The ads began appearing in the social media feeds of Shelby County residents a couple of weeks ago: a static, colorful post urging citizens to sign a petition calling for the Memphis Shelby County School (MSCS) Board to drop its lawsuit to prevent the state’s takeover of the district. A federal judge recently issued a temporary injunction preventing the nine-member oversight board from implementing the takeover.
The ads are sponsored by a group named Together4Students.org. Some crack reporting this week by Chalkbeat’s Bri Hatch revealed some of the individuals behind the advocacy organization. According to Chalkbeat, the organization was founded by Henry Jones, former Director of Organizing for Leadership for Educational Equity, and Mark Sturgis, CEO of Seeding Success, the driving force behind First 8 and More for Memphis, among other cradle-to-career initiatives.
The organization’s website features a series of data points about literacy proficiency, chronic absenteeism, the number of schools graded C, D, and F, and the instability caused by 5 superintendents over the last 6 years – concerning metrics for sure. The site goes on to suggest that the takeover will lead to 80% of students learning in an A- or B-graded school and 80% of students on a “clear path to a rewarding career” by 2035.
How? You might ask.
Under a tab titled “What’s Possible,” a mere two case studies exist. The first is the “Mississippi Miracle” that touts the success of the state of Mississippi at dramatically improving third-grade literacy rates. Mississippi’s approach that led to this achievement, which is already being duplicated in Tennessee, relies on research-based approaches to reading, early screening, targeted interventions, and teacher training. What it doesn’t rely on is a state takeover by an unelected nine-member oversight board.
The other evidence is an article from the education publication The 74 about the state of Texas’ takeover of the Houston Independent School District and its success. The article interviews Schools Chief Mike Miles and focuses almost exclusively on higher test scores that have been achieved. Miles’ system, known as the New Education System (NES), emphasizes coaching, standardization of teaching methods, almost quizzes, and longer school hours.
What the article does not share is that enrollment in HISD has declined substantially as parents move their children to other districts. The article also fails to mention the high teacher turnover rate plaguing the system, a lack of transparency by the appointed board, and a recent investigation of the district based on its proposed handling of special needs students.
Flimsy or not, slick websites and social media ads require money. So, who is funding Together4Student?
It is difficult to know for sure, but it is likely some of the same organizations and individuals that have funded Seeding Success and its offshoot, TN Prospers. Blue Meridian Partners, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education have funded various programs and initiatives. Locally, the Hyde Family Foundation and the Poplar Foundation, among others, have contributed or currently contribute to the work. The board of Seeding Success is a Who’s Who of Memphis, but naming names regarding Together4Students is next to impossible by design.
As an example, TN Prospers is a 501c4 “social welfare” organization led by former Seeding Success Policy Director, Haley Simmons. A social welfare organization is tax-exempt, but it can legally and aggressively advocate for policies it believes benefit the public. What it generally cannot do is advocate for the election or defeat of an elected official or candidate for office, at least not as its primary purpose. However, it is not required to disclose its donors, whether they are individuals, nonprofits, corporate entities, or out-of-state benefactors. Communications on policy issues to the public will often contain a message that says, “Call Rep. Smith and tell him…,” instead of “vote for” or “vote against.” Another common message is “sign the petition to…”
In 2021, TN Prospers (read Seeding Success) established TN Prosperity Political Action Committee (PAC) to directly influence elections. In 2024, TN Prospers, which does not have to disclose its donors, dropped about $150,000 into the account of TN Prosperity PAC, which has no other donors. The PAC spent those funds supporting candidates for the Memphis Shelby County School Board, incumbents and challengers, all of whom lost. The winning candidates made up 5 of the 6 votes to fire Dr. Marie Feagins, which led to the takeover action by the state.
More Important Than Reading
I might receive strong disagreement, but there is something more important than children reading on grade level. Gasp!
Regardless of your upbringing, background, education, or wealth, Americans have a right to self-governance. It is fundamental to our citizenship and the democratic foundation of the republic. For all the saber rattling from politicians about adhering to the Constitution, it seems supporters of a state takeover turned a blind eye to the results of the 2024 election, which was free and fair. No matter how dismal the turnout was, voters chose their representatives, and we have never negated the results of elections in this country because most people chose to stay home. Not voting is part of self-governance, too.
What do we do when elected officials are not performing their roles as we had hoped?
In many places around the country, voters have the option to recall their local elected officials. In Tennessee, only a few municipalities that have included recall in their charters allow voters to petition for a change, but the bar for recall is high.
During the previous legislative session, two bills, both sponsored by Senator Brent Taylor, and one sponsored by Rep. Torrey Harris and the other by the late Rep, G.A. Hardaway, proposed methods of recalling local elected officials. Those measures set the requirements too high, but neither emerged from committee, in part because of pushback from local officials as well as a determination by Taylor, Rep, White, and legislative leadership to force the takeover, which had failed to become law the previous year.
Here’s a modest proposal: Together4Students, TN Prospers, Seeding Success, et Al. could spend their considerable resources on urging legislators to support recall legislation. Rather than usurping the power of voters and our right to self-governance, recall employs both the principle and the mechanisms of this sacrosanct right enshrined in our most sacred document.