The Tennessee House of Representatives has passed legislation that will prevent teachers from being forced to refer to students by their preferred pronouns instead of by those reflecting their biological sex.
House Bill 1269 (HB1269), sponsored by Representative Mark Cochran (R-Englewood-District 23), states that public school teachers, principals, and employees will not be required to refer to students by their preferred pronouns if those pronouns are not consistent with the student’s biological sex.
Cochran moved to conform to Senate Bill 0466 and noted that the bill did not prohibit school employees from using those preferred pronouns but instead protected first amendment rights for those who did not want to use them because of religious or other core beliefs.
The legislation generated some heated discussion after Democratic representatives called it a bill that “allowed bullying by teachers” and that violated the constitutional rights of students.
