12 Republican Senators Allow Gay Pride Flags in Tennessee Schools Ahead of Election (Update 4.25.24)
***Update 4.25.24 – The Tennessee Conservative reached out to the Republican Senators who chose to be absent for the vote, or voted against SB1722 to inquire about their reasoning. The office of Senator Shane Reeves replied. The article has been updated with the response.***
Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov & canva
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
A Tennessee bill that would ban the display of Pride flags – and other flags that are ideological or political in nature – did not pass on the Senate floor on Tuesday.
The roll call vote of 13 to 6 failed to gain a constitutional majority of 17 votes and the bill has been returned to the Calendar Committee. While it is possible that the bill will get another chance on the Senate floor, the legislative session is likely to wrap up soon.
Lieutenant Governor Randy McNally (R-Oak Ridge-District 5) was the lone Republican voting against the bill.
According to video footage of the vote, a third of the Senate – ten Republicans and one Democrat – were not present on the floor. In addition, of the twenty-two in attendance, three chose not to vote.
Eight of the senators recorded as missing during the vote – Republicans Bailey, Haile, Massey, Powers, Reeves, Stevens, Walley, and Watson – were at the Capitol but “took a walk to skip the vote” according to reporting from the Tennessean.
The three Republican senators present but not voting were Briggs, Yager, and Gardenhire.
Gardenhire allegedly said that he would vote for the bill once he had cleaned it up by adding an amendment.
Gardenhire’s amendment was added to the bill before the roll call vote was taken, which would simply prohibit the display of any flags on school property except the U.S. flag or the Tennessee State flag.
The Tennessee Conservative reached out to the Republican Senators who chose to be absent for the vote, or voted against to inquire about their reasoning. The office of Senator Shane Reeves (R-Bedford, Cannon, Moore and Rutherford Counties-District 15) replied with the following statement:
“I wholeheartedly support the intent of the bill. Political indoctrination has no place in Tennessee classrooms. However, due to constitutional issues raised by the attorney general, I believe we need a better bill that will withstand court scrutiny. The bill that was before us risked a constitutional challenge that could have resulted in putting money in the pockets of the ACLU. We need a bill that will prevent political indoctrination without elevating the liberal activists in the ACLU.”
Senate Bill 1722 (SB1722) sponsored by Senator Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald-District 28) is the companion to House Bill 1605 (HB1605) that the House passed in a roll call vote of 70 to 24 at the end of February.
House sponsor Representative Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood-District 61) filed the bill after hearing concerns from constituents in Williamson County over Pride flags being displayed by teachers and school counselors, despite the objections raised by parents.
Previously, in response to criticism that the bill targeted members of the LGBTQ+ community, Bulso said, “What this bill does is it preserves tolerance across the board for all parents and all school children.”
Before Gardenhire’s bare bones amendment was added, the bill would have permitted all of the following flags to be flown by LEAs and public charter schools:
• The United States Flag
• The Official Tennessee State Flag
• A Flag That Cannot be Disturbed or Altered (TCA Section 4-1-412)
• The POW/MIA Flag
• A Flag Representing an Indian Tribe (25 U.S.C. Section 5304)
• A Flag Representing a City, County, Metropolitan Government, or Other Political Subdivision of the State of Tennessee
• A Flag Representing a Unit, Brand, or Other Division of the Armed Forces Including ROTC Programs
• A Flag Representing a College or University
• A Flag Displayed Temporarily as Part of a Bona Fide Course Curriculum
• An Official School Flag
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
Why must we have flags in schools that portray someone’s sex life? Let’s keep the schools on an educational level, not an indoctrination level. If these people (school faculty and administrators) want to promote homosexuality, let them fly those flags all over their own PERSONAL lawns and houses as much as they want. LEAVE OUR CHILDREN ALONE.
Agree 100%.
Truth! It is time to put the lavender mafia out of our schools. Our children do not need this.
