School Lunch Debt and “Divisive Concepts”

A week in Tennessee education news

Photo by Isabella Fischer on Unsplash

Tennessee lawmakers delayed a key vote on a school voucher expansion scheme this week, but that doesn’t mean there was no education policy news.

First, Arby’s is coming to the rescue for students with lunch debt in one Tennessee school district:

Why Does School Lunch Debt Exist?

The cost to cancel all school lunch debt in Tennessee would be $51 million. That districts maintain school lunch debt balances is, frankly, appalling.

More appalling: Lawmakers are considering a $141 million school voucher scheme, but have no plans to cancel school lunch debt.

On to higher education, lawmakers are advancing a proposal that would add further penalties for state colleges not in compliance with rules around teaching “divisive concepts.”