NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Just moments after a groundbreaking ceremony, reporters dug for their own answers to a controversial proposal from state leaders — should Tennessee reject about $1.8 billion in federal education funding? That amounts to about a fifth of the state's K-12 budget.
Monday, House Speaker Cameron Sexton and Lt. Gov. Randy McNally appointed a 10-person working group to study the issue. But already, backlash regarding the idea has been swift.
"I don’t understand the left’s hysteria, because that’s what they are right now, there’s hysteria going on," said Speaker Sexton in a media gaggle. "When you take federal government money, their philosophies, what they want you to do is probably different than what the states want to do."
NewsChannel 5 asked both Sexton and Tennessee Governor Bill Lee, what specific federal mandates the state wants to avoid?
"Well I think we’re going to look into that. The working group is going to focus on those strings," said Sexton.
"I have to imagine that there’s at least something on your mind of those strings attached that seems to really bother you. Could you share what those are?" asked NewsChannel 5 reporter Chris Davis.
"I want to reiterate that the speakers put together this group. I have not investigated the particulars around that funding or the details associated with it," replied Gov. Lee.
It begs the question, could the state afford to pay for the full education budget without federal assistance?
Sexton contends it may cost more to get federal funding than it is to reject it.
"When I talk to superintendents and directors of schools, what they say is a lot of times when we take the money it’s added cost to us because we have to hire someone else, we have to file more paperwork, we have to do this — it actually costs us more," said Sexton.
But then, Speaker Sexton mentioned the state may consider rejecting federal money beyond education funding.
"The states are the parents, not the federal government. We should do everything that we can to be whole and autonomous and independent from the federal government," he said.
That would be quite the task considering Tennessee receives about a third of the budget from federal programs and funding.
First, that 10-person working group will study the education funding program. We'll be watching what they dig up. Evidently, so will Gov. Bill Lee.
"I’ll be very interested in whatever options they come up with," he said.
