Shelby County Commissioners voted 8 to 3 to file a lawsuit against the state to prevent the takeover of the MSCS board during a special meeting on Monday.
In order to retain legal counsel to contest a new state-appointed oversight board for the Memphis-Shelby County Schools board, the resolution appropriates $200,000 from the county’s general fund.
The nine-member surveillance board was passed by the state general assembly in April; a different statute forbids the school board from using public funds to pursue legal action against the oversight board.
Commissioner Mick Wright strongly objected the move..
“We’re pulling money from nowhere, money we don’t have by the way … to assist a school system that has blatantly failed our kids,” Wright said.
