Nashville school board election 2024: Candidates weigh in on controversial issues
Five Metro Nashville Public Schools board seats are up for grabs this year, with all but two candidates running unopposed.
Early voting runs July 12-27 ahead of the Aug. 1 election, which also includes state and federal primary races, county general elections and the Oak Hill Municipal Election. More information, including voting locations and how to register, can be found at nashville.gov/vote.
The issues
The Tennessean caught up with each candidate and gave them a chance to speak to key issues facing MNPS, including:
The state's school voucher program that provides taxpayer-funded vouchers that families can use toward private schooling costs. Currently, it only includes MNPS and a few other districts. A bill to eventually expand the existing program statewide failed in the state legislature this year. However, Gov. Bill Lee and other advocates say they'll continue their push in years to come.
The state's third-grade reading and retention law, which took effect in the 2022-23 school year. While just 1.2% of third graders were held back statewide last year, the measure continues to affect tens of thousands of students yearly. State lawmakers and board members alike have voiced frustrations over the law's rollout.
The state's recently passed law that allows teachers and school staff to carry concealed handguns at schools after undergoing training and meeting several requirements. The district director, school principal and chief of the relevant local law enforcement agency must also sign off on each person carrying. MNPS leaders have said they will not sign off on allowing staff and teachers to carry.
The call for more school safety measures in the wake of the Covenant School shooting in Nashville in March 2023. The shooting left three children and three adult staff members dead, and sparked intense debate over gun control, school safety and more. A push for more school resource officers stirred controversy between MNPS and state leaders last year.
Here's a look at the six candidates in the race and what they had to say about their goals and key issues facing MNPS.
District 1
Demytris Savage-Short, Republican
A private duty pediatric nurse, a mother and a devout Christian, Savage-Short believes strongly in giving parents more authority over what their children are taught in public schools. She and her husband chose to pull their daughter out of elementary school at MNPS in 2021 because they were concerned over what was being taught about homosexuality, among other things they saw as age-inappropriate and indoctrination. Their daughter is now home-schooled. They also believe their daughter was not getting a quality basic education. Savage-Short said she feels called by God to run and wants to push for a return to classical education and firmer discipline at MNPS. It is her first time running for school board.
Here are her takes on key issues facing MNPS, along with a lightning round at the end.
School vouchers
Savage-Short does not support school vouchers because she is wary of the state requirements that may be tied to them for private schools.
"You're treading on thin ice because eventually you're going to have to start teaching things that you didn't have to teach before because you're taking the money," she said.
Third-grade reading and retention law
Savage-Short said she fully supports the third-grade reading law and sees it as a way to support children and teach them it's all right to fail, learn from it and try again.
"Hold them back if they did not make the grade and reteach them," she said.
Arming teachers
Savage-Short said she supports the new law allowing public school teachers and staff members to carry a concealed handgun at school. She said she's gotten a lot of "flak" for her support.
"You could have extra policemen there, but when you're crying 'defund the police,' you don't have personnel to come in and actually protect the school," she said.
She said teachers are already tasked with caring for children and that she would trust them to extend that same care if they were carrying a weapon.
"It's no different than carrying in church," Savage-Short said.
School safety
Savage-Short believes metal detectors can help keep schools safe, including elementary schools.
“If you don't want to have more resource officers to protect our children, why not have that?” she said.
Just for fun: lightning round
Favorite snack: homemade popcorn
Favorite place to hang out: her church, Regeneration Nashville
A book or movie that shaped her: the Bible and the movie "Imitation of Life"
Favorite musical artist or genre: CeCe Winans
Robert Taylor, Democrat
Born in Washington and raised in Maryland, Taylor ultimately settled in Nashville in 2008 with his wife and kids. He now works as an instructor at Meharry Medical College. He previously ran for the District 1 seat against then-incumbent Sharon Gentry. A former family intervention specialist for the White's Creek cluster, Taylor wants to help grow family and community partnerships in a way that is consistent for all schools. He also wants to address disparities in how resources are distributed across schools and to address overcrowding issues in schools.
Here are his takes on key issues facing MNPS, along with a lightning round at the end.
School vouchers
Taylor does not support school vouchers and pointed to data from other states with similar programs that show they don't boost academics and often go to students who were already enrolled in private school.
"I see it as a way for our state to subsidize private education, and I don't think that that's what we should be doing with our public funds for schools," he said.
Third-grade reading and retention law
Taylor sees the third-grade reading and retention law as something that addresses issues too late in a student's time in school. He also believes the law is part of a political move to discredit public education, driven by Gov. Lee.
"I just think that the governor's office is ... playing politics, and they're running the playbook for the (Republican) Party right now," Taylor said.
Arming teachers
Taylor said he supports MNPS Director Adrienne Battle's stance against allowing teachers and staff to carry guns in schools.
"I think that's what our community is asking for," he said.
Taylor expressed concerns over unintended consequences that may arise from allowing armed teachers and staff, including the possibility that students will steal guns that are brought to campus.
