MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A bill filed in the Tennessee House on Thursday would clarify whether one school district can legally operate within the jurisdiction of another, which would have implications on Shelby County Schools operating within Germantown.
The city of Germantown, which has long sought control over three SCS-run schools inside its city limits, said Friday it supports the legislation. The city said the bill would require Shelby County Schools to transition away from operating schools inside the county’s suburban municipalities.
Germantown formed its own school district in 2014, along with Arlington, Bartlett, Collierville, Lakeland and Millington after splitting from SCS. But SCS continued to operate Germantown Elementary, Middle and High schools.
The city has made offers to purchase the schools, but SCS has not agreed. Germantown says it could use the added building space to accommodate growth in its district.
In response, Germantown Municipal Schools issued a statement of support, saying the transfer would help accommodate population growth in the city.
House Bill 0917, filed by Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis), and Senate Bill 0898 would also affect Millington’s school district.
“The city of Germantown helped me to ask bring negotiations about with SCS to talk about the future of these schools,” White said. “I filed the bill to get them to the table.”
In a statement released Friday to WREG, SCS said, “The ownership and operation of the ‘3Gs’ is a settled issue. The proposed legislation seeks to resurrect all matters stemming from federal court litigation involving the demerger.”
White says the matter is not settled. He says there is a compromise.
“I think the negotiation would be these children would continue to go here, but Germantown would want them under their jurisdiction,” White said.