MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Shelby County commissioners approved Wednesday the transfer and sale of the three Germantown schools currently part of the Memphis-Shelby County Schools.
Part of the deal allows MSCS to sell Germantown High School with help from the city of Germantown and use the money from the sale toward the cost of a new high school. The cost is estimated to be more than $100 million.
“You know having a new high school in an area that is already bursting at the seams for the need of an additional school seems to make good and a sense," Germantown mayor Mike Palazzolo said.
In a special session, the commission voted 8-5 to approve a $38.7 million budget amendment for this fiscal year.
The amendment provides the first half of the $77.5 million the county is slated to put up towards the construction of a new high school in the Cordova area.
It’s a move not all were happy with. It only increases an already big learning gap between minority students.
“It just feels like a stand-off between Cordova versus everybody," commissioner Britney Thornton said. "The fact that we’re sitting here saying that we’re okay with displacing black kids because they don’t reside within our boundaries that’s tough. If we allow only Cordova Black students to prosper by the building of a new school, shame on us."
Shante Avant disagreed.
"I personally don’t think that me making a vote to support students makes me anti-black," Avant said. "It makes me pro-children.”
Though the plan gives a timeline of nine years for student transition, allowing students currently attending all three schools to stay there some are still concerned about the future.
“Children and not to mention their families who are nervous wrecks at this point," commissioner Henrie Brooks said. "I can say that because I’m a mother and grandmother ... And just to think, of me sitting here thinking about my grandchildren not knowing where they're going to go to school; it makes me nervous."
The agreement still has votes to come.
Wednesday's approval by the Shelby County Commission is the second of four votes this week.
The MSCS board and the Germantown Municipal School board vote Thursday.