The full Tennessee State Senate will vote on Tuesday, April 12, considering a bill that requires high school students to be taught the virtues of capitalism and the constitutional republic form of government in comparison to other economic systems and governmental systems.
The Tennessee State House of Representatives previously approved the House version of the bill on March 28, 68-21.
The bill was approved by the Senate Education Committee on March 30 and was scheduled for a floor vote by the Senate Calendar Committee. The Senate Clerk’s office told The Tennessee Star that the vote took a while to be scheduled because of the influx of bills that were already in the queue.
Unlike the House Calendar and Rules Committee, the Senate Calendar Committee automatically schedules bills referred to it for a floor vote. In the state House, a bill referred to the calendar committee is not guaranteed a floor vote.
SB2728/HB2742, sponsored by State Senator Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro) in the Senate and State Representative Dennis Powers (R-Jacksboro) in the House, “requires that high school students be taught about the virtues of capitalism and the constitutional republic form of government in the United States and Tennessee, as compared to other political and economic systems such as communism and socialism, as part of the social studies curriculum.”
Both versions were introduced on February 2, 2022.
The Star previously reported that when the legislation came up for House floor consideration on March 28, State Rep. Gloria Johnson (D-Knoxville) strenuously objected on the floor. Johnson is a voted far-left voice in the Tennessee House of Representatives. After the bill was approved, in a tweet, Johnson compared its passage to a fictional passage of a bill teaching the virtues of fascism.
Now the GOP cut off debate on teaching the “virtues of capitalism” instead of teaching comparison and contrast on all government systems. Pretty sure we aren’t far away from them passing a bill to teach the virtues of fascism
The text of the legislation reads:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Section 49-6-1028(b)(2), is amended by designating the existing language as subdivision (A) and adding the following as a new subdivision: (B) Students in grades nine through twelve (9-12) must be taught about the virtues of capitalism and the constitutional republic form of government in the United States and Tennessee, as compared to other political and economic systems such as communism and socialism.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon becoming a law, the public welfare requiring it, and applies to the 2022-2023 school year and each school year thereafter.
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Aaron Gulbransen is a reporter at The Tennessee Star and The Star News Network. Email tips to [email protected]. Follow Aaron on GETTR, Twitter, and Parler.
Photo “Dennis Powers” by Tennessee General Assembly. Photo “Dawn White” by Dawn White. Background Photo “Classroom” by Wokandapix.
This “Virtues” of capitalism course is nothing but right-wing propaganda that gives one-sided view of corporate economics.
I am stuck with Gloria Johnson as my state rep. – she is truly a far left loon.