Clinton Board votes to oppose school choice legislation

By Randy Bell

The Republican-dominated Clinton Board of Aldermen has gone on record in opposition to a proposal several Mississippi GOP leaders have been touting—school choice. The Board voted unanimously September 2 to approve a resolution against vouchers and other programs “that undermine public education.”

“Parents have their choice,” says Ward 4 Alderman Chip Wilbanks, who introduced the resolution, “but we’re talking about using tax dollars, for a parent to take those tax dollars and put (the money) somewhere else.”

Wilbanks says losing those funds would hurt the Clinton school district – but says that’s not the only part of school choice that would have a harmful effect.

“At one point, one draft of a bill would require districts to accept students (from outside the school zone) up to the state max (classroom size.) We pride ourself in our schools where we’re not at the max. I think it puts our public schools at risk. That’s one of the biggest assets we have in our city. We have to protect it. And (school choice) is a horrible idea for our city and our public schools,” said Wilbanks.

Governor Tate Reeves and House Speaker Jason White have pledged to make school choice a top priority in the 2026 legislative session—if not before. Reeves hasn’t ruled out the possibility of calling a special session prior to January to take up the legislation. And that’s why Wilbanks urged his fellow Board members to pass the resolution without delay.

“I think it’s important to do it now, because our legislators, who are great people, are getting enormous pressure to pass (school choice). (We need to say), ‘hey, I’m a Republican, (and) I think this is a disastrous issue, so please don’t do this.’” He says that would encourage local lawmakers to stand against the legislation.

The superintendent of the Clinton Public School District, Dr. Andy Schoggin, says he appreciates the Board’s action.

“I think it’s so important, for that inter-dependence of school and community. One great institution, a community or school, can’t exist without the other – and they shouldn’t tolerate anything less than that.”

“I feel like that’s a pretty strong statement by our Board of Aldermen to say that it’s really important for us in this city to provide a service of a really high-quality education to the citizens of the Clinton community,” continued Schoggin. “What we try to offer is something our city can be proud of. I think there’s that expectation that we’re going to be among the top-performing districts year in and year out.”

According to Schoggin, being forced to accept students from outside the district could cause some staffing problems.

“It would be a challenge to receive a large influx of students that you really can’t plan for and to try to make sure that we’re providing the best for them, as well.”

“There are so many concerns and issues with school choice proposals, including the use of vouchers,” said Wilbanks. “These proposals all contribute to the decline of public education and put our public schools at risk. The continued success of the Clinton Public Schools is directly tied to the success of our city.”

Wilbanks continued, “I urge every person in Clinton to read about these issues and how the passage of school choice legislation has affected public schools in the states they have passed them. We do not need that type of decline in education here.”

Here’s the text of the resolution in its entirety:

The Board of Aldermen for the City of Clinton, Mississippi

A Resolution Opposing Public and Private School Choice Programs That Undermine Public Education

WHEREAS, the Board of Aldermen of the City of Clinton, Mississippi, recognizes the fundamental role of strong, accessible, and adequately funded public schools in providing educational opportunities for all children; and

WHEREAS, the State of Mississippi, through the work of the Mississippi Legislature, the Mississippi Department of Education, the State Board of Education and local school boards, has established nationally recognized standards and measures for accountability in public education; and

WHEREAS, vouchers eliminate public accountability by channeling tax dollars into private schools that do not face state-approved academic standards or accountability measures, do not make budgets public, do not adhere to open meetings and records laws, do not publicly report on student achievement, and do not face the public accountability requirements contained in major federal laws, including special education; and

WHEREAS, Mississippi’s public schools serve the vast majority of the state’s students, including those most vulnerable, and represent a cornerstone of community cohesion; and

WHEREAS, “school choice” initiatives—including vouchers, education savings accounts (ESAs), tax-credit scholarship programs, and tax credits for donations to private schools—redirect critical public funds away from local public school districts and instead subsidize private, unaccountable education providers; and

WHEREAS, numerous studies have shown that voucher and ESA programs do not reliably improve student outcomes and more typically result in lower performance when compared to traditional public schools; and

WHEREAS, vouchers and other choice programs divert critical public resources to pay private school tuition for students, including many who already attend private schools; and

WHEREAS, the diversion of these resources weakens the financial viability of public school systems, and undermines the public’s trust in the state’s commitment to a quality education for all students; and

WHEREAS, vouchers are an inefficient use of taxpayer money because they compel taxpayers to support two school systems: one public and one private, the latter of which is not accountable to all the taxpayers supporting it; and

WHEREAS, the Clinton Public School District is the lifeblood of the Clinton community, attracting young families and economic development, and providing the local camaraderie and team spirit that foster the high quality of life our citizens enjoy; and

WHEREAS, the state of Mississippi provides no funding for K-12 facilities, and the citizens of Clinton have elected to raise their local taxes to ensure smaller classes, world-class facilities, and excellent academic, athletic, fine and performing arts, and other programs; and

WHEREAS, out-of-district students’ families do not pay local property taxes in our community, and allowing out-of-district students to attend Clinton Public Schools will create large classes and crowded classrooms, and the citizens of Clinton will be responsible for further raising our local taxes to add classrooms to accommodate out-of-district students; and
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Board of Aldermen of the City of Clinton, Mississippi:

1. Opposes the establishment or expansion of school choice programs—whether public or private—that divert public funding or support from our community’s traditional public schools;

2. Urges Clinton’s legislative delegation, the Mississippi State Legislature, and the Governor to oppose school choice and invest in strengthening public education by fully funding the state’s school funding formula, supporting teachers and staff, and expanding services that directly benefit students and families within the public school system;

3. Supports efforts to ensure accountability and transparency in all publicly funded educational programs, and opposes the use of taxpayer dollars to subsidize private education without equivalent oversight, accountability, or student protections;

4. Commits to advocating for policies that prioritize public education as a public good open to all children in Clinton and across Mississippi.

PASSED AND ADOPTED by the Board of Aldermen of the City of Clinton, Mississippi, this 2nd day of September, 2025.