Bill To Ban Forced Implicit Bias Training For Teachers Moves To Full Education Committee
Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov
The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –
Legislation that would eliminate mandatory bias training for teachers in Tennessee passed out of subcommittee in the House yesterday.
HB0158, sponsored by Representative Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville-District 14), passed by a voice vote in the House K-12 Subcommittee and now moves forward to the full Education Administration Committee.
The bill prohibits a local education agency (LEA), public charter school, public institution of higher education, the state board of education, and the department of education from requiring an educator, employee of an LEA or charter school, faculty member, or employee of a public institution of higher education to complete or participate in implicit bias training.
The bill also prohibits educators or other employees from having adverse actions taken against them for refusing to participate in such training.
The bill defines “implicit bias training” as “a training or other educational program designed to expose an individual to biases that the training’s or educational program’s developer or designer presumes the individual to unconsciously, subconsciously, or unintentionally possess that predispose the individual to be unfairly prejudiced in favor of or against a thing, person, or group to adjust the individual’s patterns of thinking in order to eliminate the individual’s unconscious bias or prejudice.”
The Senate version of the bill (SB0102), sponsored by Senator Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga-District 10), passed the Senate Education Committee on February 22nd and now awaits scheduling to be heard in the Senate Finance, Ways and Means Committee.
The legislation does have a fiscal note of $94,300 for Fiscal Years 23-24 and subsequent years, so the bill does still face the possibility of being “placed behind the budget.”
The Tennessee Conservative will keep you informed so you can contact legislators to voice your support for the bill prior to it being heard in upcoming committee meetings.
About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
