This editorial was written by Representative Todd Warner and submitted by JC Bowman.

As a lifelong Tennessee conservative who’s watched generations of my family graduate from our local public schools, I need to speak some plain truth about Governor Lee's rushed voucher push. Something doesn't add up, and it ain't just the math.

In most rural areas across Tennessee, we don't have a single private school. Not one. So when Governor Lee talks about "school choice," I have to ask, who is this choice for? Because right now, it looks like our tax dollars would be “choosing” to leave small towns like mine to prop up private schools in big cities, leaving rural schools holding the bag.

Here's the thing: President Trump and his pick for Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, are currently working on a $5 billion federal tax credit scholarship program that could change the whole game. This program would give families real options – like private school tuition, tutoring, and real workforce training – without stripping our state education funds or treating rural schools like piggy banks for Nashville and Memphis.

But here's Lee, who just got called out by Trump himself for being weak on conservative values, suddenly trying to steal Trump's thunder on school choice like it was his idea all along. The timing's no coincidence. Trump announces his groundbreaking federal Education Choice Credit Accounts program that would actually help rural communities, and suddenly Lee is rushing around pushing a half-baked state plan drafted by lobbyists that'll drain money from our local schools.

I know you don't start pouring concrete before the blueprints are finished. So why are Governor Lee and legislative leadership in such a hurry to push through a state voucher program when Trump's federal plan will do the job much better? It’s because backroom deals and political favors are driving this plan, not what’s best for Tennessee families. Leaders should be focused on serving the needs of our schools and communities, not chasing headlines or campaigning for future political ambitions.

Public schools are often the biggest employers and the heart of our communities. They’re where our future business owners, farmers, and leaders are shaped. Some might call that old-fashioned, but I call it the foundation of our conservative values. I'm not against giving parents more options for their children's education. Far from it. But there's a right way and a wrong way to do it. President Trump understands this – his plan would add opportunities without undermining what's already working in our rural communities.

To my fellow conservatives in the state legislature, I say this: Don't let Governor Lee and legislative leadership pressure you into a rushed decision that could hurt your home districts. Why take a controversial vote on state vouchers when a better federal solution is just around the corner? That's not being anti-school choice – that's just good ol’ commonsense.

The truth is that about 95% of Tennessee students attend public schools, and that number's even higher in rural areas. We can support parental rights and education without pulling the rug out from under the very institutions that have served our communities faithfully for generations.

So to Governor Lee, House and Senate leadership, and the big-money lobbyists pushing this bill: with all due respect, it’s time to stop putting politics over people. Trump’s got a plan that puts both America and rural Tennessee first – without sacrificing our public schools for political points.

Tennesseans deserve leaders who prioritize the needs of their communities, not the demands of lobbyists. It’s time to remember who we’re here to serve: the families and children of Tennessee, not special interests.

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Representative Todd Warner, R-Chapel Hill, represents state House of Representatives District 92 (Marshall and part of Williamson counties) in the Tennessee General Assembly