Written by JR Robinson

The Comfort of Low Expectations

The debate over Memphis-Shelby County Schools (MSCS) has reached a boiling point: Are we content with being “better than other struggling urban districts,” or do we demand that our schools compete with the very best in Tennessee and the nation? At the center of this storm is Interim Superintendent Dr. Roderick Richmond, whose recent defense of MSCS’s performance—measuring Memphis only against other large, under-resourced city districts—has ignited outrage across the community.

As the Editor of JustMyMemphis, I, JR Robinson, can’t help but draw a personal and uncomfortable comparison. To me, Richmond’s “urban district” defense echoes the same damaging logic once used to justify “Black jobs”—the notion that it’s acceptable for Black workers to have fewer opportunities and lower wages as long as everyone around them faces the same struggle. In education, this narrative translates into accepting mediocrity for Memphis’s children, locking them into a cycle of diminished opportunity and second-class citizenship.

The stakes are clear: With only 24.6% of students proficient in reading, 21.2% in math, and 27.4% in science, Memphis lags far behind state and suburban averages. Yet instead of rallying the city around bold reform, MSCS leadership is moving the goalposts—insisting that it’s unfair to compare Memphis to higher-performing districts. The community is left to ask: Are we really prepared to settle for less?

The Numbers: A System in Crisis

Let’s be clear about the scale of the problem:

• MSCS serves over 111,000 students across 225 schools, with a student body that is 95% minority, predominantly Black.
• Proficiency rates are 14% in math (vs. 31% statewide) and 23% in reading (vs. 37% statewide).
• In comparison, suburban districts like Collierville and Germantown routinely post proficiency rates above 60% in core subjects.

While district officials celebrate incremental gains—math proficiency up 2.5 points, reading up less than one percentage point—the reality is that three out of four students in Memphis are not on grade level. For high schoolers, the picture is even bleaker: English proficiency has declined, and most third graders still fail to meet critical reading benchmarks.

“The 2025 TCAP results reflect more than a single year’s progress,” the district said. “They affirm a long-term trajectory of improvement and a deep-rooted belief that every student can achieve.”

But belief is not enough. The hard truth is that Memphis’s children are being left behind at a scale that should shock the conscience of every resident.

The “Urban District” Defense: A Modern-Day “Black Jobs” Narrative

When Dr. Roderick Richmond tells the public that it’s “fairer” to compare MSCS to other large, urban districts rather than to suburban schools, he is not just making a statistical argument. He is endorsing a narrative that says Memphis children should not expect to compete with their peers in the suburbs, the state, or the nation.

This is the educational equivalent of the “Black jobs” narrative—a phrase that, for decades, was used to rationalize why Black workers were paid less, promoted less, and given fewer opportunities. The logic was simple and devastating: If everyone around you is struggling, then your struggle is normal. If everyone is underpaid, then your low wages are justified. If everyone in your neighborhood is failing, then your failure is expected.

Apply this to schools, and the result is a toxic acceptance of mediocrity:

• It institutionalizes low expectations. If the goal is to be “better than other struggling districts,” excellence is never the target.
• It undermines hope and ambition. Children internalize the message that their zip code determines their destiny.
• It perpetuates cycles of poverty and inequality. Without strong academic skills, Memphis graduates are locked out of good jobs and higher education, fueling the very social and economic problems the city claims to be fighting.

“Comparing performance to other large, urban districts is a fairer comparison and gives a better scope of how Memphis children are actually performing.” — Dr. Roderick Richmond

This is not just a rhetorical misstep. It is an abdication of responsibility—a public admission that second-class results are acceptable for Memphis’s children.

Why the “Urban District” Narrative Is So Damaging

1. It Lowers the Bar for Everyone

When the head of the school system says it’s unfair to compare Memphis to the suburbs, he is telling every student, parent, and teacher that excellence is out of reach. This is not just defeatist—it is dangerous. It gives cover to policymakers, administrators, and even some teachers to accept less, to try less, and to expect less.