100% correct. I am very ashamed of these 12 ‘Republican’ Senators that CLAIM they are conservative, moral, conservatives yet promote anything but. I am more disappointed in Sen. Ken Yager and will no longer support him as he does NOT represent any of my convictions. Each one of these men will have to give an account to our Holy God and WHY they promote such an unholy lifestyle. Shame on them and shame on us who keeping them in office. They are more concerned with offending less than 8% of the people than offending the God who created them and gave us His laws and statues.
American Flag and State flag – supports ALL!
Keep out the pride Flag, and any other, allow U.S. and State only…
Satan lovers!
What a waste of our money. Just shows us that protecting our children is not a priority. I can’t believe how far left Republicans have become. Next time you go to the polls remember how sick the TN GOP really is.
The tepid conservatives who hid in the tall grass when this vote was scheduled won’t be able to hide come primary day this August. Those of us who don’t live in their district can “vote” our disgust at their behavior by contributing to their stalwart conservative opponents as follows:
Re: Gardenhire we have Ed LeCompte https://www.edfortnsenate.com/
Re: Haile we have Chris Spencer https://www.chrisspencerforsenate.com/
Re: Massey we have Monica Irvine https://monicairvine.com/
Nothing like well financed primary challenges to wipe the smile off of these tepid conservatives’ faces.
Good to know!
Don’t let this turn you against Republicans. Please let this encourage you to vote for REAL REPUBLICANS during the next primary elections. We know that the DemonRats will ALWAYS vote with the Leftist America-haters
Of all the things that goes on in the world, one is very obvious,
That is the difference between people who support/Fear God and those who don’t.
and it is reflected in the polls we read every day.
The Biden Admin: is one of the most “EVIL” administration this country has ever had,
Supporting every Abomination God mentioned, lying, cheating, stealing, illegal and unethical acts against candidates of the opposite party to remain in power.
ALL the ear mark of a “Devil Controlled” party, and yet the polls show almost half of the American people still support and expect “Good things” to come from this “Party of Devils”.
But it is as God said it would be a “Falling Away” from “TRUTH” and into a “Blindness” and “Ignorance” of a “HELL”, both in this life and the one to come.
People have “High Hopes” for Trump’s election but when the “End of time”, “declared from the beginning” has arrived, for what, those worthy to “escape” the tribulation will be Rapture, and then payment for those 63 million murdered Babies will be made, eye for and eye, tooth for a tooth.
AMEN!!
Agree
Tennessee Conservative post their names, we plan to vote against them, they need to go..Children have enough to deal with already, stop trying to push our children into accepting the lifestyle this represents–this is basically teachers wanting this–go back to teaching children to think on their own–Hey here’s a thought–teach them REAL History, the kind we were taught when I was in school..
Once again we see that the TN Republican party is full of satan worshipping pedophiles and gutless cucks.
Sadly, most don’t have primary opponents.
That’s true Dwayne, but on the other hand, we don’t have all that many activist conservatives around with all that much money. If we can only get enough money to the three candidates I mentioned earlier together with Michele Reneau https://www.electmichele.com/ who is running against Patsy Hazelwood (TLRC-77) and whoever conservatives decide to support in Williamson County Dist. 65 between Lee Reeves and Michelle Forman we will have made one heck of an impression on the centrist/tepid conservatives in the General Assembly.
No Primary opponents? That’s the fault of our complacency and that of an “Old Guard” Tennessee State GOP. Remember the worthless RINO Ronna Romney that we finally got rid of? How many in our TN GOP are cut from the same cloth? I’m guessing way too many.
Each of these comments are so correct. Let us make sure who we are voting for and that they are true Conservatives.
Remember, actions speak louder than words. We are seeing what they are doing right Infront of us. They aren’t trying to hide it.
So many items have been passed that are totally opposite from what Conservative would vote for.
I hope that it was worth it for them. We may not get to see the punishment, but they will pay for their lies and deceitful ways.
I will show My Pride next Election voting these Trash Republicans’ out of office.
Neither Powers nor Walley have a primary opponent so their voting record will not change. Why should they change is no one from their district will challenge them in the Republican Primary?
Do get involved with Primary campaigns if you are unhappy with an incumbents voting record … or nothing changes!
April 4th was deadline to file?
Yep
Sure do miss
Mae Beavers
Glad we have
Janice Bowling