Representative Bo Mitchell suggests Metro Schools bulldoze buildings before allowing organizations serving high numbers of students of color use them

“This legislation is focused on addressing one of the biggest challenges for our public charter schools,” said bill sponsor Representative Ryan Williams, R-Cookeville. “This option would provide charter schools with access to space that was designed for school use and already financed with taxpayer dollars for traditional public school students.”¶

Representative Mitchell has been a frequent critic of charters despite testing data that shows the schools outperforming comparable traditional public schools in his community. Charter schools are free public schools operated by an independent contract or “charter” with an authorizing agency.Mitchell joined 21 Democrats and 5 Republicans who voted against the facility bill. The House ultimately passed it comfortably on a 63 to 26 vote.The legislation passed the Senate in February with just one vote in opposition.¶

Representative Jody Barrett joins Democrats in opposition¶

State Representative Jody Barrett (Photo by the Tennessee General Assembly)¶

Representative Jody Barrett, R-Dickson, was among the five Republicans who joined with Democrats to oppose the bill Thursday and he was the only one who chose to speak out against it.¶

Barrett appeared to misunderstand how the first right of refusal process would work and expressed concern that the legislation would allow charter operators to renegotiate the price of property down.¶

“I can’t support the bill because we’re allowing these charter school organizations to come in and interfere with the negotiation that’s already been done so that an LEA can’t get the highest and best dollar for the property,” said Barrett.¶

Representative Williams pushed back on Barrett’s comments saying the legislation’s right of first refusal wouldn’t give charters the right to undercut another offer.¶

“If you have buyer A who’s been working the LEA and they are 10 percent over fair market value, then all it says is the charter has the ability to buy it at that rate or higher. They get the opportunity to say no or to refuse at that rate,” said Williams. “I’m not trying to be divisive or argumentative, I just don’t agree with your synopsis of what the first right of refusal in this agreement means.”¶

If approved by Governor Lee, the legislation would not require school districts to sell or lease property if leaders don’t want to. District also have a right of first refusal to buy property back if public charter schools no longer need it.¶