Bill To Keep Teachers From Being Forced To Use Preferred Pronouns Returns To House Subcommittee
Image Credit: AWang (WMF) / CC
The Tennessee Conservative [By Jason Vaughn] –
Legislation that would protect teachers from being forced to use students’ preferred pronouns has been brought back to the table and will be heard by the House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee on April 18th.
House Bill 1269 (HB1269), sponsored by State Representative Mark Cochran (R-Englewood-District 23), “specifies that a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA is not required to refer to a student using the student’s preferred pronoun if the pronoun is not consistent with the student’s biological sex; insulates a teacher or other employee of a public school or LEA from civil liability and adverse employment action for referring to a student using the pronoun that is consistent with the student’s biological sex. – Amends TCA Title 49, Chapter 6.”
The bill was previously placed behind the budget on March 15th because of concern that funding could be jeopardized if the legislation was found to be in violation of federal law after it was passed, according to the fiscal note attached to the bill.
While it is rare for a bill to return to the floor in these instances, it can happen if there is additional money left over after the budget is passed.
The companion Senate Bill 0466 (SB0466) passed on the Senate Floor on April 6th, giving supporters hope that the bill might be on its way to becoming law.
If you would like to express your support for this legislation, contact members of the House Finance, Ways, and Means Subcommittee prior to their April 18 meeting by using the contact information below.
Gary Hicks (Chair) (R) – rep.gary.hicks@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-7480
Charlie Baum (R) – rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-6849
Scotty Campbell (R) – rep.scotty.campbell@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2050
Karen Camper (D) – rep.karen.camper@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1898
Mark Cochran (R) – rep.mark.cochran@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1725
Jeremy Faison (R) – rep.jeremy.faison@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-6871
Johnny Garrett (R) – rep.johnny.garrett@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3893
David B. Hawk (R) – rep.david.hawk@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-7482
Patsy Hazlewood (R) – rep.patsy.hazlewood@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2746
Harold Love, Jr. (D) – rep.harold.love@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3831
Jerome Moon (R) – rep.jerome.moon@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-5481
Johnny Shaw (D) – rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-4538
Sam Whitson (R) – rep.sam.whitson@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1864
Ryan Williams (R) – rep.ryan.williams@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1875
About the Author: Jason Vaughn, Media Coordinator for The Tennessee Conservative  ~ Jason previously worked for a legacy publishing company based in Crossville, TN in a variety of roles through his career. Most recently, he served as Deputy Director for their flagship publication. Prior, he was a freelance journalist writing articles that appeared in the Herald Citizen, the Crossville Chronicle and The Oracle among others. He graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a Bachelor’s in English-Journalism, with minors in Broadcast Journalism and History.  Contact Jason at news@TennesseeConservativeNews.com
This preferred pronoun garbage is getting way out of hand. All it does is cause confusion in any means of communication. It’s a difficult enough job to interact with a classroom full of students everyday without more of this nonsense put on the teachers. All it does is give some mentally challenged student a reason to act outraged at a simple slip of the tongue. Nobody can work in an environment like that day in and day out. It’s like walking on egg shells.