Taylor also said the topic sheds light on a bigger issue.
"I think there are far too many guns available on the street and they make their way into schools because we're not patrolling them outside of the schools," he said. "So until we get some real gun legislation for our community as a whole, we're going to deal with this issue in schools, also."
School safety
Taylor said that he believes there are ample resources in place to keep Nashville schools safe but that there is a wider need to address gun access and people who wish to harm others.
"The community’s issues show up at the front door of our schools every day," Taylor said.
Just for fun: lightning round
Favorite snack: Cheetos
Favorite place to hang out: Riddim n Spice, a Caribbean restaurant on Meharry Boulevard
A book or movie that shaped him: “Makes Me Wanna Holler," a book by Nathan McCall
Favorite musical artist or genre: Backyard Band
District 3
Zach Young, a Democrat, is running unopposed for the District 3 seat. A lifelong Goodlettsville resident, Young is a realtor by trade and also serves on the Goodlettsville City Commission, where his term ends in November. He also served on the Metro Council from 2019-2023. The son and grandson of teachers, he believes educating children is the single most important thing a government does. He also wants to make sure schools are a safe place for all people, including LGBTQ+ students and staff. As a gay man, Young is poised to be the school board's first openly LGBTQ+ member.
Here are his takes on key issues facing MNPS, along with a lightning round at the end.
School vouchers
Young opposes school vouchers, saying they take away money that could be used to better public schools. He also said they don't cover even half the average private school tuition in Davidson County, nor do they cover transportation. He said that will lead to families who can already afford to offset the remaining tuition and arrange for transportation taking the vouchers.
"I don't think it's the taxpayers place to subsidize private school for upper income families," he said.
Third-grade reading and retention law
Young disagrees with the state reading and retention law, saying it takes power away from teachers and administrators who know what's best for the children they teach and instead gives the power to "a bunch of old, white men in the state legislature." He's also pointed to the tight timeline the law creates for parents and schools to determine if a child meets exemptions or if the parent needs to have their child do a retake, apply for an appeal, enroll in summer school or opt into yearlong tutoring in fourth grade.
"Our state legislature is trying too hard to put their nose too far into public education and do the jobs of teachers and administrators."
Arming teachers
Young opposes the state's newly passed law that would allow teachers and staff to go armed. He said the fact that several districts statewide have already said they will not adopt the policy shows it's not a partisan issue or a Second Amendment issue, but rather a safety issue.
"I can think of few things that make schools even less safe than putting guns ... into schools" he said.
School safety
Young said he feels like MNPS and other local school systems do a "phenomenal job" when it comes to safety measures. He also said schools should not feel like fortresses or prisons.
"I think at this point to make school safer from guns and gun violence, the responsibility is on the state legislature and Congress, because it is not up to our schools to keep guns out of the hands of individuals that do not need them," he said.
Just for fun: lightning round
Favorite snack: Diet Mountain Dew with cheese and crackers
Favorite place to hang out: Tribe
A book or movie that shaped him: "Untamed" by Glennon Doyle
Favorite musical artist: The Chicks (or anything '90s country)
District 5
TK Fayne, a Democrat, is running unopposed for the District 5 seat and was appointed temporarily to the seat after outgoing board member Christiane Buggs stepped down to become the CEO of local nonprofit Public Education Needs Community Involvement and Leadership, or PENCIL. An Amazon business analyst, Fayne is originally from Memphis but now lives in North Nashville. Her son is set to graduate next year from Pearl-Cohn High School. Through her work at Amazon, she has partnered with MNPS for sponsorships, mentorship programs and other efforts. She hopes to advocate for ongoing diversity, equity and inclusion efforts at MNPS, along with mental health awareness.
Here are her takes on key issues facing MNPS, along with a lightning round at the end.
School vouchers
Fayne said she is "totally against" school vouchers. Since her son attended private school before enrolling in MNPS, she said she knows firsthand that vouchers will not cover full tuition at many private schools. She supports families having a choice and believes private school is sometimes the best option, but said vouchers fall short of creating that opportunity for all families. She also said the program diverts much-needed funding from public schools.
"I don't agree with it when we're already struggling with the budget that we have," she said.
Third-grade reading and retention law
Fayne said she believes the third grade reading law is too harsh and especially difficult for children who simply do not test well. She also questioned whether third grade is too early to hold a child back.
"It's so critical for their child development," she said.
Arming teachers
Fayne said the state's law allowing teachers and staff to carry guns in schools concerns her. While she generally believes trained adults would act responsibly if they were allowed to go armed, she worries that students will try to get their hands on guns brought into schools by teachers or staff.
School safety
Fayne believes additional mental health resources that are easy to access for students are key. She also believes in implementing rules for clear backpacks or limited bag sizes, similar to rules in place at sports arenas and stadiums. She's not opposed to adding metal detectors. And she believes gun safety extends far beyond schools and requires the surrounding community to start pushing for more gun safety practices and gun control laws.
