And our public schools are still not getting the investment Tennessee’s children deserve. The latest NEA data puts Tennessee’s average teacher salary at about $61,222, ranking 40th nationally, while we are dead last in the nation on dollars spent per pupil in public schools.
Green suggests taking a portion of the state’s surplus and investing it in teacher pay and support and other needs of K-12 schools.
Tennessee’s Governor’s race is set – it will be attorney and Memphis City Councilwoman Jerri Green on the Democratic side and U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn as the GOP nominee.
Blackburn is a staunch supporter of school voucher schemes – she’s voted for Trump’s federal school voucher plan and vows to continue rapid expansion of Tennessee’s school voucher scheme. The current Tennessee private school discount plan costs the state $300 million and diverts millions in taxpayer dollars to a vendor that oversees the program.
The youngest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton is now on the Marsha Blackburn bandwagon.
The latest campaign financial report indicates that pro-Blackburn Team Tennessee PAC received $100,000 from Walton in the last reporting period.
Walton joins payday predators Advance Financial, Pennsylvania billionaire and privatization advocate Jeff Yass, the CEO of Jimmy John’s, and General Motors in supporting Blackburn and her reverse Robinhood economic and education agenda.
Blackburn has pledged to further expand Tennessee’s $300 million school voucher scheme if the 74-year-old career politician wins the Governor’s race.
Fully fund K-12 public education—not siphon dollars into unaccountable voucher schemes
Raise teacher pay and restore respect to the profession
Expand access to school counselors, nurses, and support staff
Protect honest, inclusive education—not censorship and political theater
Invest in universal pre-K, special education, and rural schools
Launch Public Service Year Program for high school graduates
Waive GED testing fees and take testing to all corners of the state
Start a dedicated childcare and early education fund, to include investments in afterschool and summer care programming for households making less than $75K a year
Ensure every public high school provides mental health screenings any parent can opt their child into
Set up a Special Education Equity Fund to ensure no students fall through the cracks as the Trump Administration cuts critical services for students with disabilities and special needs
Set up a “Teach Every Student” fellowship to encourage more teachers to go into special education
Use all possible medicaid dollars within schools to make sure students have the supports they need
About those more extreme social positions, Firefly notes:
On January 29, 2026, a clip from a Christian nationalist podcast went viral. Fritts called for capital punishment for parents, guardians, and medical professionals connected to gender-affirming care for minors. He stated the position “aligns with scripture.” Widespread national condemnation. Has not retracted.
Leaked audio from the August 2025 Washington County GOP “God, Guns, and Guts” event revealed Fritts calling for capital punishment for individuals who have had or provided abortions.
This guy really likes the idea of the state having the power to kill people who don’t align with his religious views.
Just over 4% of the money Rose has raised and spent for his campaign comes from people not named John Rose.
So, while more than 70% of the funds being spent to elect Marsha Blackburn come from out-of-state, more than 95% of the money being spent to convince voters to choose Rose comes from his own checkbook.
In the Republican primary for Tennessee governor, U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn has out-fundraised her rival U.S. Rep. John Rose, bringing in $2.8 million in contributions – more than 10 times more than Rose’s $259,227 haul.
But while 97% of Rose’s donations came from inside Tennessee, just 28% of Blackburn’s donors live here.
The youngest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton is now on the Marsha Blackburn bandwagon.
The latest campaign financial report indicates that pro-Blackburn Team Tennessee PAC received $100,000 from Walton in the last reporting period.
The Walton family has long supported private school discount coupons – otherwise known as school vouchers. These schemes divert funds from working-class families to wealthy families to use as tuition discounts at private schools.
In case you are wondering who is backing Blackburn’s campaign, the most recently-filed report for pro-Blackburn PAC Team Tennessee has some answers.
Among the backers: General Motors, coming in with a brisk $15,000, and the CEO of Jimmy John’s, offering up a fresh $100,000.
So, whether you’re looking for a new Chevy or just want a sub for lunch, be aware that your dollars could well be on their way to Blackburn’s campaign coffers.
Jeff Yass is one of the richest people in the world. He is the richest person in Pennsylvania. He is #25 or #27 on Bloomberg’s Billionaires’ Index, depending on which day you check.
Yass is known for his investment in TikTok’s parent company and for being a major financial supporter of President Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign.
He’s now the largest single contributor in Tennessee’s gubernatorial election after donating $1 million to Team Tennessee, a PAC that is backing U.S. Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s bid for the top job.
A group that supports a statewide program of private school discount coupons for wealthy families (school vouchers) is among the top political spenders in Tennessee.
Over the next two years, the School Freedom Fund spent $4.5 million across Tennessee’s 2024 legislative cycle and a special election for a Middle Tennessee Congressional seat in 2025. The group won five of the six primaries it spent on, signaling the value of its backing in winning competitive Republican elections.
The group spent nearly twice as much as the Tennessee Republican Caucus did in the 2024 cycle. Following that, state lawmakers passed Lee’s original 2024 statewide plan by a five-vote margin in the state House.
