Tonight at 5:30 p.m., the unified 23-member Shelby County Board of Education holds its first business meeting since becoming a countywide board earlier this month. The meeting is held at the Memphis City Schools Teaching and Learning Academy at 2840 Union Avenue, just around the corner from the large office complex off Hollywood that is shared by MCS and Shelby County Schools.
You can read the agenda here: Board Agenda - 1025.pdf.
As Jane Roberts reports here, we expect the biggest issues of the night to be recommendation of charter schools and debate over a resolution regarding the bill that Germantown State Sen. Brian Kelsey is advancing on giving families vouchers to help pay for private school tuition.
Sara Lewis, an MCS representative who had a long career as MCS teacher, principal and administrator, will introduce a resolution opposed to the vouchers bill. Other systems in Tennessee are lined up aggressively opposing the bill, including the Oak Ridge system that Germantown officials visited last week. Lewis said:
Interestingly, the board agenda tonight also includes MCS Supt. Kriner Cash's presentation on "rightsizing" which would result in closing schools that are not performing well and/or are under-utilized and/or badly need renovations.
The meeting can be seen on cable channel 19, heard on FM 88.5 or followed online via a livestream at SCSBoard.org.
You can read the agenda here: Board Agenda - 1025.pdf.
As Jane Roberts reports here, we expect the biggest issues of the night to be recommendation of charter schools and debate over a resolution regarding the bill that Germantown State Sen. Brian Kelsey is advancing on giving families vouchers to help pay for private school tuition.
Sara Lewis, an MCS representative who had a long career as MCS teacher, principal and administrator, will introduce a resolution opposed to the vouchers bill. Other systems in Tennessee are lined up aggressively opposing the bill, including the Oak Ridge system that Germantown officials visited last week. Lewis said:
"Public school money should be used for public schools. It's not that I am entirely satisfied with what is going on in the public schools or that I think we can't do more, but taking away resources and sending them to someone else who may not do any better is not the answer."However, fellow Memphis representative Kenneth Whalum Jr., fresh off hearing nationally-renowned educator Steve Perry endorse vouchers at a Lipscomb & Pitts Breakfast Club meeting last week, takes an entirely different tack, which the article goes into. The story on Perry's talk last week makes for interesting reading; basically, he says if schools aren't performing well, close them. And if there aren't enough good public schools, then go with vouchers.
Interestingly, the board agenda tonight also includes MCS Supt. Kriner Cash's presentation on "rightsizing" which would result in closing schools that are not performing well and/or are under-utilized and/or badly need renovations.
The meeting can be seen on cable channel 19, heard on FM 88.5 or followed online via a livestream at SCSBoard.org.
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