MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The future of the Memphis-Shelby County School Board has become a hot topic at the state house.

Education Chairman Mark White is not happy with what he’s seeing from the district so he’s calling for a change.

“We have to change our ways when we have 24 percent in our last scores in reading proficiency and overall, our math scores were lower than that,” said White.

White plans to introduce a measure that would allow the governor to appoint members to the school board. Representative White says the district needs to do a better job of preparing young people to enter the workforce.

The reaction was swift from Board Chair Althea Greene. In a statement, she said, “We have to stop experimenting with our children. Case in point, the Achievement School District, generated by the state legislature, has not lived up to the expectations set out when it was formed.”

“We are not experimenting with our children. We are trying to make our children successful,” said White. “We know quite well every citizen down in Memphis knows right now the crime issue and also we have the opportunity with Blue Oval City and we can produce the seven to eight thousand seniors that graduate from the MSCS school system each year. They should be prepared to go onto the workforce, and we know that’s not happening.”

This plan still has a lot of moving parts. Representative White says he needs to get Shelby County Commissioners involved, acknowledging their role in funding the district.

He also says that any appointees to the board would be qualified individuals who understand the city and its culture.