For the second time members of the Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education are taking the unusual position of stepping into the Nashville mayoral election.
Board members put out a joint statement Thursday to officially endorse Metro Councilman Freddie O’Connell in the upcoming mayoral runoff against former Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development Assistant Commissioner Alice Rolli.
“As dedicated educators, parents, and advocates for the advancement of our city’s public education system, we believe Freddie O’Connell is the best candidate for Nashville’s schools and its students,” said MNPS School Board members in a press release. “Nashville deserves a mayor with a positive vision for providing an equitable and high-quality public education for all of our students. Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) need his experience, commitment, and leadership in city hall as a collaborative partner with the school board to create a city where every child has the opportunity to succeed. Freddie understands classrooms reflect their communities so he has worked for positive change to essential elements that influence our schools: adverse childhood experiences, community development, affordable housing, transportation, and public safety. We trust he will work with us to continue to improve public education in Nashville and effectively address the multifaceted challenges our city’s students face.”
O’Connell reacted to the endorsement on social media.
“@MetroSchools board of directors are distinguished servants helping every student be known and reach their highest potential,” wrote O’Connell in a Tweet. “They are strong advocates for our students, and we will work together tirelessly to ensure each child has a chance at a great education.”
The board initially stepped into the race in late June when Rolli declared during a mayoral debate that she’d consider a takeover of the Metro Nashville Public Schools Board of Education if members continue to push back on public charter schools. The board has a history of opposing new high-quality public charter schools, including this year when members voted down three proposed schools.
“This school board has the ability, in the next two years, to make a really critical decision. We as a city will either become Detroit, or we will embrace choice and become Miami-Dade, an urban school system that spends less per student in a very expensive city than we do here in Nashville that took their school system from F-rated to A-rated by embracing the choice of parents,” said Rolli in the June debate. “If this school board continues to deny parents the ability to choose the best school for their child, I think we will continue to see state intervention. Parents had to go and beg the state to reopen our schools when every other school system in the region was reopened. And so, I would like our school board to become accountable to parents and families and if they can do that, I think they can keep their role.”
The board pushed back on Rolli’s comment with a statement calling it a “fundamental misunderstanding of public education.”
Voters will decide the mayoral runoff on September 14.
