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The Tennessee Conservative [By Olivia Lupia] –
A bill signed by Gov. Lee will prevent Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) from using public money to sue over a different accountability bill passed by the legislature this year which creates a state oversight board with control over the district’s budgeting and staffing decisions.
The “takeover” legislation had been in the works for a couple years, championed by Memphis- area lawmakers Sen. Brent Taylor and Rep. Mark White not as a punishment for the floundering district, but to help right a sinking ship.
The bill creates six criteria warranting state intervention and MSCS meets them all, including low academics, failing a forensic audit, and evidence of mismanagement.
“The current board members are not responsible for decades-old problems at the school district, but they’re not moving the needle. And to just keep trying to do the same thing we’ve been doing to try and get a different result is like marrying your ex. Everything’s the same except for the cake,” Sen. Taylor said. “So, it’s important that we hold these school board officials accountable and that we put in place these board of managers who will quickly turn this ship around, because again, 75% of the kids graduate and can’t read… And if you hear the county commission, the county mayor, the school board, they’re only interested in their positions and what power they think they have, and the kids get lost in all this.”
SB1714 was finally passed by the House during the regular 2026 legislative session and creates the managerial board for four years comprised of nine members, all required to be Shelby County residents except one. The MSCS board will be required to submit its budget, which totaled $1.9 billion this year, to the oversight board, which will also have the authority to hire or fire district employees and negate board actions.
If the school district does not meet certain benchmarks within the four years, another board will be appointed for two additional years.
With the passage of SB1714 looming, the MSCS board unanimously voted in a special session to hire a lawyer to fight the oversight legislation, but just hours before the board met, Gov. Lee signed a separate bill which blocks the district from using public funds to pay for the lawyer.
As amended, SB0712, also by Sen. Taylor and Rep. White, simply states “an LEA or public charter school shall not use public funds to initiate or maintain any civil action or proceeding against this state or an agency or officer of this state to challenge a school or district accountability measure.”
The bill essentially hamstrings the MSCS board’s intention to use tax dollars to fight a measure intended to correct their own seeming incompetence.
The board may still be looking for alternative ways to challenge the legislation, which has not yet been officially signed by the Governor into law, and MSCS’ general counsel said the district will wait for that signature before advancing any legal action, but for the moment, it appears their hands are tied and the oversight measures will be put in place shortly.
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
