The Memphis-Shelby County (Tennessee) school district and the Shelby County Government have sued the state of Tennessee over the state's takeover of the district.
The Commercial Appeal reports that the federal lawsuit argues that the legislation that authorized the takeover violates both the United States and Tennessee constitutions' equal protection clauses.
The school district and county government are asking for a preliminary injunction to halt any decisions the oversight board put in place by the state might make. The state-appointed board begins its term in July. An initial meeting already took place in Nashville to select board leaders.
Attorneys for the district assert that the school takeover legislation violates the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause because it "disparately impacts minority schoolchildren."
The appointed board has authority over the majority of the functions of the elected board. The appointed board can veto the district's budget, has control over any contracts over $50,000 and can fire employees for not following the will of the board.
The state takeover of the school system was approved by the Tennessee House and Senate on April 22. The legislation effectively strips much of the power from the locally elected school board.
