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The Tennessee Conservative Staff –
Metro Nashville and Shelby County have finally given up on their lawsuit against a 2019 school voucher law after more than three years.
Court documents show that paperwork to withdraw the most recent appeal was filed on August 25 in the Tennessee Court of Appeals.
The school voucher legislation, passed in 2019, allows eligible families to receive funds that can be used for approved private schools. It was originally ruled to be unconstitutional in 2020 by a Nashville judge, after claims that it unfairly targeted only the two counties.
However, the Tennessee Supreme Court stated in 2022 that the law could stand and the program was launched in both Davidson and Shelby Counties. It was expanded to Hamilton County this year.
A second lawsuit, filed by the Education Law Center and the Southern Poverty Law Center in 2020, is still ongoing with an appeal pending in the state’s appellate court.
There are currently fewer than 2000 students participating in the state’s education savings account program, enrolled in 75 approved private schools in the three counties. There is a cap of 5000 students allowed to participate.
State Representative Mark White of Memphis says he plans to bring in legislation for the next session that would make the program available across the state.
