West Carroll Special School District’s attorney Chris Hayden updated the board about a developing lawsuit out of Nashville at their September 4 meeting.
The suit could have implications for every school system in Tennessee.
Hayden said the state Attorney General’s office has filed suit against several major textbook publishers, alleging violations of laws that require uniform pricing across districts.
He explained that smaller districts such as West Carroll are protected under state statute from being charged more for textbooks than larger systems in places such as Nashville or Memphis.
Publishers are also barred from offering cheaper prices in neighboring states.
“Some people conducted an investigation and believe that [the publishers] have collectively violated those terms,” Hayden told the board.
The case could potentially open the door for school systems that purchased textbooks in the past decade to intervene and seek refunds if overcharges are proven.
Hayden said no immediate action is required by the district but said he would monitor the situation closely.
“We’ll keep Director Caldwell informed about it, and if necessary, we’ll go through and check records… and see what y’all bought from these textbook companies over the last 10 years,” he said.