Just for fun: lightning round
Favorite snack: Black and White Fudge Drizzle Popcorn Indiana
Favorite place to hang out: Centennial Park
A book or movie that shaped her: "Everything is Here to Help You" by Matt Kahn
Favorite musical artist: Queen, but she's also a huge Beyoncé fan ("I'm an auntie of the Beyhive," she said)
District 7
Democrat Freda Player, who has held the District 7 seat since 2020, is running unopposed for re-election. She also serves as co-chair of the board. A native of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, she first made her way to Nashville to attend Fisk University. After later attaining her master's at George Washington University and working a variety of political jobs, she became the executive director of Emerge Tennessee. The organization advocates for Democratic women from diverse backgrounds to run for office. She said she hopes to keep building the district's success in academic recovery after the coronavirus pandemic and offer her institutional knowledge. She was also inspired to run again by the camaraderie and shared vision she has with her fellow MNPS leaders.
Here are her takes on key issues facing MNPS, along with a lightning round at the end.
School vouchers
Player opposes the school voucher program because it takes funding away that could be otherwise put toward public education.
"I believe that's unfair, and it does a disservice to our kids," she said.
Third-grade reading and retention law
Player said she understands the intent of the third grade reading law but said it does not provide enough resources for literacy instruction before third grade. She's an advocate for creating universal pre-K programs in public schools. While she's not opposed to having assessments that show improvement and growth in reading, she thinks third grade is too early to retain a child. She also believes it puts undue pressure on third graders to perform well on the state test.
"You take the joy of learning from someone young, which I think sets a different precedent about how they do the rest of their educational career," she said.
Arming teachers
Player opposes the new law for multiple reasons, including safe storage of weapons teachers and staff are carrying, and the extra vigilance that comes with being armed. She worried about a gun coming loose while a teacher or staff member breaks up a fight. She also does not believe the initial 40-hour training required by the law is enough, especially when it comes to potentially having to shoot someone and missing the perpetrator, or worse, hitting an innocent person.
"We just keep piling teachers on to do more and more stuff. They have to be a psychologist, they have to be a therapist, a social worker, now we're adding on (this)?" she said. "We just want teachers to teach."
However, Players said she understands why some districts with fewer law enforcement resources or no school resource officers may choose to adopt an armed teachers policy.
School safety
Player praised MNPS for the resources it's put into mental health support and social-emotional learning, which can help curb violence in schools. But she said the ease of access to automatic rifles is troubling. While she believes in supporting the Second Amendment, she also advocates for "red flag" laws that take guns out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves or others. She also sees a need for more mental health resources at the state level.
"What happens in a community shows up in our schools," she said.
Just for fun: lightning round
Favorite snack: Lightly salted Lay's potato chips
Favorite place to hang out: Whitsitt Park
A book or movie that shaped her: "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho
Favorite musical artist or genre: Anita Baker and anything that's R&B or soul
District 9
Democrat Abigail Tylor, who has held the District 9 seat since 2020, is running unopposed for reelection. Born and raised in Bellevue, she grew up in public schools and later taught within MNPS. She is also a parent of three children who currently attend schools in the district. Those experiences inspired her to first run for her seat and to run for reelection. She hopes to see MNPS make sustainability efforts like food redistribution, composting, gardening and recycling part of their normal operations. She also wants to continue to advocate for teachers, staff and students to make sure their voices are truly heard.
Here are her takes on key issues facing MNPS, along with a lightning round at the end.
School vouchers
Tylor opposes school vouchers and said that their harm has been proven in other states that use them. She said they're not good for students or school systems and do not add any value to education.
"I think it's a huge detriment to public education," she said.
Third-grade reading and retention law
Tylor said she likes the added academic supports built into the third-grade reading law but said lawmakers did not think through the unintended consequences it brings. Making the law punitive is a mistake, she said. She also believes third grade is too late to intervene when children are lagging in their literacy skills. Additionally, she believes retention decisions should be up to the people most involved in a child's life, including teachers and parents. She also said state lawmakers repeatedly failed to take advice from educators as they created and rolled out the law.
"I would love for the people making those laws to be actual teachers," Tylor said. "I would love for the people who were making those laws to have talked to actual teachers."
Arming teachers
Tylor opposes the idea of allowing teachers and staff to carry guns at schools.
"Why would you put somebody inside who can only react when you would really need somebody on the outside who can proactively help?" she said.
School safety
Tylor would like to see more police officers on patrol around schools, including elementary schools that do not have a school resource officer. She also believes that threats to schools, especially elementary schools, largely exist outside the building. Additionally, Tylor would like to see the state bring back laws that require background checks and permits for carrying guns in Tennessee, along with red flag laws and more quality mental health resources.
"I'm very much on the side of preventative, as opposed to reactionary," she said.
Just for fun: lightning round
Favorite snack: ranch-flavored Pringles
Favorite place to hang out: Warner Parks
A book or movie that shaped her: "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee
Favorite musical artist or genre: British punk, with some rock and alternative thrown into the mix
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: MNPS board election 2024: School vouchers, reading law, school safety
