Legal Fight With Metro Is Up to State: Great Hearts

Tennessee’s top education official is threatening legal action against Nashville’s school board. Despite an order from the state, board members refused last night to approve an Arizona-based charter school that wants to expand into Metro.

By a 7 to 2 vote, the school board chose to defer action on Greats Hearts Academies. The move flew in the face of a state order from last month.

Great Hearts CEO Dan Scoggin says it’s disappointing, because without a charter the move into Nashville could be slowed. But Scoggin doesn’t think it’s Great Hearts’ legal battle to fight.

“It’s really not a matter for Great Hearts right now – it’s really a matter for the state Board of Education and the state to address.”

Tennessee Education Commissioner Kevin Huffman issued a written statement saying the Metro board is breaking the law, and the state would see that its order is followed.