Tennessee House passes bill to restrict what flags can be displayed in public schools

The Tennessee House passed a bill on Monday that would ban LGBTQ and many other flags from public school classrooms, sending the measure to the Senate.

House Bill 1605, sponsored by Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, would prohibit schools from displaying any flags except:

• The United States flag 
• The official Tennessee state flag 
• A flag that cannot be disturbed or altered pursuant to Tennessee heritage protection law 
• The POW/MIA flag 
• 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 ROTC program  
• A flag that represents a college or university  
• A flag that is displayed temporarily as part of a bon fide course curriculum 
• An official school flags 
• The flag of an organization duly authorized to use a public-school building 

During the House debate on Monday, Bulso said he brought this legislation forward on behalf of concerned parents.  

“The cause was a concern by parents in my district and one school board member that certain teachers and counselors in our district were displaying a pride flag in the classroom and on a teacher’s desk, despite the fact that parents had objected to that display,” Bulso said, according to The Tennessean. “I agreed to help them.” 

Bulso said parents should have the right to choose what values they want to instill in their children. 

“Do parents have the right to instill values in their own children that they agree with?” Bulso asked, according to The Tennessean. “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.”  

Rep. Jason Powell, D-Nashville, sought an amendment to allow students to express themselves “as long as it does not materially disrupt school activities.”  

“I am against the bill,” Powell said, according to The Tennessean. “Right now, this bill is targeting students.” 

Powell worries the new bill will lead to lawsuits against school districts in the state.  

“We are going to have students who are going to feel unwelcome,” Powell claimed.  

Powell’s amendment ultimate failed. 

HB 1605 passed the House 70-24, with one member abstaining. It now moves to the Senate.