NASHVILLE — Yesterday the Tennessee General Assembly House Education Committee voted to recommend the so-called "Don't Say Gay" bill for passage, despite prior reports that the bill's sponsor, Rep. Joey Hensley (R-Hohenwald), did not plan to move the bill forward. The bill is aimed at prohibiting discussion about sexual orientation in Tennessee public elementary and middle schools, regardless of educational purpose.
HB 229/SB 49's original wording banned any discussion of sexual orientation beyond heterosexuality. Though amended to limit instruction and materials exclusively to "natural human reproduction science," the bill's intent to prohibit speech about sexual orientation remains. The amended language is also vague and overbroad enough to prohibit sharing information on a range of fertility technologies, including in vitro fertilization and artificial insemination.
Schoolchildren, including those in elementary and middle school, confront language and issues related to sexual orientation daily. A recent Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network study found that nearly half of the elementary school students surveyed heard negative comments using the word "gay" often or all the time.
The following can be attributed to Hedy Weinberg, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Tennessee:
"Rep. Hensley's decision to move the 'Don't Say Gay' bill forward despite earlier reports that he would not demonstrates his bias toward limiting speech about LGBT issues. Singling out particular speech for disparate treatment creates significant First Amendment concerns, let alone fostering discrimination and hampering educators' ability to determine the best instruction necessary to combat bullying or to teach about history."
Information about the ACLU of Tennessee is available at: www.aclu-tn.org .