Violation Of Prohibited Concepts Law Reported In East Tennessee High School

Image Credit: Susan Lynn / Facebook

The Tennessee Conservative [By Paula Gomes] –

In a social media post last week, Representative Susan Lynn (R-Old Hickory-D57) reported on an apparent violation of the Prohibited Concepts law that the Tennessee General Assembly passed last year.

Lynn wrote, “A parent from east Tennessee emailed us in Session to alert us to an assignment a teacher at Dobyns-Bennett High School gave to her daughter today… This is an example of how some radical teachers, wishing to influence the morals, judgment and political views of students without the knowledge of the students’ parents, will use materials that are outside of the state standards. This is happening all over the country. This bright student immediately informed her mother and then reported the assignment to the school principal. The principal brought the teacher into his office. The teacher now claims that the assignment is “optional.” The claim of this teacher does not matter. It is an apparent violation of a law that we passed last year to combat CRT.”

The assignment in question was titled The Last Abortion and reads as follows:

Imagine that you are a Supreme Court Justice. Congress has just passed an amendment making it illegal to have an abortion for any reason. The legislation was deemed unconstitutional and you have just finished hearing arguments from both sides. You assume your fellow Justices will vote in favor of this legislation even though two are abstaining. As a Supreme Court, you have been given a special privilege. The Justices are able to grant one woman the last safe, legal abortion before the legislation becomes law. Below is the only information you have been given about each woman who is seeking this last abortion. Your task is to discuss each case with your fellow Justices and try to come to a consensus about which woman you believe should receive the last abortion and why.”

The assignment was adapted from an idea created by Planned Parenthood.

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The Tennessee Department of Education published 11 pages of guidance last year detailing the concepts that are not to be taught in schools. While the law was largely aimed at preventing the teaching of Critical Race Theory, Lynn may have judged that this assignment falls under “promoting division between, or resentment of, a race, sex, religion, creed, nonviolent political affiliation, social class, or class of people.”

A proposal that would prohibit institutions of higher education in Tennessee from forcing students and employees to embrace “divisive concepts” and which is almost identical to last year’s K-12 bill is presently working it’s way through the Tennessee General Assembly.

About the Author: Paula Gomes is a Tennessee resident and reporter for The Tennessee Conservative. You can reach Paula at paula@tennesseeconservativenews.com.