Grundy County Teachers Poised to Get Their Bonus, Despite Unexpected No Votes
Grundy County High School Staff (Photo by Grundy County School District)
It may be coming a year late, but teachers in the Grundy County School District appear to be finally getting their $2,000 bonus.
Both the Tennessee House and Senate approved legislation this week that enables teachers in the district to receive the bonus. The money was a part of last year’s Education Freedom Scholarship legislation, but the Grundy County School Board failed to pass a resolution in time to approve it.
The district’s educators were the only public-school teachers in the state who didn’t receive the bonus last summer.
Unexpected Opposition
Rep. Rush Bricken, R-Tullahoma, and Sen. Janice Bowling, R-Tullahoma, sponsored legislation this year to allow Grundy County teachers to get their money, and the bill passed unanimously in the Senate on Friday.
It was a different story in the House, where nineteen members voted against the bill earlier in the week, including gubernatorial candidate Rep. Monty Fritts, R-Kingston, and 18 Democrats.
House Democratic Caucus Chairman Rep. John Ray Clemmons, D-Nashville, told the Tennessee Firefly that the Democrats who voted against Grundy County’s bonus actually weren’t trying to keep teachers from getting their money.
"We fully support increased teacher pay and bonuses, but we strongly oppose them being held hostage in exchange for the endorsement of a voucher scam that steals badly needed funds from our public schools, destabilizes our state budget and will inevitably result in property tax increases in every county," said Clemons in a statement.
What the Legislation Required
Despite Clemmons’ explanation, the Education Freedom Scholarship did not require school districts to endorse the program, sometimes referred to as vouchers, to receive the bonus.
State guidelines for the bonus spell out that districts are only required to pass “a resolution agreeing to participation in the bonus program no later than June 1, 2025.” There are no mandates requiring school districts to include language in the resolution supporting the Education Freedom Scholarship program.
That distinction may not have been entirely clear to those watching Monday’s discussion of the legislation granting Grundy County’s bonus, following a question from Representative Justin Pearson, R-Memphis, about whether voucher support was required.
“Just for clarification, they would receive the bonus only after they pass a resolution supporting the education vouchers or scholarships, is that correct?” asked Pearson.
“That is correct,” responded Bricken.
The lone Republican to vote against the bonus, Rep. Fritts, gave no explanation for his opposition, though he was among the 21 Republicans who opposed the Education Freedom Scholarship Act.
The bill still needs Governor Bill Lee’s signature before teachers can receive their bonus.
