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 in 2021. 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.
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Action Toolkits
Download a toolkit that’s right for you to help ensure that your schools continue teaching fact-based history.
2024 TN Coalition for Truth in Our Classrooms Advocacy Toolkit
LEARN FROM HISTORY
OUR TURN
PEN AMERICA & AMERICAN COUNCIL ON EDUCATION
RACE FORWARD
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 438: Implicit Bias Restrictions
- Public Chapter 448: Student Pronoun Restrictions
- Public Chapter 353: Parent Consent & Opt-In Processes
- Public Chapter 268: TN Higher Education Freedom of Expression & Transparency Act
- Public Chapter 278: Textbook Seller/Distributor Threats to “Education Obscenity”
- Public Chapter 285, 40, & 909: Anti-Trans Regulations on Sports Participation
- Public Chapter 472: Library Complaints Process; Amendment to Age Appropriate Materials Act
- Public Chapter 744: The Age Appropriate Materials Act & TDOE Memorandum
- Public Chapter 493: K-12 Classroom Censorship & TDOE Rules
- Public Chapter 818: Divisive Concepts in Higher Education
- Public Chapter 1137: State Library Censorship & Textbook Commission’s Library Guidance
Across the Country
- American Library Association: 2022 Censorship By The Numbers
- MAP Advancement Project: LGBTQ Curricular Laws
- Every Library: Legislation of Concern
- 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 helpful resources consolidated by the ACLU.
Educator & Student Resource
- ACLU-TN FAQ: Censorship in Tennessee’s Public Higher Education Institutions
- ACLU-TN Legal Intake Form
- ACLU-TN FAQ: Censorship in Tennessee’s Schools
- ACLU Right to Learn Toolkit: Your Guide to Combatting Classroom Censorship
- ACLU-TN Youth & Students’ Rights Resources
- ACLU-TN FAQ: Critical Race Theory
Censorship in the News
Review recent media highlights on anti-truth, censorship issues in Tennessee and across the country.
Research, Podcasts & Publications
- The Education Trust: This Preschool Handbook is Essential to Early Learning — So Why Do Some States Want to Ban It?
- The Education Trust: Censorship is About Power, Not about People
- National Center for Youth Law Report: The Student-Affirming Education Needed for Our Children and our Nation’s Future
- The Daily: The Sunday Read – ‘Daring to Speak About Race in a Divided School District”
- 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: Tennessee censorship laws directly affect children’s ability to learn to read | Opinion
- The Washington Post: A Tennessee Teacher Planned a Mother’s Day Class. Then came the MAGA rage.
- WBIR: KCS passes agreement with East Tennessee Freedom Schools for free summer student programming
- Tennessean: House approves bill targeting publishers for sending schools explicit books
- Chalkbeat Tennessee: Tennessee school employees could skip implicit-bias training under bill headed to the governor’s desk
- Tennessee Lookout: Tennessee’s legislature is confused about meritocracy
- Chalkbeat: Tennessee bill would widen who can complain about the teaching of banned concepts
- Chalkbeat: Bill to clarify Tennessee school library law would exempt classroom book collections from scrutiny
- WLPN: How will Tennessee’s textbook handle calls for book bans? WLPN obtained a draft of the guidance
- Chalkbeat TN: Tyre Nichols’ death creates another tragic teaching moment for Facing History & Ourselves
- Chalkbeat: Textbook panel says it’s ill equipped to manage library book appeals
- Chalkbeat: Bill would curb ‘implicit bias’ training in Tennessee schools, universities
- Knoxville News Centennial: Students need to feel safe, supported and taught the truth about US history | Opinion
- Chalkbeat: Students of color deserve to see themselves in their school curriculum
- Tennessean: Judge on Williamson parent lawsuit: ‘Does not even come close’ to Critical Race Theory
- Chalkbeat: Tennessee Textbook Panel hones school library guidance for ‘age appropriate’ materials
- Chalkbeat: Tennessee library law’s expanded scope puts new burden on teachers
- 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
- NPR: Americans say teachers are underpaid, about half of Republicans oppose book bans
- Chalkbeat: National history scores continue to fall, while civic scores drop for first time
- NPR: Library funding becomes ‘the nuclear option’ as battle over books escalate
- Politico: Illinois set to become first state to end book bans
- Politico: Florida lawmakers restrict pronouns and tackle book objections in sweeping education bill
- The Center Square: Texas Senate passes bill that would ban higher education institutions from implementing DEI policies
- Inside Higher Education: Tennessee Again Targets “Divisive Concepts”
- The Hechinger Report: The culture wars are driving teachers from the classroom. Two campaigns are trying to help.
