Stand for Children - Tennessee

06/22/2026

Memphians from all corners of the city have been calling for a budget that invests in hosuing, transit, Pre-K, community violence intervention, and other services that will give us all the freedom to thrive.

Let's pack the room at City Council tomorrow (Tuesday) as they take their final vote on the FY27 Budget!

Add your name to the Moral Budget here: bit.ly/901MoralBudgetNOW

06/19/2026

This Juneteenth, we're asking: What does freedom mean today?

Are people free to live in affordable housing, access quality education, support their families, build healthy lives, and move safely through their communities?

These are questions of freedom.

Even when it feels like we're moving backwards, Juneteenth reminds us that the fight for freedom has never been linear. Every generation has faced attempts to roll back progress and concentrate power in the hands of a few. Every generation has also produced people willing to organize, build community, and fight for something better.

As we reflect on the work still ahead, we're also taking time to celebrate Black history, Black culture, and Black joy... and to recommit ourselves to building the brighter future our communities deserve.

Read our full Juneteenth statement here: https://stand.org/tennessee/blog/the-fight-for-freedom-has-never-been-linear-juneteenth-2026/

06/19/2026

Coming together in joy and community is more important than ever, especially as we're fighting attacks on Black voting power and local control.

This weekend, head out to the Douglass Juneteenth Festival to celebrate and connect with each other, support local artists, and build community across Memphis.

Be sure to stop by the Justice and Safety Alliance and Shelby County Voter Alliance tables to learn how we're organizing for safer communities, stronger civic participation, and a brighter future for Memphis and Shelby County.

No matter how much those in power try to take us backward, we'll keep building community, growing our power, and moving forward together.

06/17/2026

The state-appointed Board of Managers for MSCS meets for the first time tomorrow, marking the beginning of the state takeover of our local school district.

TN Republicans repeatedly pointed to Houston as a model, so what can we expect? Here are some major changes Houston implemented within the first few months of its state takeover:

1. Teachers were forced to reapply for their jobs - Every teacher in the targeted schools had to reapply. Nearly half of staff did not return, and some schools saw more than two-thirds of employees replaced.

2. Major central office restructuring - The new administration promised to cut bureaucracy and redirect resources to classrooms, resulting in significant staffing changes and department reorganizations.

3. Strict, highly standardized curriculum redesigned by district officials - Schools adopted stricter instructional models with scripted lessons, timed activities, frequent student-response requirements, and regular quizzes.

4. Teacher pay was tied to performance - Houston shifted toward a pay-for-performance system, with salaries increasingly based on evaluations rather than years of experience.

5. Wraparound services were reorganized - The district launched community resource hubs offering food assistance, mental health support, and other services, though later budget pressures led to cuts in some school-based support positions.

Houston's experience doesn't tell us exactly what will happen in Memphis, but it gives us an important glimpse into the kinds of changes we could see as the takeover moves forward.

What do you think should happen next in MSCS?

In 2023, Texas-appointed leaders overhauled Houston curriculum and teacher pay systems. Will the same changes happen in Memphis schools?

06/16/2026

Speaker Sexton just announced the ninth member of the Board of Managers and the first meeting is set for Thursday, June 18. Now, we want to hear from you!

What do you think about the takeover of MSCS? bit.ly/TakeoverSurveyMSCS

Whether you're concerned, hopeful, or still learning about the issue, we'd love to hear what you have to say.

06/16/2026

The 9th member of the takeover board has been selected: former MSCS teacher Karen Vogelsang.

"The nine-member board, appointed by the state’s top Republican lawmakers, will soon take decision-making power from the locally elected school board on district issues ranging from the superintendent’s contract and overall budget to curriculum decisions."

The board – which includes business leaders, a former superintendent, and the head of an influential education advocacy organization – will have sweeping authority over Tennessee’s largest school district.

06/15/2026

We’re closer than ever to winning more Moral Budget investments in the FY27 city and county budgets!

Help us pack the Commission at 3:00 pm today, and show your support for a Moral Budget here: bit.ly/901MoralBudgetNOW

06/12/2026

With the state takeover of MSCS now law and state lawmakers appointing the new Board of Managers, what do you think should happen next?

Share your thoughts with our 2-minute survey! bit.ly/TakeoverSurveyMSCS

Whether you're concerned, hopeful, or still learning about the issue, we want to hear from you.

06/11/2026

After powerful testimony from Memphians, City Council delayed the final budget vote until Tuesday, June 23 and are now talking about increasing revenue to fund critical systems and services we all need to thrive.

"K. Durell Cowan, leader of Heal 901, a non-profit focused on reducing youth violence in Memphis, told the council the work requires adequate funding.

“We’re in a very dangerous place,” Cowan said. “The citizens are counting on you, and I know that you all have the gall to do what’s necessary.”

The Memphis City Council delayed approving the city’s budget Tuesday, pushing the decision back by two weeks after citizens demanded increased funding for violence prevention, public transportation and housing programs.

06/09/2026

For months, the Moral Budget Coalition has been showing up and advocating for investments in people and community. And once again, every dollar of our relatively small requests receives the usual chorus of questions: Where will the money come from? How will we pay for it?

Meanwhile, police and fire are requesting $500 million (56% of the City budget) in staffing alone, without the same level of scrutiny - despite widespread findings of abuse within the Memphis Police Department that have yet to be addressed.

The Moral Budget requests are not new. They're the same investments communities across Memphis and Shelby County have been calling for for decades: housing, mental health care, youth programs, transit, workforce development, Pre-K for All, and community safety strategies that prevent harm before it happens.

For just one-eighth of what it will cost to staff police and fire, we're asking the Mayor and City Council to invest in the things that all Memphians - including the officers, firefighters, and workers Memphis is trying to retain and attract - need to live with dignity and ease.

When those in power decide something is a priority, they find the money. We're asking Memphis to show that same urgency for our people and communities.

Today, City Council continues budget deliberations. Show up, speak out, and help us fight for a Moral Budget that invests in people, wellbeing, and thriving communities.

Sign on to support a Moral Budget! bit.ly/MoralBudgetNow901