As a dad with two daughters in public schools, this is personal to me. My sister is a public school teacher, so I’ve seen firsthand the impact on educators every day. Every child deserves a great education, no matter where they live. That means fully funding our public schools, supporting our teachers, and preparing students for real opportunities after graduation.

I oppose efforts to divert funding away from public schools. They are the foundation of our communities and serve the vast majority of Tennessee families. I also recognize that some families use voucher programs. If taxpayer dollars are used anywhere, there must be real accountability, transparency, and clear standards to ensure students are truly being served. We shouldn’t take resources away from public schools while asking teachers and families to do more with less.