- The 74: As Book Banning Becomes More Popular, Experts Say Some Libraries Will Just Close
- Pen America: Education Censorship Continues – the 2023 Legislative Sessions So Far
- The74: National Study Reveals 1 in 4 Teachers Altering Lesson Plans Due to Anti-Critical Race Theory Laws
- Education Week: Educators’ Opposition to Censorship Comes At a Big Personal Cost
- Education Week: The Evolution of the Anti-CRT Movement: A Timeline
- NPR: Florida says AP class teaches critical race theory. Here’s what’s really in the course
- Chalkbeat: ‘The hardest years of my career’: Principals say political combat has engulfed schools
- NPR: The culture wars are pushing some teachers to leave the classroom
- AACTE: The State of Education Censorship in Institutions of Higher Ed and Implications for the Field
- Brookings: Why academic freedom challenges are dangerous for democracy
- The Washington Post: An explosion of culture-war laws is changing schools. Here’s how.
- Education Week: As Book Bans Escalate, Here’s What You Need to Know
- Ipsos Poll: Most parents want classrooms to be places of learning, not political battlegrounds
- NPR: How social-emotional learning became a frontline in the battle against CRT
- Washington Post: School book bans and challenges, at record highs, are rising again
- Chalkbeat: In this political climate, how can I teach U.S’s diverse history?
- The Student Voice Forum: Students Mobilize to fight teacher gag bills
- 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
- 9/12 – 10/19, Campaign for Our Shared Future Fall GOTV Series
- Thursdays, 11-12 CT: Stand for Children Intelligence Briefing
Past Events
- 6/7/23 Know Your Rights What You Need to Know About Tennessee’s Censorship Bills from the 2023 Legislative Session
- 11/02/22 Know Your Rights: Updates on What You Need to Know About Tennessee’s K-12 Censorship Bills
- 5/24/22: The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights – Teaching Truth: Messaging the Moment
- 5/18/22: Know Your Rights: What You Need to Know about Tennessee’s latest Censorship Bills
- 4/1/22: Chalkbeat: How the CRT debate and the culture wars impact students in Tennessee
- 2/10/22: Webinar: Teaching Truth: Protecting and Advancing Culturally Responsive Curricula in Our Schools
- 2/8/22: EmpowerEd what is CRT Presentation
Timeline
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February, 2021actionHB0580 / SB0623, Tennessee’s first anti-truth prohibited concepts law, filed
- responseMay 4, 2021: Letter sent to Tennessee General Assembly, Opposing HB580
- responseMay 12, 2021: TN Educators of Color Alliance Urges Gov. Lee to Veto HB580/SB623 in Letter Signed by Over 350 Teachers, Parents, and Education Leaders
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June, 2021actionHB0580 / SB0623 becomes Public Chapter 493
- responseAugust, 2021: Ed Trust TN & Alliance partners submit public comment on TDOE draft rules
- responseNovember 23, 2021: Ed Trust TN Issues Statement on Recent TDOE Emergency Rules Regarding “Prohibited Concepts in Instruction”
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February, 2022actionTennessee censorship movement grows, TNGA files 8 censorship bills
- responseTN Coalition for Truth in Our Classrooms eventestablished
- responseCoalition launches email campaigns & statewide digital social media ads using 2022 Censorship Bills Advocacy Toolkit
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March - April, 2022actionBook banning debate evolves; five censorship bills killed
- responseMemphis Press Rally: ‘This is not progress’: Memphis students oppose bills banning ‘obscene’ and LGBTQ books
- responseTN Youth Coalition organizers testify before TN Senate Judiciary Committee opposing HB/SB1944 on library censorship; as a result, bill is killed & deferred to summer study
- responseFour other censorship bills killed: HB2451/SB2360 (Parents Bill of Rights Act), HB1723/SB2006 (Inspection of School Instructional Materials), HB2417/SB2283 (Higher Education Restrictions on Academic Courses), & HB2569/SB2440 (Anti-Affirmative Action)
- eventChalkbeat TN Panel: CRT laws promote bias in school, hurt mental health
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May, 2022actionThree new censorship bills become law: Public Chapter 744 (Age Appropriate Materials Act), Public Chapter 1137 (State Library Censorship), Public Chapter 818 (Divisive Concepts in Higher Education)
