Dear [My Rep] and Governor Bill Lee:

One of God’s greatest gifts is the opportunity to learn. Education changes the way we see the world and the opportunities for God’s children to make it better. Public Education provides all children the ability to thrive through growth in knowledge.

Public Education is a central part of God’s plan for human flourishing. When this sacred trust and provision of God’s common good comes under attack by the forces of inadequate funding, privatization and greed, we must respond not only with prayer and service - but action. What will you do?

Tennessee's investment in our children is ranked near last in the country at 45th in per-pupil investment compared to all the other states in the country. We simply are not valuing our children - or their growth in knowledge.  Proverbs 16:16 says that 'having wisdom and understanding is better than having silver or gold' but with Tennessee's budget, our state is hoarding public tax dollars that should be invested into our public schools and the teachers serving our state's children.

Will you stand up for our Christian values, and commit to only supporting a budget that raises our state's investment in our public schools, students and teachers on to the $3.3 billion national average?  Our state already has the funding, the question is, will we reject the greed as Jesus teachers us and reflect in our state's budget that we truly value God's children and invest in them as much as any other state in this country? Will you make that commitment?

Peace,

Your Name and the Southern Christian Coalition