A law protecting Tennessee teachers from civil liability if they fail to use a student’s preferred pronouns, is heading to the governor’s desk for his signature. The law extends protection to all employees of a public school, as well.
The proposed law, HB1269, comes at a time when discussions around transgender issues have moved to the forefront. Supporters say the bill does nothing but protect the First Amendment rights of teachers. But critics argue that the bill is part of a trio of “anti-LGBTQ+” bills passed by the Tennessee legislature this session. The first, regulated public drag shows across the state, while the other banned some gender-related medical procedures for minors. Many times, those same critics do not acknowledge that “gender affirming” procedures and drug therapies physiologically alter the young person’s body, often irreversibly.
A law protecting Tennessee teachers from civil liability if they fail to use a student’s preferred pronouns, is heading to the governor’s desk for his signature. The law extends protection to all employees of a public school, as well.
During a discussion on the floor prior to Senate approval back in early April, State Senator Heidi Campbell (D-Nashville) expressed that she believed the bill is only doing harm to students and said, “I do think this is about giving teachers the right to bully our kids.”
The argument that this bill was merely a vehicle for teachers’ bullying students was put forth again on Friday by Democrats during a lengthy and contentious discussion on the Tennessee House floor. That conversation was extended by several procedural inquiries from both sides.
“This is bullying a student,” State Representative Bob Freeman, (D-Nashville) said. “I am not asking them to agree with anyone. What I am asking is the common decency of respect to address children and how they should be addressed. These terms matter. They matter to children and they matter to us. These are people who should be guiding these children. I trust they want to do what’s best. But there are bad actors.”
State Representative Justin Jones (D-Nashville) called the proposed law a “license to bully students.” Jones went on to say, “I am sorry to the students who hear what is happening today. I apologize to these young people on behalf of this body. Because what we are doing here is perpetuating harm, trauma, and bullying.”
Jones closed his comments by asking, “Is this the legacy of this body? Is this what we are doing on the last day of session? Passing laws to bully children. Have mercy on us. Forgive us.”
State Representative Monty Fritts (R-Kingston) called a point of order on Jones, accusing him of trying to impugn the motives of the bill by suggesting that it is to bully students. Jones’s time had passed, so the discussion moved on.
“It is interesting, I believe that the bullying comment first came from Representative Freeman, but the comments only came after Representative Jones said it,” State Representative Justin Jones (D-Memphis) told fellow House members, “Yea, you can object all you want, but there is a difference between Black and White folks in here.”
Majority Leader State Representative William Lambeth (R-Portland) raised an objection and then withdrew his objection, asking, “Can we just stay on the bill and not disparage fellow members?”
Pearson continued, utilizing his remaining time to argue that the bill does nothing but dehumanize and marginalize children. Fritts once again objected.
After a lengthy discussion over the interpretation of the rules, discussion on the bill was permitted to continue with State Representative Vincent Dixie (D-Nashville) asking, “What harm is there to respect someone and call them what they want to be called?”
Bill-sponsor State Representative Mark Cochran (R-Englewood) reiterated, “Nothing in this bill would prevent a teacher from calling a student by a requested pronoun. This just protects a teacher’s right not to speak if doing so violates their right of conscience.”
Cochran answered a ‘change with the times” call made by Dixie by saying, “No matter how much times are changing you can not tell a person that their religious beliefs no longer matter.” The Representative went on to add that he didn’t believe that the bill permitted teachers to bully kids, but that it did protect teachers from being bullied themselves. He accused the “woke Left” of being among the biggest bullies in history.
Democrats instantly objected to his statement. The objection was overruled. Another lengthy parliamentary procedure discussion ensued.
When the discussion resumed, State Representative Bud Hulsey (R-Kingsport) spoke of instances where teachers in his district faced a situation where students routinely changed their desire of how they wished to be referenced. These teachers had no intention of bullying or showing disrespect, they just were afraid of being exposed to punishment simply because they couldn’t keep up with students’ desires.
Eventually, the question was called and the House voted to adopt and conform to SB0466 by a vote of 72-22, with State Representative Ronnie Glynn (D-Clarksville) present but not voting. When it came time to vote on the bill, Glynn voted “nay”.
The state Senate approved the bill on April 6 with a vote of 25-7, with Senator Art Swann present but not voting.
The bill now heads to Governor Lee’s desk for his signature.
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TC Weber is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. He also writes the blog Dad Gone Wild. Follow TC on Twitter. Email tips to [email protected]. He’s the proud parent of two public school children and the spouse of a public school teacher.
Photo “House Floor Session- 27th Legislative Day” by Tennessee House of Representatives.
With all the work that could be done it is a shame the legislature had afford this any time. It is a shame because if not addressed the woke left, the party of cognitively challenged Biden, would try effect some sanction on those who do not follow lock step their ideology. While it is a shame, while it accomplishes nothing for the state, I would encourage the legislature to focus even more time on laws to stop the fading woke trend in its tracks. Those who don’t like it? Well I suggest they relocate to California, there are plenty of vacancies there as over 700,000 people, including two congressional seats, left that state being fed up with state governance. They are fed up with democrats, they are fed u p with the nonsense. To those who can’t relocate, it isn’t difficult to learn the correct application of pronouns she/her or he/him, the first two are correctly applied to those biologically female with the latter to the biologically male.
If the Democrats were really concerned about these mentally ill students they would help them seek the help they need to address their mental illness instead of mutilating their body and pumping them up with dangerous drugs.
Heidi Campbell proves, on a daily basis, what an amateur hack she really is. Jones and the fake minister from Memphis have nothing on her.
ABOLISH FEDERAL DEPARTMENT IF EDUCATION
and all this nonsense goes away. Their is no Constitutional mandate for the Federal Government to educate our children; therefore that responsibility goes to the States. Representative Andy Ogles stated during his campaign, he would be in favor of that. While the Debt Limit is being discussed, it would seem that Abolishing Department of Ed would go a long way in reducing unnecessary spending. Rep Ogles is on the Finance Committee.
I hope thos is part of the discussion.
The Dept of Ed is nothing more than a money laundering organization.
This is a prime example of why our society is going to pot. The idea of a “preferred pronoun” is so stupid that it does not deserve to even be considered. Possibly the solution is just to say “hey you” when addressing the students. It makes as much sense.
Such a sorry state of affairs when our legislature has to address this kind of nonsense. Public education is broken. This is one of the many reasons why. Academia is encouraging, promoting and attempting to fund the sexual perversion of our youth for their own self gratification. The media and the Democrat Party support the destruction of parental rights and removal of any personal responsibility from civil society. Stop feeding their hatred and lunacy..