Union City, Tenn.— Frustration continues for several parents as their children’s transportation to school is being stripped away.
The Union City, Tennessee, school board voted to prohibit school buses from the neighboring Obion County school district from picking up students within city limits.
The change could force Obion County students living in Union City who do not have other forms of transportation to change schools.
In 2022, Tennessee implemented an Education Savings Account Program that funds private school education in select counties.
Governor Bill Lee is in the process of making that a statewide program, but it already is affecting public schools in that state.
That same issue is on the ballot in Kentucky this coming election.
Amendment 2, dubbed school choice, will allow public funds to attend private schools.
A choice critics say could leave public schools to battle for students to keep funding up.
Local 6 spoke with Obion County Schools leadership and parents about what’s next for their students.
Buses to and from school are essential for many students.
Especially for some Obion County students who travel up to 19 miles to get to school.
Though the distance is farther, Brianna King feels Obion County Schools is a better fit for her children.
“They gave my kids the help that they needed, that they couldn’t get a Union City,” King says.
Lacey Barnett works in the evenings and couldn’t pick her kids up from school.
Transferring them to Union City Schools might be her only option when this change goes into effect next school year.
“Changing a fourth and fifth grader to a completely new environment would probably be especially when it’s forced, detrimental to their education and their learning. And I can’t imagine the anxiety it’s going cause a kid,” Barnett sor of Obion County S Director Tim Watkinstkins, says he doesn’t know why Union City made the change.
Still, they have to comply.
“It’s going to be hard to determine exactly how many students this is going to impact as far as having to change schools or whether they’re going to maintain enrollment with us and have alternate transportation to the schools,” Watkins says.
Parents hope the decision will be reversed before students transfer.
Union City Schools did not respond to our requests for comment on the situation.
One Obion County Commissioner is questioning the legality. Commissioner James is investigating the issue and says he is personally disheartened by the Union City School Board’s decision.
