Tennessee Democrats call for ed commissioner to resign over lack of 'legal qualifications'

Tennessee House Democrats on Monday called for Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds to resign for failing to meet the job requirements as outlined in state law.

Democratic Caucus Chair John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, said any attempt by Gov. Bill Lee to brush aside Reynolds' lack of qualifications would be an "embarrassing reflection of the rampant incompetence that plagues his entire administration."

"Commissioner Reynolds is legally unqualified and she must resign," Clemmons said.

Lee's office stood behind the commissioner in a Monday statement.

"Commissioner Reynolds' credentials and professional experience qualify her to serve as TDOE commissioner and we're proud of the work she's doing to accelerate academic achievement and support all Tennessee students," Lee spokesperson Elizabeth Johnson said. "Additionally, though not explicitly required by statute, Commissioner Reynolds is currently enrolled in the UT Martin Education Preparation Program (EPP) to expand upon her previous experience."

The Department of Education responded to a Tennessean request with an identical statement.

According to Tennessee state code, the education commissioner "shall" have experience in school administration and be qualified to teach at a high school level. Reynolds does not appear to meet those requirements, having not taught in a classroom as a teacher or served in local K-12 administration.

The Tennessean has asked Lee's office to specify what credentials Reynolds holds that would satisfy the statute.

"Shall means shall. There is no ambiguity. These are the requirements, there is no optional language here," Clemmons said. "This is an old law. It was updated most recently in 1970. I know of no governor who has had a problem or an issue filling this role with someone qualified under the statute."

Rep. Sam McKenzie, D-Knoxville, joined Clemmons in calling for Reynolds to step down.

"We don't need folks that are career politicians and insiders to come and lead our K-12 children,' McKenzie said. "We're discussing some serious, serious issues here."

Lee appointed Reynolds to the position last year directly from a school choice advocacy organization, ExcelinEd, which was founded by former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

Reynolds last year pointed to her background in policymaking as a professional asset, and she previously worked in President George Bush's administration and in education policy for Texas Republicans. She also served as deputy commissioner in the Texas Education Agency, that state's department of education, overseeing policy and other initiatives.

Reynolds was tapped for the job last summer, but Democrats said Monday they are now calling for her resignation after recent reports on her resume.

When asked why the call to resign wasn't made earlier, Clemmons said lawmakers expected Lee would have appointed someone who met the qualifications.

"We take for granted that people are going to do the right thing," Clemmons said. "I would expect the governor to appoint someone who is qualified for the job."

The call for Reynolds' resignation comes as legislative debate is expected to quickly heat up over Lee's proposed school voucher expansion plan. Earlier this month, Reynolds told lawmakers in a Senate committee meeting that student performance in the Education Savings Account program has not been "anything to write home about," though Reynolds said parents are happy with the program.

Lee aims to expand the vouchers to eventually offer universal eligibility for the program, which would offer taxpayer funds to families to use at private schools. Democrats have staunchly criticized the effort as raiding public education to pay for private schools, and some Republicans are concerned about the long-term costs of a program underwritten by the General Fund.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee House Democrats call for education commissioner to resign