Republican-Led House Passes Legislation That Would Ban Pride Flags In Public Schools

The Tennessee House of Representatives passed legislation that would largely ban pride flags from being displayed in public schools.

The GOP-controlled House approved House Bill 1605 by a 70-24 vote.

The Tennessee House has passed a bill that will ban pride flags in classrooms.

The Senate could vote on it as soon as next week and it’s expected to pass.

TN Democrats of course opposed this bill and some even said it made them proud to see pride flags in classrooms. pic.twitter.com/6RnFdaOXuc

— Robby Starbuck (@robbystarbuck) February 27, 2024

Fox News reports:

The bill defines “displaying” a flag by a school or employee as exhibiting or placing the item “anywhere students may see the object.”

The measure would allow certain flags to be displayed, with exceptions for some scenarios. Approved flags include the U.S. flag, the Tennessee flag, flags considered protected historical items under state law, as well as flags of Native American tribes, local governments’ armed forces and prisoners of war or those missing in action, other countries and their local governments, colleges or universities or the schools themselves.

Other flags could be temporarily displayed as part of a “bona fide” course curriculum. Certain groups allowed to use school buildings may also show their flags while using the grounds under the bill.

The legislation would enforce the ban by relying on lawsuits by parents or guardians of students who attend, or are eligible to attend, public school in the district in question. The lawsuits could challenge the display of flags by a school, employee or its agents that would not fall under the proposed criteria for which flags would be allowed in classrooms.

Tennessee House passes bill banning most pride flag displays in public classrooms https://t.co/XbAcFOMShA

— John Solomon (@jsolomonReports) February 27, 2024

From The Tennessean:

The bill, sponsored by Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, would prohibit the display of any flags that “represent a political viewpoint, including but not limited to, a partisan, racial, sexual orientation, gender, or other ideological viewpoint.”

A companion bill could be up for a final vote in the Senate as early as Thursday, having passed the Senate Education in a 5 to 4 vote last week.

“Do parents have the right to instill values in their own children that they agree with?” Bulso asked during House debate on Monday. “If you have parents across the state who want to instill in their children values represented by the pride flag, they are certainly entitled to do that. On the other hand, if you have parents who want to instill values in their children that are not consistent with the values represented by the pride flag, they have the ability to do that.”

“Everyone is entitled to mutual respect. Everyone is entitled to mutual dignity. Everyone is entitled to tolerance,” Bulso said. “What this bill does is it preserves tolerance across the board for all parents and all school children.”

Bulso has objected to the display of the pride flag and the “set of values” it represents, saying it represents elevation of “same-sex marriage to the same status of traditional marriage.”

WKRN News 2 reports: