Tennessee GOP-led Senate spikes bill seeking to ban LGBTQ+ Pride flags in schools

By James On Apr 23, 2024

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A bill intended to ban LGBTQ+ Pride flags in Tennessee public school classrooms was strengthened Tuesday after failing to gain enough support in the Republican Party-controlled Senate.

The proposal had easily passed the Republican-dominant House nearly two months earlier, after the bill’s sponsor said he had parents complaining about “political flags” in classrooms.

However, the proposal stalled in the Senate as lawmakers debated possible changes, delaying debate on the measure until the final week of this year’s legislative session.

“There were some parents in my district who felt that there were flags hanging in the public school classroom that did not coincide with their values and felt that their children should not be indoctrinated into the schools,” said Republican Senator Joey Hensley.

Ultimately, the Senate amended the bill to stipulate that only the American flag and the official flag of the state of Tennessee could be displayed in a public school. However, although the House agreed to the changes, the final vote failed to secure a simple majority within the 33-member body, with a vote of 13 to 6, after virtually no debate.

More than ten senators declined to vote on the bill, while three chose to vote “present.” Senate President Randy McNally was the only Republican to join the five Democrats in voting against the bill.

Republican-led states like Tennessee have moved to increasingly restrict LGBTQ+ topics in classrooms and prevent teachers from affirming a child’s gender identity or pronouns. However, efforts to ban LGBTQ+ Pride flags have been mixed, with similar proposals failing to gain traction in Utah and Florida this year.

Meanwhile, the American Civil Liberties Union sent a letter earlier this year to city, school and school district officials across the U.S. who have implemented or are considering flag bans or other pride displays. The group warned that under First Amendment court precedent, “public schools may prohibit private speech on campus only to the extent that it substantially disrupts or disrupts the educational environment or interferes with the rights of other students.”