2. It Sends the Wrong Message to Employers and Colleges

If Memphis graduates are not held to the same standards as their peers elsewhere, why should employers or colleges take them seriously? The “urban district” defense becomes a warning label: “These students were not expected to achieve at the highest level. Don’t expect too much from them.”

3. It Ignores the Real Competition

In a global economy, Memphis students are not just competing with kids in Nashville or Germantown. They are up against students from Boston, Shanghai, and Mumbai. Settling for “urban district” standards is a recipe for permanent economic disadvantage.

4. It Disguises Systemic Failure

By focusing on relative improvement—“we’re doing better than last year” or “we’re ahead of Detroit”—leaders can avoid accountability for the fact that the vast majority of students are still not proficient. This is the same logic that kept “Black jobs” at the bottom of the pay scale for generations: as long as things are getting a little better, don’t ask for too much.

The Community’s Anger: More Than Just Test Scores

The recent firing of Dr. Marie Feagins and the subsequent turmoil within the school board have exposed deep fissures in the community. Some are angry at the loss of a superintendent who promised bold change. Others are frustrated by the slow pace of improvement. But beneath these debates is a shared sense of betrayal: the feeling that the system is not just failing to deliver results, but is failing to even aspire to greatness.

“The stakes are high, the status of education, but certainly with Memphis-Shelby County Schools, could not be any higher than they are right now.” — Dr. Marie Feagins

When the district’s response to criticism is to move the goalposts—comparing Memphis to other struggling cities instead of aiming for the top—it is no wonder that hope is fading.

The State’s Response: Threats of Takeover

The crisis has not gone unnoticed at the state level. Earlier this year, Republican Rep. Mark White proposed a bill to create a state-appointed board to manage MSCS for at least four years, citing persistent mismanagement and poor performance. While the effort ultimately stalled, it is a sign of just how deep the distrust runs—both in Memphis and in Nashville.

Yet, even in the face of possible state intervention, the district’s leadership has not articulated a bold vision for transformation. Instead, the focus remains on incremental gains and relative comparisons.

The Real Cost: Lost Generations

The consequences of this mindset are not abstract. They are measured in thousands of children who leave school each year unprepared for college, careers, or civic life. They are measured in neighborhoods where opportunity is scarce and hope is in short supply. They are measured in the growing gap between Memphis and the rest of Tennessee—a gap that will only widen if the current trajectory continues.

Consider these facts:

• Memphis’s average testing ranking is 1/10, in the bottom 50% of Tennessee districts.
• Minority enrollment is 95%, compared to 43% statewide—meaning the burden of low expectations falls overwhelmingly on Black and brown children.
• The district is the largest in the state, serving more than 10% of all Tennessee students—yet its performance lags far behind the state average.

This is not just a local issue. It is a civil rights crisis, a moral crisis, and an economic crisis all rolled into one.

The Path Forward: Rejecting Second-Class Status

Memphis does not have to accept this fate. The city’s children are just as capable, just as ambitious, and just as deserving as those in any other district. But change will require a radical rejection of the “urban district” and “Black jobs” narratives.

What Must Happen:

• Set Ambitious Goals: The district must aim to be the best in Tennessee—and then the nation. Anything less is a betrayal of the city’s future.
• Demand Accountability: Leaders who settle for mediocrity must be held accountable. Incremental progress is not enough.
• Invest in Proven Strategies: Literacy, math, and teacher support must be prioritized with real resources, not just rhetoric.
• Engage the Community: Parents, students, and community leaders must demand better—and refuse to accept excuses.
• Change the Narrative: Stop talking about what Memphis can’t do, and start talking about what it will do.

No More Excuses

The “urban district” and “Black jobs” defenses are relics of a past that should have no place in 21st-century Memphis. Every child in this city deserves a world-class education—no matter their race, their neighborhood, or their family’s income. The time for excuses is over. The time for bold action is now.

Memphis has always been a city of fighters, dreamers, and builders. Its children deserve nothing less than the best. Let’s stop settling for second-class expectations—and start demanding first-class results, with Dr. Roderick Richmond and every leader in Memphis held to the highest possible standard.