Nashville School Board Election 2024: Candidates Discuss Controversial Educational Issues

Nashville school board election 2024: Candidates weigh in on controversial issues

Five Metro Nashville Public Schools (MNPS) board seats are up for grabs this year, with all but two candidates running unopposed. Early voting runs from July 12-27, followed by the main election on Aug. 1, which also includes state and federal primary elections, county general elections, and the Oak Hill Municipal Election.

This election cycle, candidates have been asked to address major issues facing MNPS, like the state’s school voucher program, third-grade reading and retention law, and school safety, among others.

Candidates and Their Stances

The following sections outline the stands taken by the six candidates running for the MNPS board on key educational issues.

District 1

Demytris Savage-Short – Republican

Demytris Savage-Short does not support school vouchers as she fears private schools may be required to adhere to state curriculum requirements contravening their autonomy. However, she backs the third-grade reading law, believing in the need for children to experience failure and learn from it. Savage-Short supports the arming of teachers in schools, justifying that teachers already tasked with children’s care can be trusted for protection. On school safety, she suggests the use of metal detectors in schools.

Robert Taylor – Democrat

On the other hand, Robert Taylor criticizes school vouchers as they neither improve academics nor assist students already enrolled in private school. He views the fourth-grade reading law as a political move to discredit public education. Echoing MNPS Director Adrienne Battle’s sentiment, Taylor opposes the arming of teachers and staff in schools, expressing concerns over unauthorized access to these weapons by students. He believes schools are adequately safe, suggesting community-wide gun access and violence issues need to be addressed.

District 3

Zach Young – Democrat

As the only candidate for District 3, Zach Young strongly opposes school vouchers and the state reading and retention law, viewing these as schemes that take power away from teachers and administrators who have a profound understanding of student needs. He also rejects the state’s new law on teachers carrying weapons, citing safety concerns. Young believes both state legislature and Congress need to play a critical role in ensuring gun safety to maintain school security.

District 5

TK Fayne – Democrat

TK Fayne maintains a firm stand against school vouchers, expressing the need for third-grade reading law to be reconsidered due to the undue pressure it places on children. Echoing colleagues’ concerns, Fayne disapproves of arming teachers, as it raises the risk of weapons falling into the wrong hands. She prioritizes mental health resources and gun safety practices and control laws as crucial to ensuring school safety.

District 7

Freda Player – Democrat

Freda Player maintains her strong opposition to the school voucher program in favor of public school funding. She, too, criticizes the third-grade reading law for its punitive approach and undue pressure on children. Player holds that arming teachers adds to their already heavy responsibilities. As a safety strategy, she suggests focusing on wider community-level mental health resources and “red flag” gun control laws.

District 9

Abigail Tylor – Democrat

As the sole candidate for District 9, Abigail Tylor firmly opposes school vouchers, viewing them as detrimental to public education. She criticizes the third-grade reading law as it does not consider the unintended consequences and pressures on children. Tylor disagrees with arming teachers in schools, suggesting instead the implementation of community-level gun control strategies and preventative measures for school safety.

The upcoming elections are expected to bring about significant discussions and changes regarding educational policies, making them a key point of interest for all Nashvillians.