Tennessee Pastors Speak Out on Supreme Court Rulings, Call for Love and Tolerance
Plus, state reports huge budget surplus
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This past week was a busy one in Tennessee politics — here are some of the highlights:
“I’m so disheartened, discouraged, and, honestly, angered by the recent rulings from the Supreme Court against affirmative action, against equality for same- sex couples, and against the biblical value of debt forgiveness,” said Rev. Josh Scott, Lead Pastor of GracePointe Church in Nashville. “Equality is an essential part of human flourishing. Unfortunately, it appears that several Supreme Court Justices are using their power to ration rights, take away freedoms, and deny opportunities to certain Americans. These extreme Justices, bankrolled by dark- money billionaires, have recommitted themselves to discrimination.”
The state also reported a huge revenue surplus:
Unfortunately, little of that money is being invested in schools.
For nearly a decade now, Tennessee has had annual revenue surpluses at or exceeding $1 billion. Sure, that could mean our revenue forecasters aren’t very good at their jobs. Or maybe they are deliberately setting low revenue estimates.
But here’s the larger point: Tennessee’s policymakers have had lots of extra cash year after year and have consistently chosen to shortchange public schools. This is across both Governors Bill Haslam and Bill Lee.
Underfunding schools, then, is…
