Young v. Lee

Tennessee’s Universal Voucher Program, signed into law on February 2025 after a special legislative session, strips $7,295 per student from Tennessee’s public schools and redirects those funds to private schools. These private institutions are not subject to the same academic standards, transparency requirements, or civil rights protections as public schools — leaving students and families with fewer safeguards and less support. By diverting critical resources, the program deepens existing inequities and undermines students’ constitutional right to a free and adequate public education.

The lawsuit asserts that the Universal Voucher Program violates several provisions of the Tennessee Constitution:​

The Education Clause's adequacy requirement: By diverting public funds from already underfunded schools, the law prevents Tennessee from providing students with the adequate education guaranteed by the state constitution.

The Education Clause's mandate of a single system of public schools: The Tennessee Constitution requires the state to fulfill its education duty through "a system of free public schools" — not by funding private schools that operate outside that system.

ACLU-TN is steadfast in our commitment to defending students’ rights and demanding that public dollars stay in public schools—where they belong. We’re calling on Tennesseans to take a stand:

Help protect Tennessee’s constitutional promise of a free, high-quality public education for every student by making a contribution to our movement. Together, we can ensure that public education remains a right — not a privilege.