Image Credit: TN General Assembly
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A bill that would require public schools to teach the “success sequence” is up for a vote on the House floor on Monday, April 7th, 2025.
As amended, Senate Bill 0471 (SB0471), sponsored by Senator Janice Bowling (R-Tullahoma-District 16), called the Success Sequence Act, would mandate that schools provide instruction on the keys to a successful life starting with the 2026-2027 school year.
According to Bowling, relevant literature has determined these keys to be completing high school, going on to higher education or becoming employed, followed by marriage before having children.
Senator Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis-District 29) called the initiative “indoctrination.”
While individuals can certainly become successful despite being raised in a single-parent household, statistics that Bowling referenced show that children raised by married parents are twice as likely to graduate from college, while children raised by parents who are not married are twice as likely to end up in prison before the age of 30. In addition, children raised by single parents are three times as likely to be raised in poverty.
Similar bills are advancing in other states this year, including Kentucky, Mississippi, Ohio, and Texas.
Should the bill become law in Tennessee, the Success Sequence would be included in the state’s family life curriculum for grades K through 12.
While Democrats stated during discussion of the proposed legislation that children growing up in single parent households would be made to feel “less than” about their home life, state law allows parents to opt their children out of family life classes.
The bill passed on the Senate floor along party lines on March 27th, 2025.
It is now up for a vote on the full House floor as House Bill 0178 (HB0178) carried by Representative Gino Bulso.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
