Shelby Co. Schools’ Hopson endorses Lee
This is an excerpt from The 9:01, a column published online at 9:01 a.m. on weekdays.
Shelby County Schools Superintendent Dorsey Hopson sent some mild shock waves through Democratic circles Tuesday as he endorsed GOP governor candidate Bill Lee.
Lee, who faces Democrat Karl Dean in the Nov. 6 general election, announced the endorsement shortly before Tuesday’s debate at the University of Memphis. “I am very excited about Bill Lee’s leadership and his vision for our great state,” Hopson said, according to Lee’s campaign. “Bill is a thoughtful and compassionate leader and he is committed to improving the lives of everyday Tennesseans.”
Lee responded in a Twitter post by lauding Hopson for working “tirelessly to innovate solutions for at-risk schools.” Lee added: “Let’s give every school leader in our state the tools they need to be creative and help their students succeed.”
So, why would Hopson, who leads a largely Democratic-supporting school district, take the unusual step of endorsing Lee? That’s a politically intriguing question considering Hopson’s name has come up as a potential contender for Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen’s seat, made even more intriguing by the widely circulated rumors that Hopson is looking for an escape hatch from SCS.
Hopson released a statement Wednesday explaining his endorsement and in response to those rumors: The 9:01 is a Memphis news briefing that publishes online at 9:01 a.m. every Monday through Friday. It is written by The Commercial Appeal columnist Ryan Poe. For the full version, sign up for the newsletter at www.commercialappeal.com.
“I have developed a strong personal relationship with Bill Lee over the last year and 1/2. We met when he was deciding whether to run for Governor and we routinely discussed faith, family, government and education issues. I appreciated the thoughtful and humble way that he sought my input.
“He recently asked me to represent west Tennessee as a part of his education coalition. I am excited to be one of Bill’s thought partners in the education space and equally excited to be a voice for Memphis as Bill shapes his education policies. While I do not agree with all of Bill’s positions I believe he would be a great governor. I also believe he will be open minded and solutions oriented about improving testing, raising teacher pay, supporting students’ social and emotional needs and adopting multiple strategies to improve public education in Tennessee.
“Lastly, I am not angling for a job and I certainly am not planning on running for public office. We have a lot of positive momentum at SCS right now and have lots of work to do.”
Sounds like Hopson isn’t a fan of Democratic candidate Karl Dean’s education policies, which include a long history of supporting charter schools, going back to his time as mayor of Nashville. Both Dean and Lee say they support charter schools.
That last paragraph of Hopson’s is especially interesting. Let’s break it down:
“I am not angling for a job.”
❚ Hopson is here rebutting the theory that he’s aiming at a spot in Lee’s cabinet. Candice McQueen currently serves as the state’s education commissioner, but it’s not clear yet whether she’ll stay if Lee wins. However, even if Hopson isn’t “angling” for a job, would he say no to one?
❚
“I certainly am not planning on running for public office.”
The rumor for a while now has been that Hopson (among dozens of others) has an eye on Democratic U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen’s seat. Hopson seems to be disavowing interest in that seat — although there’s wiggle room there. “Not planning” doesn’t mean “won’t.”
❚
“We have a lot of positive momentum at SCS right now and have lots of work to do.”
Hopson seems to be responding to the unsubstantiated (but widely talked about) rumor that he’s looking for the escape hatch from his role at SCS. “Lots of work to do” implies that’s not true — but also doesn’t commit him to staying.
If the polls are accurate, backing Lee may be the smart play. However, the endorsement doesn’t sit well with many Democrats — and Democrats on the Shelby County Commission and schools board could make life tough for Hopson and SCS.
Reach Ryan Poe at poe@commercialappeal.com and on Twitter at @ryanpoe.