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
The leading Democrat running to be Tennessee’s next Governor is calling for an end to the state’s voucher program.
Jerri Green says in a recent Substack post that if elected, she’ll work to end the state’s voucher program and redirect the funds to the state’s public schools.
Every dollar diverted to vouchers is a dollar taken directly from classrooms, teachers, and students across Tennessee.
In an OpEd in the Jackson Post, Democratic gubernatorial candidate Jerri Green highlights the challenges of school vouchers and calls on the state to use the money – now up to some $300 million – to invest in public schools:
Even more troubling, multiple reports show that students who use vouchers often perform worse academically than their peers who remain in public schools. Lower test scores, disrupted learning, and less accountability are becoming the norm—not the exception.
She outlines how to invest the money:
Imagine what we could do if, instead of draining public schools, we invested in them:
We could pay our teachers what they deserve and finally address the staffing shortages hurting our schools.
We could expand special education services so every child receives the support they need to succeed.
We could build strong career pathways, certifications, and workforce training programs that prepare students for good-paying jobs right here in Tennessee.
Memphis City Council Member Jerri Green – a previous candidate for the TN House of Representatives – announced she plans to run for Governor in 2026. Current Gov. Bill Lee is term-limited.
Green, a Democrat, said she plans to bring an “army of moms” to the campaign.
