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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A bill that would prohibit Pride flags from being displayed in Tennessee public school classrooms will be heard in the House Public Service Subcommittee on February 19th, 2025.
House Bill 0304 (HB0304), sponsored by Representative Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood-District 61) and corresponding Senate Bill 0266 (SB0266), sponsored by Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald-District 28), seeks to limit the types of flags that may be displayed in public schools and in addition, clarifies that only the United States flag or official state flag may be displayed on public governmental buildings, roadways or sidewalks.
A similar bill carried last year by the same pair of conservative lawmakers passed in the House in a roll call vote of 70 to 24 but failed to gain a constitutional majority in the Senate when ten Republicans and one Democrat chose to take a walk in order to avoid voting.
Bulso filed his bill last year after hearing from constituents in Williamson County who had concerns about the Pride flags that were on display in their schools. Despite parental objections, teachers and school counselors continued to display the flags.
In this year’s proposed legislation, Tennesseans would have the ability to file a civil suit against state governmental entities or agencies if banned flags are flown or displayed.
The bill would allow only the following flags to be displayed by school districts:
- United States flag
- Official state flag
- Flags that cannot be disturbed or altered
- POW/MIA flag
- Flags of Indian tribes
- Flags representing a City, County, Metropolitan Government, or other political subdivision of Tennessee
- Flags representing units, branches or other divisions of the armed forces, including ROTC programs
- Current, official flags of countries or their political subdivisions
- College or university flags
- Flags that are temporarily displayed as part of a bona fide course curriculum
- Official School flags
- Flag of an organization that has been given permission to use a public school building, during the time they are using school property
If passed, the legislation would allow parents or guardians of either enrolled students or students eligible to be enrolled to sue if banned flags are put on display where children might see them. Written notice of the alleged violation would first have to be provided to the local school district.
Contact information for the Public Service Subcommittee members can be found below.
Rep.iris.rudder@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jeff.burkhart@capitol.tn.gov, rep.rick.eldridge@capitol.tn.gov, rep.jake.mccalmon@capitol.tn.gov, rep.gabby.salinas@capitol.tn.gov, rep.todd.warner@capitol.tn.gov
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
