MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Shelby County Commission on Monday approved a resolution that expressed “no confidence” in the Memphis-Shelby County School Board, and added an amendment for a comprehensive governance plan due by the school board by mid-April.

The commissioners created the amendment as a request for the school board to come up with a plan that ensures outcomes that are in the best interest of its students.

The vote was 8-4, with Mickell Lowery abstaining.

The vote comes the day before MSCS Superintendent Dr. Marie Feagins is set to give her response after the school board attempted to oust her last month.

Several commissioners expressed reservations, worrying that the vote could open the door to a state takeover of the local school district.

“If you can not see the political power play,” Commissioner Miska Clay Bibbs said. “It’s not about the children. No, it’s not. It’s about the billion dollars. It’s about the budget.”

But Commissioner Britney Thornton said she believed there was nothing left to fight for with the current school board.

“We spend billions of dollars with or without the people and so I think that the system that we have now is broken, I have no hope that it is going to auto-correct,” Thornton said.

Commissioner Amber Mills introduced the resolution of no confidence against the school board.

Several speakers from the community spoke in support of the no-confidence resolution, citing allegations of money misused by the board, and in support of Feagins, who they said had negotiated higher teacher salaries.

Noah Nordstrom, a teacher, supported the no-confidence vote, calling Feagins a transformational leader who was putting students above bureaucracy. 

Following the vote, MSCS Board Chair Joyce Dorse Coleman issued the following statement:

“It’s unfortunate that the Shelby County Commission made the decision to move forward with a vote of ‘no confidence’ in the Memphis-Shelby County Schools Board of Education,” Coleman said. “Like any legislative body, we have a better understanding of what is happening with the leadership of the District that we have a responsibility to govern. That being said, we are committed to doing what is in the best interest of the children, families and employees that we serve.”

She added that the vote showcased the need for “enhanced transparency, communication and collaboration” between the school board, District leadership and the community.

If the MSCS school board honors the request from commissioners to provide a governance plan, that would be due by April 16.