House Republicans have expressed concerns about Tennessee Education Commissioner Lisette Reynolds' qualifications to continue leading the state agency. Some called Ms. Reynolds' lack of qualifications a “slap in the face” to teachers, who said Ms. Reynolds repeatedly signed documents falsifying her state tenure to obtain taxpayer-funded tuition waivers. In response to a report in The Tennessean, he is calling for his resignation.
Records obtained by The Tennesseean show that Reynolds worked for the state for more than six months twice within the first six months of employment while seeking tuition waivers at the University of Tennessee. He proved by perjury that he had done so. I enrolled at Martin University to obtain the teaching certification required by state law for school commissioners. A state employee is only eligible for free tuition if she has worked for at least six months.
In response to inquiries from The Tennessean last week, the Tennessee Department of Education announced that the tuition was paid as a result of an “administrative error” and that Reynolds had recently repaid the tuition. The department cited recent state legislation and flexibility around teacher shortages as evidence that Reynolds is qualified for the job.
But at least one Republican lawmaker has questioned whether Reynolds should continue to lead the department, and one has called for her resignation.
“She committed a crime. I'm not a lawyer, by no means a lawyer, but I think it's probably fair for the attorney general to look at this issue,” said Rep. Todd Warner (R-Chapel Hill). ) said in an interview with The Tennessean on Monday. “I think she should resign, but if she doesn't resign, I definitely think the governor should ask her to resign.”
Warner said that since The Tennessean reported on Reynolds' abuse of tuition waivers, he has received more than 50 calls from teachers, school administrators and school board members both inside and outside the district telling him that Reynolds should resign. Ta.
He said Reynolds' lack of a teaching license was a “slap in the face” to educators.
“If she's not qualified to be a teacher in the state of Tennessee, then she's certainly not qualified to do this job,” Warner said.
Warner called Reynolds' request for tuition waivers despite her lack of qualifications “like a nail in the coffin” for her service, adding that she had no teaching qualifications or school fees. They also cited a lack of administrative experience and concerns about their ability to answer questions about the bill in committee. Instead, she relies on her colleagues and lawmakers to answer questions about the technicalities of voucher laws.
“There are so many Tennesseans who are qualified and share the values of the majority of Tennesseans, and yet you go to places like California and Texas and bring them here as school commissioners. It's infuriating that it's coming,” Warner said.
However, the department said Reynolds has no intention of resigning.
“The Secretary is dedicated to serving Tennessee students and is excited to continue his work on their behalf,” TDOE spokesperson Brian Blackley told The Tennessean in an email Monday. told.
By law, agency heads are appointed by the governor without legislative oversight. But that hasn't stopped lawmakers from openly criticizing commissioners and even considering a “no-confidence” vote against them in the past.
Warner is not the only member of the Republican supermajority to have doubts about Reynolds' qualifications.
“Unfortunately, as I understand the law, the governor has the right to appoint commissioners without review or approval by the Legislature,” Rep. Jodi Barrett (R-Dixon) told The Tennessean. said in a text message. “Legally, there doesn't seem to be any mechanism by which Congress can dismiss a committee member.”
Barrett said that if a mechanism existed to remove a commissioner, he would “refuse to take a position” on firing Reynolds until he had considered “all relevant information” and heard from Reynolds personally. “I will,” he said.
“That said, questions about Secretary Reynolds' qualifications continue to circulate, and it is my hope that those questions will soon be resolved to the satisfaction of Tennesseans,” Barrett said. .
It is unlikely that we will get an answer from the government anytime soon. Gov. Bill Lee's office has repeatedly voiced support for the secretary, while continuing to deflect questions about the legal requirements for her qualifications and keeping secret records of discussions surrounding the investigation into Reynolds' qualifications. ing.
Lee's office did not respond to lawmakers' criticisms of Reynolds' qualifications at Monday's inquiry, but expressed appreciation for “the work she is doing to serve Tennessee's students.”
Meanwhile, Republican leadership in both chambers has left the issue to the governor's authority, refusing to express even curiosity about the chief's lack of qualifications, despite questions from other Republicans. .
“The governor has the right and responsibility to put whoever he wants into his Cabinet,” House Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison told The Tennessean in a text message. “This is not a legislative issue.”
“The Constitution and the law specify how Parliament can take action against ministerial-level positions,” he added.
Mr. Faison did not express concern that Mr. Reynolds misrepresented his tenure to the state in order to obtain a tuition waiver, and that Mr. Reynolds did not have statutory qualifications because other commissioners did not meet the statutory requirements. Nor did he respond to a question about whether this could set a precedent. He has been appointed and will serve in the future.
Lieutenant Governor McNally (R-Oak Ridge) expressed support for the governor's decision on this issue.
“I support Governor Lee and trust his decisions about who is best qualified to run the Tennessee Department of Education,” McNally said in a statement.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton's office did not respond to a request for comment.
Although there is no legal framework for specific substantive action, legislators often express support for or opposition to a wide range of issues and individuals through resolutions. For example, lawmakers this year expressed support for the state of Israel and on Monday passed a resolution honoring the Tennessee Rifle.
House Democrats continue to call for Reynolds to resign or be fired. House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Ray Clemons (D-Nashville) called Reynolds “embarrassing.”
“There needs to be a fair debate about whether tuition waivers are intended for cabinet members who earn far more than other state employees,” Clemons said. “To think that the governor left the state to hire someone less qualified than thousands of Tennessee educators to run perhaps one of the most important departments in our state government. And when we called him out on the issue, Lee had the audacity to deny Reynolds' eligibility, knowing he was already trying to send her back to college with taxpayer money. I defended it.”
Vivian Jones covers state government and politics for The Tennessean.please contact hervjones@tennessean.com Or @Vivian_E_Jones on X.
