Anti-Bargaining Legislation Challenged in Court

On Friday, attorneys for the Sumner County School Board and the Sumner County Education Association will be in court again. This time, the issue is whether to dismuss SCEA's lawsuit in light of new anti-collective bargaining laws that take effect July 1. SCEA contends that the Board's action violated the contract in force in October of 2010 and thus, the laws effective on that date should govern. SCEA's lawyer has further suggested that the new legislation is unconstitutional under both the state and federal constitutions. The arguments will be interesting and could shape public policy both in Sumner County and across Tennessee.