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Public commenter urges Bristol board to oppose state voucher expansion
Summary
Jenna Wingo of Public School Strong told the board she and the group oppose the recent Education Freedom Act voucher expansion, citing analyses that estimate large public fund diversion and asserting that families of students with disabilities face waiver of IDEA rights to participate.
Jenna Wingo, speaking during the public-comment period April 20, urged the Bristol School Board to oppose the state’s recently expanded voucher program and to continue communicating concerns to state legislators.
"Public School Strong has some continued concerns with the Education Freedom Act voucher expansion bill," Wingo said, and she described materials from Ed Trust Tennessee estimating that vouchers could divert hundreds of millions of dollars in public funds over several years. She told the board the group provided members with an informational brochure and encouraged continued opposition at the local level.
Wingo also said that students with disabilities must "waive their civil rights guaranteed by the IDEA to get vouchers," a claim she framed as a significant concern for families. She cited state legislative votes and examples from Arizona’s voucher experience to illustrate the possible fiscal impact and governance differences between public and private providers.
Board members thanked Wingo for bringing the information and said they would continue to advocate for public schools. The assertions Wingo raised reflect her organization’s analysis and outside research cited in the brochure; the board did not take formal action on the state law at the meeting.
