Lee Signs Bill Prohibiting Forced Implicit Bias Training For Tennessee Teachers

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The Tennessee Conservative [By Adelia Kirchner] –

Legislation that prevents Tennessee’s school employees from being forced to participate in implicit bias training was officially signed by Governor Bill Lee on May 17^th, 2023.

This new law prohibits the state’s local education agencies (LEAs), public charter schools, public institutions of higher education, the state board of education, and the department of education from requiring educators, faculty members, and/or other employees to complete implicit bias training. 

School systems and institutions of higher education are not prohibited from offering this type of training and may continue to do so on a voluntary basis. They simply can no longer force their employees and educators to participate as a condition of employment. 

For all intents and purposes the bill text 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.”

To be clear, this type of training goes hand in hand with the narrative behind critical race theory and pushes concepts like “white fragility” and “white privilege.”

The House version of this bill, HB0158, sponsored by Rep. Jason Zachary (R-Knoxville-District 14) was actually killed by a House committee on April 12^th due to its $94,300 fiscal note, but did eventually garner enough support for reconsideration.

The corresponding Senate Bill, SB0102, sponsored by Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga-District 10) never died in the Senate and was passed by a 24-5 vote on April 21^st. 

The legislation passed in the House with a 71-22 vote that same day. 

After receiving passage from both legislative bodies, the bill was sent to the governor’s desk where Gov. Lee had the option to either sign the bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without his signature. 

Gov. Lee chose to sign the bill into law on Wednesday of this week and it takes effect immediately. 

About the Author: Adelia Kirchner is a Tennessee resident and reporter for the Tennessee Conservative. Currently the host of Subtle Rampage Podcast, she has also worked for the South Dakota State Legislature and interned for Senator Bill Hagerty’s Office in Nashville, Tennessee. You can reach Adelia at adelia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.