Ban on Teaching Sexual Diversity Dead?
On Wednesday, after a nearly hour long debate during which Representative Stacey Campfield (R-Knoxville) offered no evidence that any school district in Tennessee is teaching sexuality beyond abstinence, the Tennessee House K-12 Subcommittee sent HB0821 back to the State Board of Education for additional study. The vote was 7 to 3.
Those who voted Yes on the motion were:
- Les Winningham (D-Huntsville), Chair
- Ron Lollar (R-Bartlett), Vice-Chair
- Judy Barker (D-Union City)
- Tommie Brown (D-Chattanooga)
- Ulysses Jones (D-Memphis)
- Mark Maddox (D-Dresden)
- Johnnie Turner (D-Memphis)
We urge you to thank them for refusing to support this ill conceived, discriminatory bill. Those who voted No, and, thus, were willing to pass the bill were:
- Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville)
- Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald)
- Terri Lynn Weaver (R-Lancaster)
Later, on Wednesday afternoon, the companion bill, SB1250, by Dewayne Bunch (R-Cleveland), was sent to the General Subcommittee.
The Tennessee Transgender Political Coalition was one of many groups that worked in opposition to these bills. We will remain vigilant in the event there is an attempt to revive this legislation in 2011.
