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The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A pair of conservative lawmakers are running a bill similar to one they filed last year that would prohibit the display of Pride flags in public school classrooms in Tennessee.
House Sponsor Representative Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood-District 61) filed his bill last legislative session after hearing concerns from constituents in Williamson County over Pride flags being displayed by teachers and school counselors, despite parental objections.
This year’s bill, House Bill 0304 (HB0304), sponsored by Bulso, and corresponding Senate Bill 0266 (SB0266), sponsored by Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald-District 28) seeks to limit what flags may be displayed in public schools and clarifies that only the flag of the United States or the official state flag may be displayed on public governmental buildings, roadways or sidewalks.
The proposed legislation would also allow Tennesseans to file a civil suit against a state governmental entity or agency if other flags are flown or displayed as a means of ensuring compliance.
Like last year’s bill school districts would be limited to certain flags:
- The official Tennessee state flag
- A flag that cannot be disturbed or altered
- A flag that represents an Indian tribe
- A flag that represents a city, county, metropolitan government, or other political subdivision of this state
- A flag that represents any unit, branch, or other division of the armed forces, including, but limited to, an ROTC program
- The current, official flag of a country or political subdivision thereof
- A flag that represents a college or university
- A flag that is displayed temporarily as part of a bona fide course curriculum
- The flag of an organization duly authorized to use a public school building, but only during the time the organization is using school property
Parents or guardians of students enrolled in public schools or public charter school could also sue if other flags are found on display where students might see them, providing that they first give written notice of the alleged violation to the local school district.
The bill would even allow any Tennessean with a child who is eligible to enroll in and attend a public school or public charter to bring a suit even though their child does not currently attend the school where the violation occurred.
Early last year, Bulso’s bill passed in the House in a roll call vote of 70 to 24 but when Hensley’s companion bill reached the Senate floor weeks later it failed to gain a constitutional majority of 17 votes when a third of the Senate – ten Republicans and one Democrat – chose to talk a walk in order to avoid voting.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