- eventMay 18, 2022: Coalition Webinar - Know Your Rights: What You Need to Know about Tennnessee’s latest Censorship Laws
- actionOne law established that promotes the teaching of holistic history: Public Chapter 938 (Requires the teaching of Black History & Culture in grades 5-8)
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July 2022actionParents Choice Tennessee Sues School Board Over Critical Race Theory: Parents' Choice v. Golden Case
- responseOne WillCo speaks out to Education Week
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August 2022actionTN Department of Education releases memo on Age Appropriate Materials Act, requiring educators to list all their classroom books online
- responseTN Association for School Librarians speak out to Chalkbeat & Mom’s for Social Justice - Chattanooga create examples of local level guidance to support
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September 2022actionTN State Board of Education Educator Advisory Team meets on Social Studies Review Revision Process
- responseCoalition creates action toolkit to support community members submit public comment
- response20 Coalition members send letter of recommendations to TN SBE Educator Advisory Team on social studies standards
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November 2022eventCoalition Webinar - Know Your Rights: Updates on What You Need to Know About Tennessee’s Censorship Laws
- responseACLU-TN creates Coalition Resource FAQ: Censorship in Tennessee’s Schools
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December 2022actionTN Textbook Commission misses guidance deadline & Parents’ Choice Lawsuit Dismissed
- actionTennessee’s Textbook & Instructional Materials Quality Commission misses guidance deadline & says its ill equipped to manage library book appeals
- actionParents' Choice v. Golden Case: Judge says lawsuit does "not even come close to CRT” and grants the Williamson County Board of Education's motion to dismiss
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February 2023 - PresentactionTennessee censorship movement grows; TNGA files multiple censorship bills
- responseCoalition launches 2023 Censorship Bills Advocacy Toolkit
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March - April 2023actionTNGA education committees debate bills
- responseCoalition sends letter in support of HB1078/HB1040, which passes the full Senate, but fails in the House K-12 Subcommittee
- responseCoalition sends letter of opposition to SB1141/HB1377, which successfully failed in the Senate Education committee
- action3 bills taken off notice including HB0571/SB0603 (DEI Restrictions for Health Degrees), HB1414/SB0620 (The Families’ Rights & Responsibilities Act), and HB1411/SB1117 (Parent Consent)
- actionTennessee’s Textbook & Instructional Materials Quality Commission voted & approved Library Guidance in accordance to TCA 49-6-2201
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May 2023action7 new censorship bills become law
- actionNew laws: Public Chapter 438 (Implicit Bias), Public Chapter 448 (Student Pronouns), Public Chapter 353 (Parent Consent), Public Chapter 268 (Higher Education Freedom of Expression & Transparency Act), Public Chapter 278 (Textbook Seller/Distributor Threats), Public Chapter 285: (Anti-Trans Sports Regulations), & Public Chapter 472 (Library Complaints Process)
- actionOne law established that promotes the teaching of holistic history: Public Chapter 127 (requiring the teaching of the Civil Rights Movement in 9-12)
- responseTN Association of School Librarians speak out to the Tennessean and Mom’s for Social Justice - Chattanooga advocate to the Washington Post
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June 2023eventCoalition Webinar - Know Your Rights: What You Need to Know About Tennessee’s Censorship Bills from the 2023 Legislative Session
- responseNew resources launched, incuding ACLU-TN’s Censorship in Tennessee’s Public Higher Education Institutions
- responseCoalition voices - including One WillCo, TN Youth Coalition & Facing History & Ourselves - are elevated in media through Chalkbeat, the AP, and the Tennessean
Coalition Partners
