A poll of Tennessee voters shows overwhelming support for more school choice options in the Volunteer State.
The poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Polling and Strategy asked 625 Tennesseans if they “support or oppose” allowing parents to use their child’s education tax dollars for a public, charter, or private school. A whopping 65 percent support it.
Shaka Mitchell of the American Federation for Children says Tennessee already has school choice options but says they are limited. In the state, 85 percent of students attend public schools and less than a third read at grade level.
He predicts that school choice will be on the mind of voters in upcoming elections.
“We have a gubernatorial election coming up. There are also lots of open seats coming up in the General Assembly,” he says. “And so I think that education is always at the forefront of people’s minds.”
As a whole, Mitchell says the teachers unions are opposed to school choice but he has found that individual members feel differently.
“When I speak with individual teachers,” he tells OneNewsNow, “they want many of the same things. Teachers want to have more flexibility to teach in a setting that aligns with their values. They want to be able to teach kids in a way that matches a student’s needs.”
The poll shows wide bipartisan support with 78 percent of Republicans, 60 percent of Independents, and 52 percent of Democrats supporting the issue.
Written by Bob Kellogg and published by ONE News NOW ~ January 1, 2018
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