- The candidate forum included the Democrats running for governor.
- It also included many of those running for Congress in Districts 5, 6 and 7.
- The event was sponsored by the University of Tennessee, Lipscomb University and the USA Today Network – Tennessee.
- The next forum is June 9 at 7 p.m. CDT at the University of Tennessee Martin.
Tennessee’s Democratic gubernatorial candidates criticized the state for a lack of education funding and vowed to fight the push for school vouchers during a forum Thursday.
Memphis community activist Carnita Atwater, Dr. Jason Martin of Nashville and Memphis City Council member JB Smiley, Jr., all competing for the Democratic nomination in the Aug. 4 primary, said they would not support school vouchers and decried the state’s new education funding formula.
What to know:Gov. Lee’s school voucher plan passed a key constitutional test. What we know and don’t know about what’s next
High court ruling:Tennessee Supreme Court rules in favor of Gov. Bill Lee’s controversial school voucher program
School vouchers are in the headlines once against because of a Tennessee Supreme Court ruling Wednesday.
Gov. Bill Lee’s voucher program — called education savings accounts — passed in 2019. But, a Tennessee Court of Appeals and a lower court ruled the law unconstitutional because it specifically targeted Nashville and Memphis students.
The state Supreme Court overturned those decisions declaring Lee’s program constitutional, dealing a blow to those against vouchers.
The voucher program still isn’t in effect and faces several other challenges from school districts in Nashville and Memphis.
Atwater, a former nurse and community leader, said vouchers were a “backdoor to systemic racism.”
“I am for public schools,” Atwater said. “I think when you go the route of vouchers, you take away money from public schools.”
Martin, a critical care physician, said he was against vouchers because they “defund public education” and criticized Lee’s approach to education.
“Lee has waged a war against public education during his entire term in office,” Martin said. “Whether it’s threatening librarians, not speaking out against book burning, taking away local authority rights to take care of themselves during COVID or not funding them.”
Smiley said he was “absolutely” against vouchers and called Lee’s new education plan “ineffective.”
“Lee’s has made it his mission to privatize public education,” Smiley said. “It creates a slippery slope. We allow the dollars to follow the students, but what happens when they go to private schools.”
Lee didn’t attend Thursday’s forum at Lipscomb University but has defended his approach education, citing the new funding formula and an influx of $1 billion toward K-12 schools in his latest budget. He has consistently said parents should have more say in how their children are educated.
Thursday’s forum was hosted by Lipscomb, the University of Tennessee and the USA Today Network – Tennessee.
Congressional forum
Following the gubernatorial forum, Republican candidates for the 5th congressional district participated in a second one, and Democratic candidates in 5th, 6th and 7th congressional districts participated in a third.
Watch in full:Governor and congressional candidate forum at Lipscomb University
The Republicans competing for the 5th district who participated were:
- Geni Batchelor
- Natisha Brooks
- Timothy Bruce Lee
- Stewart Parks
- Robby Starbuck
- Tres Wittum
Former Tennessee Speaker of the House Beth Harwell, Maury County Mayor Andy Ogles and Retired Brig. Gen. Kurt Winstead all lead the Republican primary in fundraising, and chose not attend the forum.
Starbuck was removed from the Republican primary ballot by the party in April, but participated in forum while he continued to challenge the decision in court.
Republican candidates mainly focused on their loyalty to former President Donald Trump, and whether they believe the 2020 election was legitimate. All questioned the 2020 election results.
On the Democratic side, there are no competitive primaries for the 5th or 7th congressional districts, and two candidates are competing in the 6th congressional district. The following candidates attended the forum:
- 5th district candidate state Sen. Heidi Campbell, -D-Nashville
- 6th district candidate Randall Cooper
- 6th district candidate Clay Faircloth
- 7th district candidate Odessa Kelly
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Tennessee, currently represents District 5 but is retiring after Republicans redrew his district in attempt to flip the Democratic stronghold.
Incumbent U.S. Reps. John Rose, R-Cookeville, who represents District 6, and Mark Green, R-Clarksville, who represents District 7, did not to attend the forum.
Democratic candidates largely focused on the need for more social safety net programs and bipartisanship.
Upcoming candidate forums
June 9 at 7 p.m. CDT. : University of Tennessee Martin — For gubernatorial candidates and congressional candidates for District 8
June 16 at 7 p.m. CDT: University of Tennessee Health Science Center (Memphis) — For gubernatorial candidates and congressional candidates for District 9
June 30 at 7 p.m. EDT: University of Tennessee Chattanooga — For gubernatorial candidates and congressional candidates for District 3
July 14 at 7 p.m. CDT: University of Tennessee Southern (Pulaski) — For gubernatorial candidates and congressional candidates for District 4
Adam Friedman is The Tennessean’s state government and politics reporter. Reach him by email at afriedman@tennessean.com.
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