Suit Challenges Tennessee School Voucher Law

Suit was filed yesterday in a Tennessee state trial court challenging the constitutionality under the state constitution of the Tennessee's school voucher law. The funding law applies only to two urban counties (Nashville an Memphis areas). The complaint (full text) in McEwen v. Lee, (TN Chancery Ct., filed 3/2/2020) alleges violations of the state constitution's home rule provision, its education and equal protection clauses, and state provisions on appropriation of public funds. The complaint alleges in part:

The Voucher Law diverts taxpayer dollars to private schools that are not required to adhere to the same academic, accountability, governance, and non-discrimination requirements as Tennessee’s public schools. Diverting limited public education funding to private schools that do not provide students the same standards of education and civil rights protections as public schools violates Tennessee’s Constitution and state law.

The ACLU of Tennessee issued a joint press release announcing the filing of the lawsuit.