Knox County board adopts 2025 legislative priorities after hearing public opposition to vouchers

The Knox County Board of Education voted to adopt its 2025 legislative priorities as presented at its Jan. 9 meeting after a public forum in which multiple speakers urged the board to oppose voucher programs and the diversion of public funds to private schools.

Public forum speakers told trustees the board should prioritize fully funding public schools and resist state proposals that would direct public dollars to private or religious schools. Paula Hancock, who identified herself as a Knox County resident and longtime educator, said, “Funding is the key,” and argued that vouchers “harm public schools” by diverting scarce public resources away from schools that serve most students. Several other speakers — including Aaron Christner, Brandy Jenkins (reading a letter from State Representative Sam McKenzie), Ryan Beatty and Christiana Anton — similarly urged the board to oppose voucher and school-choice measures and to focus state advocacy on increased funding and supports for public schools and special education.

Board members debated how to present a unified set of priorities to state legislators. Reverend Butler moved that the board approve the legislative priorities as printed, “without the additional additions for further consideration” (as he stated), and his motion was seconded. Trustees discussed proposals raised during the meeting to add language that would urge accountability — for example, that institutions receiving public funds meet the same reporting and assessment requirements as public schools — but the adopted motion passed without those additions.

The board recorded the roll-call vote on the motion to adopt the priorities as presented: Doctor Butler (yes); Miss Templeton (yes); Miss Fontenot Ridley (yes); Miss Pike (yes); Miss Morgan (yes); Mister Triplett (no); Mister Wright (no); Miss Christie (pass); Miss Henderson (no). The meeting record shows the motion carried with five yes votes, three no votes and one pass.

Several trustees who opposed adding voucher-related language stressed the committee’s role in sending a unified, narrow set of priorities to Nashville and said the legislature ultimately controls voucher proposals. Trustees who supported considering additions said accountability and transparency for any institutions that would receive public funds should be encouraged.

What speakers told the board - Paula Hancock, Knox County resident and educator: urged full funding for public schools and said vouchers “do not reduce public education costs” and “harm public schools.” - Aaron Christner, Knox County resident: urged trustees to consider the national record on vouchers and noted recent repeal efforts elsewhere. - Brandy Jenkins read a letter from State Representative Sam McKenzie outlining concerns about funding implications of some proposed preschool or voucher funding mechanisms and noting infrastructure and special-education funding needs at the state level. - Christiana Anton, Knox County resident and educator: urged the board to prioritize counseling and special-education supports and not to advocate for vouchers that she said could strip students of federal protections.

What the board decided and what it did not decide The board’s vote adopted the 2025 legislative priorities as published by staff and declined on that motion to add the supplemental voucher- or accountability-related language that some trustees and public speakers urged. The action does not prevent individual trustees from later seeking to communicate additional views to legislators or from the board separately considering targeted additions if the adopted motion were to be rescinded and replaced; it does mean the board’s formal priorities package sent to state officials will reflect the document as approved on Jan. 9.

Ending The board concluded the legislative-priorities segment after the roll call and moved on to other business. Public comment on the topic continued to be vocal during the meeting and clearly framed the policy debate for trustees ahead of their vote.