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By Buzz Trexler

Star Correspondent

Republican state Sen. Rusty Crowe said he is currently in the undecided column when it comes to Gov. Bill Lee’s current version of the Education Freedom Scholarship Act.

The Star reached out to Crowe and state Reps. Renea Jones (R-Unicoi, District 4) and Timothy Hill (R-Blountville, District 3) by email Wednesday seeking their comments on the legislation. Neither Jones, who was elected in November, nor Hill responded by Thursday night, but Jones has voiced opposition in the past, while Hill has been noncommittal.

The governor on Wednesday announced he will call for the Tennessee General Assembly to convene a special session on Jan. 27 to pass the act, but Crowe said in an email the voucher legislation was not at the top of his list.

“Regarding the special session that has just been called by the governor, my first priority will, of course, be making sure that our counties are made whole with regard to the dollars and assistance needed to take care of all of the flood damage,” Crowe wrote. “As to the immigration issue that has been made a part of the call of this special session, we are not certain yet as to what assistance the governor will be asking for; however, I do support President Trump’s effort in quickly deporting criminals, gang members, etc.”

With respect to the governor’s Education Freedom Scholarship Act, Crowe noted that school boards have expressed their opposition, while county mayors have voiced their support. 

“As such, although I have not decided how I will vote on this legislation if it should reach the floor of the Senate for a vote, I do feel that I should, however, vote in committee to send it through to allow for a full debate and discussion prior to that time that it would arrive for a final vote on the floor of the Senate,” he wrote.

Crowe represents Carter, Johnson and Washington counties and is a member of the Senate Education Committee. He believes the process will allow “the opportunity for a full discussion and debate before a motion for the final vote takes place in each chamber.”

Jones, who is past president of Tennessee School Boards Association and served on the Unicoi County Board of Education from 2002 to 2014, has not responded to the current request for comment, but during the campaign she voiced opposition to the 2024 legislation.

“As a long-time school board member and president of the Tennessee School Boards Association, I oppose diverting public funds from public schools,” Jones wrote in response to questions from The Star. “The governor’s limited voucher program, which began two years ago, shows little evidence of academic growth for Tennessee students. Without such proof, I see no reason for the Education Freedom Scholarship Act’s implementation in Northeast Tennessee. 

“Further, accepting state vouchers may undermine the reasons parents choose private school for their children, as state and federal funds always come with strings attached,” Jones wrote. “I firmly believe that local schools are best governed by local decisions!”

Hill also has not responded to Wednesday’s email, but during the campaign wrote in response to a question about the Education Freedom Scholarship Act of 2024, “We have to preserve the rights of parents, do what is best for our children while demonstrating concern for the rural school districts throughout the state.”

For the second year, the Elizabethton Board of Education during a regular session Thursday night passed a resolution opposing school vouchers. During a called meeting Wednesday night, the Sullivan County Board of Education passed a similar resolution, as have the Carter County Board of Education, the Kingsport Board of Education, and the Washington County Board of Education.

A 2025 Tennessee School Boards Association legislative agenda statement reads, “TSBA affirms the importance of prioritizing and protecting funding for public schools, ensuring that they have the necessary resources to provide a high-quality education for all students and maintains that public funds should exclusively support public schools and remain separate from private school funding.”

Elizabethton City Mayor William E. “Bill” Carter said Wednesday the City Council leaves such matters to the school board.

“My position is the council’s job is to fund education as requested by the elected Elizabethton School Board. We do not get involved with policy and procedures,” Carter said in an email. “The council has not passed a resolution as to how we feel about the act nor is there any plans to do so at this time. The response is the responsibility of the elected City School Board of which our citizens put trust in to decide if they support the act.”

Nonetheless, Mayor Pro Tem Michael G. “Mike” Simerly, who serves as the City Council liaison to the school board, spoke during Thursday night’s school board meeting.

“I’m only one vote on City Council and I’m only one voice of seven,” Simerly said, adding that he was personally opposed to the governor’s program of using public tax dollars for private school needs.