TN Subcommittees To Discuss Bill On ‘Divisive Topics’ In Public Higher Education

Image Credit: capitol.tn.gov

The Center Square [By Jon Styf] and The Tennessee Conservative Staff –

A bill to address requirements related to “divisive concepts” at Tennessee’s public colleges and universities is set to be discussed in both Tennessee’s Senate and House on Wednesday.

The bill will require public higher education schools to conduct surveys of the campus climate with both faculty and students every two years related to students’ comfort level in speaking freely on campus.

“This legislation is an effort to ensure that our public universities incredible diversity efforts are not undermined by an initiative that seeks to drive Tennesseans further apart,” said Rep. Ron M. Gant, R-Piperton, who is carrying House Bill 2670 for Speaker Cameron Sexton. “We reject the formation of concepts that attempt to cast a shadow on groups of people due to factors not in their control. The divisive concepts which we are seeking to address might seem familiar to you.”

Rep. Charlie Baum, R-Murfreesboro, compared it to a bill passed related to K-12 teaching last year and said it would be good to look back on the impact of that bill.

The bill was amended in the House Higher Education Subcommittee to require an investigation of any reported violations.

Rep. Yusuf Hakeem, D-Chattanooga, asked if the bill was an attempt to remove “critical race theory” from Tennessee’s colleges and universities but Gant said a succinct “no.”

“No one is opposed to the free and open discussion of concepts, history, all the issues,” said Rep. Mark White, R-Memphis. “It’s where the pendulum swings so far where you cannot have free and open discussion because there is a movement to say you are wrong, we’re right.

“Let’s not try to indoctrinate our young people into a certain belief because that’s what I believe or you believe.”

The House version of the bill is scheduled to be discussed by the Education Administration Committee on Wednesday while the Senate version is on the agenda for the Senate Education Committee.

“Do we have any data that says putting forth a concept of this nature, dealing with divisive concepts and so forth, is it a best practice anywhere in the nation?” Hakeem asked. “Has this been studied? Is this an emotionally reaction to the concept of critical race theory?”

Gant again replied “to my knowledge, no.”

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The bill would prevent schools from providing mandatory training that includes divisive concepts or making it a requirement to agree with any divisive concepts in order to complete a course, what Gant explained as “mandated adherence to divisive topics.”

“It is ensuring that our universities remain places of open dialogue,” said Rep. Mark Cochran, R-Englewood, without “… forced agreement with an idea. You can still debate and talk about the negative impact.”

Rep. Antonio Parkinson, D-Memphis, questioned whether open dialogue in a course discussing slavery would be considered outside the lines in this bill.

“I hope that we can actually get to … stay in a space where we’re freely able to discuss all of these issues,” Parkinson said. “Because that’s what’s going to bring on healing for our country. I want to make sure that no one is intentionally made to feel uncomfortable.”

Note from the Tennessee Conservative -*** HB2670 has been placed on the calendar of the House Education Administration Committee and SB2290 has been placed on the Senate Education Committee for February 23rd, 2022.

House Education Administration Committee Republican Members:

Mark White (Chair) – rep.mark.white@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-4415

Chris Hurt (Vice-Chair) – rep.chris.hurt@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2134

Charlie Baum – rep.charlie.baum@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-6849

Michele Carringer – rep.michele.carringer@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1721

Glen Casada – rep.glen.casada@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-4389

Scott Cepicky – rep.scott.cepicky@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3005

Mark Cochran – rep.mark.cochran@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1725

Tandy Darby – rep.tandy.darby@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-7847

John Gillespie – rep.john.gillespie@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-8201

Kirk Haston – rep.kirk.haston@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-0750

Justin Lafferty – rep.justin.lafferty@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-4110

John Ragan – rep.john.ragan@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-4400

Senate Education Committee Republican Members:

John Lundberg (Acting Chair) – sen.john.lundberg@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-5761

Mike Bell – sen.mike.bell@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1946

Rusty Crowe – sen.rusty.crowe@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2468

Ferrell Haile – sen.ferrell.haile@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-1999

Joey Hensley – sen.joey.hensley@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3100

Brian Kelsey – sen.brian.kelsey@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-3036

Bill Powers – sen.bill.powers@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-2374

Dawn White – sen.dawn.white@capitol.tn.gov – (615) 741-6853

About the Author: Jon Styf, The Center Square Staff Reporter – Jon Styf is an award-winning editor and reporter who has worked in Illinois, Texas, Wisconsin, Florida and Michigan in local newsrooms over the past 20 years, working for Shaw Media, Hearst and several other companies. Follow Jon on Twitter @JonStyf.