Since September 2024, East Tennessee has been struggling to recover from Hurricane Helene’s devastating impact. Communities have been shattered, families displaced, and schools either destroyed or converted into emergency shelters to provide much-needed aid.

In the face of this natural disaster, Tennesseans showed their resilience and generosity, coming together to help one another. However, instead of prioritizing the $150 million that was set aside for a statewide school voucher program (rejected earlier in the year) for flood relief efforts, Governor Bill Lee chose a different route. Rather than using the funds to directly help affected communities, he offered loans to those struggling the most.

Now, months after the flooding, Governor Lee has called a special legislative session to push forward his controversial school voucher bill, using last year’s disaster as a justification.

The Voucher Debate: What’s at Stake

Tennessee families, still recovering from the hurricane, are facing freezing temperatures while relying on warming centers and temporary tents. They need immediate support and resources—not political fights over taxpayer-funded vouchers.

The proposed statewide voucher program has raised eyebrows because of its potential to harm public schools and benefit wealthier families. A similar system in Arkansas revealed that 82% of students who received vouchers continued attending the same private or homeschool they had before. Additionally, Arkansas legislators are now regretting the decision, as 75% of the voucher funds are reportedly going to the wealthiest families, leaving rural taxpayers to bear the cost.

Conservative lawmakers, including Rep. Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill), have voiced their opposition to the statewide voucher plan. Warner and others are urging the state to prioritize people over politics, highlighting the risks of undermining public education for political agendas.

Why Public Schools Matter

Tennessee’s rural communities, where over 90% of students attend public schools, cannot afford to lose their schools to fund a voucher program. Public schools do more than educate students—they serve as gathering places and are often the largest employers in small towns.

When states like Ohio adopted similar voucher programs, they saw skyrocketing costs, forcing local governments to make difficult choices: raise taxes, cut public services, or close schools. If Tennessee follows the same path, it risks dismantling public education and devastating communities.

What the People Want

Polls show that most Tennesseans oppose statewide vouchers. Parents in the state are increasingly concerned that leaving public schools would either leave them with no option (especially in rural areas) or provide a lower-quality education. Data already shows that Tennessee voucher recipients lag behind their public-school peers in test results.

Rural communities rely heavily on their public schools—not just for education but for stability and economic support. Cutting funding for these schools to pay for vouchers would be a disaster for these areas, potentially leading to teacher layoffs, school closures, and further disintegration of the community fabric.

The Call to Action

Tennessee must say YES to supporting its neighbors in East Tennessee who are still recovering from Hurricane Helene and NO to a statewide voucher program driven by out-of-state special interests. Lawmakers should focus on rebuilding communities and strengthening public schools, not creating a man-made disaster that could devastate the state’s education system.

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