Ed Trust Tennessee > Tennessee Coalition for Truth in Classrooms
A Resource Guide for Students, Educators, and Community Advocates
The Tennessee Coalition for Truth in Our Classrooms is a group of students, education advocates and community organization leaders who believe in promoting the teaching of truthful history in our schools, and honoring and valuing the diversity of our students, staff and institutions.
Our coalition believes schools must be an inclusive, safe, nurturing environment so that children can learn to address some of the world’s most complex issues. To do so, schools must teach a diverse and challenging curriculum, and students need to engage with materials that reflect the rich history of all students and our world. Schools have a responsibility to provide students with thorough, truthful, and fact-based history as a means of addressing misinformation and avoiding mistakes of the past.
Our coalition has been tracking the dangerous anti-truth, censorship bills, news, and ongoing conversations evolving since the passage of Public Chapter 493 last year. The development of false narratives and attacks on diversity, equity & inclusion efforts are causing disruptions in our schools, hindering students’ learning and negatively impacting teachers’ mental, social-emotional well-being as they are threatened with punitive actions.
To support our students, teachers, and community advocates with understanding and navigating the complexities of how the anti-truth and censorship movement is impacting Tennessee, we have created a hub of resources. Our hope is to spread awareness on this issue, protect full and honest instruction in our classrooms, and empower our students and teachers with factual information, helpful toolkits, and tangible guides to take action.
Action Toolkits
Download a toolkit from Learn from History and Our Turn that’s right for you to help ensure that your schools continue teaching fact-based history.
LEARN FROM HISTORY
OUR TURN
Messaging Guides
Review evidence-informed guides on how to frame your advocacy language on common concerns, questions, and topics you might encounter in current education debates.
Changing the Narrative
- Social Toolkit
- Hot Topic Talking Points
- Family & Friends Messaging
- Core Messages
- Glossary
- Toolkit for Local Advocates: Teaching Diverse & Inclusive Materials & Defending DEI
Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (LCCRUL)
40 Race Forward
Intercultural Development Research Association (IDRA)
Leadership for Educational Equity (LEE)
We Make the Future
GLSEN
Anti-Truth, Censorship Bill Movement
Learn about how to take action on current bills moving through the Tennessee General Assembly, and track the equity implications for bills moving across the country.
Tennessee Advocacy
- TN Youth Coalition Testimony in Opposition to SB1944/HB1944
- Current Law:
- Public Chapter 744: The Age Appropriate Materials Act & TDOE Memorandum
- Public Chapter 493: K-12 Classroom Censorship & TDOE Rules
- Public Chapter 818: Higher Education Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Restrictions
- Public Chapter 1137: State Library Censorship
Across the Country
- UCLA CRT Forward Tracking Project
- Education Week: Map – Where CRT is Under Attack
- African American Policy Forum: #TruthBeTold Campaign
- FutureEd: State Legislation Restricting the Teaching of Racial History
- American Library Association: Intellectual Freedom Issues & Resources
- United Against Book Bans Campaign
- NAACP LDF’s In Defense of Truth
- PEN America Comprehensive Bill Tracker
- Red, Wine & Blue: Book Banning Media
- Censorship Attacks Tracker
- GLSEN’s Affirmative Legislation Tracker & Negative Legislation Tracker
Know Your Rights
Review FAQs on critical race theory consolidated by the ACLU-TN.
Educator & Student Resource
Censorship in the News
Review recent media highlights on anti-truth, censorship issues in Tennessee and across the country.
Research, Podcasts & Publications
- Education Trust: Teaching Honest History
- Education Trust Podcast: Ed Trusted
- Education Trust: Anti-CRT Laws Ban Them: Now What?
- Stand for Children Teacher’s Report Survey
Tennessee
- Tennessean: Absent guidance, Tennessee officials expanded library law to include classroom books
- The Commercial Appeal: Collierville Schools pulled 300 books off shelves while Tennessee considered ban
- Local 3 News: Hamilton teachers race to meet book scanning deadline, on their own time
- Education Week: Conservative Parent Sues School District Over Curriculum That Discusses Race and Gender
- Tennessean: Tennessee, Florida progressive parent groups push to protect students’ voices in education
- Tennessean: Most Tennesseans oppose book banning, despite recent laws, new poll finds
- Chalkbeat: How the ‘age-appropriate’ debate is altering curriculum in Tennessee and nationwide
- Tennessee Lookout: Conservative report effects higher education anti-diversity bill
- Commercial Appeal: Memphis student action (TN Youth Coalition) Press Rally on HB1944 & HB0800
- Tennessee Lookout:2022 could break anti-LGBTQ legislation records
Across the Country
- The74: The ACLU’s Fight Against Classroom Censorship, State by State
- NYT: How Book Bans Turned a Texas Town Upside Down
- NYT: Daring to Speak Up About Race in a Divided School District
- Chalkbeat: Chilling effect – 1 in 4 teachers told to limit class talk on hot-button issues
- NYT: What’s Actually Being Taught in History Class
- NYT: With Rising Book Bans, Librarians Have Come Under Attack
- Chalkbeat: On race and schools, here’s what Americans agree and disagree on
- AP & NORC Poll: No Public Consensus on Discussing Race & Gender
- American Library Association: Large Majorities of Voters Oppose Book Banks
- NYT: Who’s Unhappy With Schools: The Answer Surprised Me.
- CBS: The Trials of Critical Race Theory
- NYT: What Americans Really Think of CRT
- How Indiana’s anti-CRT bill failed even with a GOP supermajority
Events
Register now for virtual opportunities to learn more and take action.
Upcoming Events
Past Events
- 5/24: The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights – Teaching Truth: Messaging the Moment
- Recording: Know Your Rights: What You Need to Know about Tennessee’s latest Censorship Bills
- PowerPoint Slides: Know Your Rights: What You Need to Know about Tennessee’s latest Censorship Bills
- Chalkbeat: How the CRT debate and the culture wars impact students in Tennessee
- Webinar: Teaching Truth: Protecting and Advancing Culturally Responsive Curricula in Our Schools
- EmpowerEd what is CRT Presentation
Coalition Partners
