A state ethics commission meeting last week ended with a win for Rep. Aron Maberry, R-Clarksville, and frustration for some Montgomery County school parents.
The Tennessee Ethics Commission met April 22 to discuss complaints filed against Maberry by five Clarksville-Montgomery County constituents on his dual roles in the Tennessee legislature and the Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board of Education.
Clarksville-Montgomery County School System is researching streaming school board meetings after the board of education voted 7-0 to implement a recorded stream of the twice monthly meetings.
The complaint includes five separate issues, all calling for Maberry to resign from the school board.
Ultimately, the case was dismissed with ethics commissioners considering it political and out of their jurisdiction.
“I have served on this body for 15 years, and I am extremely disturbed by what we have seen and heard regarding this matter,” TEC Chairwoman Tammy White said. “And for the record, I do not recall a time ever before this past year in this case, and one other recent case, that involves complainant parties sharing copies of a formal complaint with the press.”
White mentioned Tennessee Code 3-6-208, which carries a $10,000 fine if a commission determines a person has falsified statements.
“This body was not created to be used as a political pawn for headlines,” White continued.. ”We take our work very seriously. We are all volunteers who serve our state. I believe it is most unfortunate that you have chosen to share a very serious complaint against an elected official in the manner in which you did. I hope that you all understand the seriousness of your actions and truly reckless disregard.”
Joy Rice, one of the complainants, who sat listening to the commission’s feedback, called some of the body’s comments “shocking.”
“The results were not surprising. We know the politics of this state, and we anticipated they would cycle the wagon around their guy,” Rice said. “The shocking part is when they started talking. I was wondering if I should have brought a lawyer.”
Joy Rice, one of the Clarksville-Montgomery County residents who filed a complaint with the Tennessee Ethics Commission calling for Rep. Aron Maberry’s resignation from the Clarksville-Montgomery County School board, speaking at the protest ahead of the April CMCSS Board of Education meeting.
White said it concerned her that the group set a precedent for others to use the commission for political purposes.
“I wanted to yell I’m not lying, and this isn’t political,” Rice said. “I have children who will be impacted. It doesn’t get more personal than that.”
‘We need to have people who represent every part of us.’
Hours later, nearly two dozen Montgomery County residents gathered ahead of the CMCSS Board of Education meeting on April 22, calling for Maberry’s resignation.
“Resign Maberry” signs were held up high as Montgomery County residents stood outside the Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board building as speakers took turns walking up to the podium, presenting a petition with over 400 signatures, calling for Maberry’s resignation.
Rice kicked off the protest.
During her speech, Rice insisted the complaint was not political, but “it was personal.”
“I’m not running against him for school board,” she said. “I’m a mom and my kids will be affected by this. It is absolutely personal.”
Maxwell Jasper Bearden, known as Teacher Bearden to her students, works with students with severe disabilities and behavioral issues with the school district.
Bearden said her students are often left out when laws, such as the voucher bills, are passed.
Clarksville-Montgomery County teacher Maxwell Jasper Bearden speaking out against Rep. Aron Maberry and the education voucher bill.
“It’s extremely frustrating to watch my kids be sidelined over and over again because of small special interests, when in reality, our community is so much bigger than that,” Bearden told The Leaf-Chronicle.
“And again and again, I say that Tennessee doesn’t look like a select few; it looks like all of us. We are all a part of our community, and we need to have people who represent every part of us.”
Protests and calls for Maberry’s registration continued during public comment during the April meeting, though some defended Maberry.
“School choice is not a choice for most families,” Bearden. “It’s long since time to end that misconception. Parents can have preferences, but private schools make that final selection, and unlike public schools, private institutions have no obligation to admit, include or accept your child.”
Maberry has been vocal in his support of vouchers and school choice. In 2023, he was the only school board member to vote ‘yes’ on the American Classical Academy charter school’s application.
“I’m for our schools, I am a product of our school system,” Maberry previously said. “But I am also for parent choice.”
In January, the CMCSS school board voted on a resolution that changed its stance on vouchers from opposing them to neutral.
The vouchers, Bearden said, leaves others behind without free and reduced lunch, meaningful inclusion opportunities and access to a quality education.
“I want you to imagine, if you will, five or 10 years into the future of this voucher bill, our public schools chronically and systemically underfunded, scraping by old materials and support staff on poverty wages. Private schools, bolstered by government money and filled with well educated, desirable, wealthy children,” Bearden said. “Who is left in these public schools?
“I’ll tell you, my students, students like mine, are left in these public schools, kids with disabilities, kids with behavioral issues, kids who learn slowly, hopeless, kids abused kids, kids hoping to God that their free lunch is not cut next year because it’s the only real meal they get here … .”
Next was CMCSS student Nicholas Andrew Wojack, who spoke about his time as a student in the district.
“Are we investing in life skills they’ll actually use,” Wojack asked. “Are we building safe, inclusive schools, or maintaining systems where too many students feel invisible, judged or left behind. Education is more than academic success.”
Wojack continued that the district should ensure students aren’t reduced to their identities or judged by one standardized test.
‘He’s honest, transparent, faith-driven’
Maberry wasn’t in attendance, but instead had two people come speak on his behalf and sent a note care of District 2’s Kacie Bryant.
“I apologize for not being able to make it tonight, ” Maberry’s note said as Bryant read it aloud. “This is the last day of session in the 114th General Assembly. I look forward to seeing everyone in May.”
A list of over 400 Clarksville-Montgomery County residents who signed a petition calling for Rep. Aron Maberry’s resignation from the Clarksville-Montgomery County School Board.
Following public comments speaking against Maberry, two people supported him, starting with Kevin McPherson.
“I moved here from California about four years ago,” McPherson said. “I come from a place with charter schools; they’ve had charter schools for 15, 20 years now, and guess what? No teacher ever lost their job. Matter of fact, it got easier.”
Next was Alexander Castagno.
Castagno and his family moved to Tennessee a few years ago to “escape the crazy public that inserted racism in everything.” Castagno planned to run for the school board until he met Maberry, who was doing everything he would’ve done.
“He’s honest, transparent, faith-driven, and unlike some people, he doesn’t just talk about supporting schools. He actually shows up,” Castagno said. “He’s visiting every school district, not for photo ops or political points, but yet, he actually cares. And wants to be on ground. He’s a product of CMCSS, and he has three kids in the system, so these policies affect his family too.”
He then referred to the Ethics Commission meeting held earlier in the day, calling it political.
“This is straight political because they can’t win elections,” Castagno said. “Yeah, they got 420 signatures out of what, 200,000? That’s not democracy. Democracy is winning elections, passing laws, and representing the community. That’s exactly what Aron is doing.”
Kenya Anderson is a reporter for The Leaf-Chronicle. She can be contacted at kanderson@gannett.com or on X at kenyaanderson32. Sign up for the Leaf-Chronicle to support local journalism at www.theleafchronicle.com.
This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Maberry ethics complaint dismissed; parents protest at board meeting