A post by a Tennessee lawmaker on Wednesday claiming that Tennessee schools will remain closed till mid-February is being debunked by state officials and fellow lawmakers.
The Question
On Wednesday, Rep. John Mark Windle of Livingston created a post on Facebook that read: State of Tennessee drafts contingency plans to close schools until Feb. 15. The post received more than 2,000 shares and hundreds of comments.
But is it true?
The Answer
That's not true, according to a statement from the State Dept. of Education and other state lawmakers. However, some lawmakers may try to lay the groundwork if the pandemic forces schools to close.
What We Found
It's not clear if the rumor started with Windle's post or somewhere else, but his public comment about it was the most visible and widely shared.
10News reached out to Rep. Windle several times on Wednesday and was finally able to speak with him on Thursday.
He said there will be bills filed in the next special session that would allow local school districts to "remain harmless" if impacted by COVID-19 and were forced to close. That means schools won't be penalized financially if they are not in session.
We contacted the Tennessee Department of Education. Spokesperson Victoria Robinson did respond.
"There is no truth behind this rumor. Tennessee districts have worked hard to prioritize in-person learning for students, and the department is focused on supporting that work," she said.
State Representative Jason Zachary also responded to the rumors on social media.
"There is a ridiculous rumor spreading on social media that TN schools are looking to close until February 15th.
This is absurd and not true. Yes, I have confirmed. The Governor and his team are working around the clock, literally, to ensure schools stay open.
In addition, according to the Tennessean, the legislative director for Gov. Lee's office sent an email to lawmakers about the rumors.
Brent Easley wrote: "A number of you have reached out to us about a rumor being circulated regarding the Governor closing schools or some forthcoming state action to close schools. This item is not factual."
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