GOP candidates vying to succeed Mark Norris hold forum
Four discuss education funds, opioid addiction
The four Republicans vying to represent Tennessee state Senate District 32 hashed out education funding, grappling with the opioid addiction and balancing rural and suburban issues at a forum Monday in Bartlett.
Former Shelby County commissioners Heidi Shafer and George Chism, Covington businessman Paul Rose and former state Rep. Steve Mcmanus will face off in the Jan. 24 primary.
The four candidates fielded a range of questions in a minute apiece during Monday’s hourlong forum, including a couple of queries about how they’d improve public education.
Shafer and Chism both called for a decrease in the amount of tests students are being given.
“I know the difference between what sounds good in a boardroom and what is actually going to work in a classroom,” said Shafer, a teacher. “A lot of the reforms we’ve passed at the state level have been good but we need to tweak them. I think we need 10 to 15 percent less testing. What I’m hearing from students and teachers is there is not enough time for actual classroom education.”
Tests that don’t work “have got to go away,” Chism said. “If you don’t empower people to learn, if you don’t give them the value, we’re going to continue to be right where we are today.”
Mcmanus suggested getting “creative” and investing in initiatives like the non-profit Peer Power Foundation to
provide mentoring to students. He also called for dedicating more funding to pre-kindergarten programs.
“I remember talking to some teachers and I said ‘if you had an extra dollar, where would you put it?’ You know what they all said? Pre-k,” Mcmanus said. “So I think Pre-k is a very important aspect, too, for public education.”
Rose would push for programs that direct students who “aren’t necessarily college-bound” into vocational and other job training programs.
“So when they leave high school on Saturday, they can have a job on Monday,” Rose said.
The Republican hopefuls are competing for a spot on the March special general election ballot, which will determine who succeeds former state Senate Majority Leader Mark Norris in the seat. Norris was recently confirmed as a federal judge for the West Tennessee district.
Rose favors tightening U.S. border controls to prevent drugs like heroin from entering the country, as well as providing law enforcement and drug courts with resources to combat the opioid crisis, he said.
“I think we’ve got to do all we can to prevent those drugs from coming into our country,” Rose said. “And that would build the wall, control what is coming across our border.”
Mcmanus wants to see more money earmarked in the state budget for fighting the opioid epidemic.
“I would want more money than $14 million,” Mcmanus said of how much of the Tennessee budget should be dedicated to the opioid issue. “And I would continue that dialogue with law enforcement to do what we can to pass really, really good legislation to bring this to an end.”
The winner of the Republican primary will face off March 12 against Eric Coleman, the lone Democrat in the race.
State Senate District 32 includes parts of Shelby and Tipton counties, and a mix of suburban and rural areas. The candidates detailed Monday how they would balance the needs of both.
“I understand what rural life is all about,” Chism said. “I understand the first heavy frost we’re going to kill hogs. I understand how you kill hogs and why you want to kill hogs. I also understand it was hard work and I was happy when we moved into the suburbs. It’s a different lifestyle, it’s different means. It doesn’t mean better or worse, but you’ve got to be able to work with those.”
Shafer, who was raised on a farm, chaired the budget and finance committee for two years during her tenure on the Shelby County Commission. She doesn’t see it as urban versus rural or urban versus suburban, she said.
“There’s actually a beautiful symmetry, a sweet spot that works together in every portion,” Shafer said. “Farmers need good markets to sell product to. That’s the urban and suburban areas. Suburban areas need places to work, urban areas need places to grow food.”
Jamie Munks covers Memphis city government and politics for The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jamie.munks@commercialappeal.com. Follow her on Twitter @journo_jamie_.