling them, ‘The state can step in, the state can step in.’ No . . . they were adamant about what they was going to do.
“Now, all of a sudden, ball is in their court, and they want to stop it?” Clark said. “I’m with the state. I ain’t gonna lie to you. I’m standing 10 toes with it. It’s time for a change, man.”
For Redwing and the rest of the several dozen people who attended the event, the immediate goal is stopping the bill in Nashville. He called on the community to pressure County Commissioners Britney Thornton and Erika Sugarmon, whose no-confidence votes have been cited as part of the justification for the takeover.
“That vote is the trigger the state is using to take over these schools,” Redwing said. “If that vote is rescinded, it changes the trajectory of this bill.”
