No Class: Memphis School Board Refuses To Start School Year

Students won't enter class until the city pays up $55 million

The Memphis City School Board has voted to delay opening for the first day of school claiming that the city owes them $151 Million in funding. They refuse to start school unless they receive at least $55 Million. The total sum comes from an ordeal that started when the school board sued the city for funds in 2008. The city is claiming that the lack of funding stems from taxpayers not paying on time, thus leading to shortfalls over the last 3 years.

City council member Myron Lowery says that the amount the school board is demanding is "misleading and inaccurate," mentioning that the school board is only owed $5 million at best. He also claims that MCS hasalready received $171.7 million from the city in operating funds since July, 2008.

The two sides have just two weeks to fix this situation as school was scheduled to start on August 8, with teachers due to report on August 1.

This comes just months after a another showdown between MCS and the Shelby County School system. Earlier this year the mostly poor and Black MCS voted to be integrated into the largely white, suburban and affluent Shelby County system. Obviously already underfunded, MCS will now rely on tax funds from Shelby County, who can ultimately decide just how much of that money MCS will receive.

All of that said, it still looks like a lose-lose situation for school kids in Memphis.