Tennessee Law Signed Allowing Parents to Excuse Students From Lessons With LGBTQ+ Content

[essentialsaltes]

"Tennessee’s governor has signed a bill into law requiring schools to give parents a 30-day notice about any lessons that deal with sexual orientation or gender identity and allow the parents to opt their children out of that instruction."

--

The bill seems to be quite vague about what 'dealing with sexual orientation' means. It does have exemptions for:

(1) Responding to a question from a student during class regarding sexual orientation or gender identity as it relates to any topic of instruction; or

(2) Referring to the sexual orientation or gender identity of any historic person, group, or public figure, where the referral provides necessary context in relation to a topic of instruction.

But doesn't actually describe what is not exempt from this advance parental notification.

It doesn't seem to me that knowing that Oscar Wilde or Alan Turing were gay provides any particular context to the topics of literature or history or computer science, so presumably teachers/schools would have to send these messages out if they wanted to say that. I imagine that saying the Harvey Milk was gay would provide necessary context, but everything else about that lesson would presumably fall afoul of the law.

Given the vagueness of the law, it seems apparent that it's simply meant to have a chilling effect on teachers in their classrooms.

 

[SummerMadness]

I think students, in protest, will start asking about sexual orientation for all their school lessons.

 

[ralliann]

"Tennessee’s governor has signed a bill into law requiring schools to give parents a 30-day notice about any lessons that deal with sexual orientation or gender identity and allow the parents to opt their children out of that instruction."

--

The bill seems to be quite vague about what 'dealing with sexual orientation' means. It does have exemptions for:

(1) Responding to a question from a student during class regarding sexual orientation or gender identity as it relates to any topic of instruction; or

(2) Referring to the sexual orientation or gender identity of any historic person, group, or public figure, where the referral provides necessary context in relation to a topic of instruction.

But doesn't actually describe what is not exempt from this advance parental notification.

It doesn't seem to me that knowing that Oscar Wilde or Alan Turing were gay provides any particular context to the topics of literature or history or computer science, so presumably teachers/schools would have to send these messages out if they wanted to say that. I imagine that saying the Harvey Milk was gay would provide necessary context, but everything else about that lesson would presumably fall afoul of the law.

Given the vagueness of the law, it seems apparent that it's simply meant to have a chilling effect on teachers in their classrooms.

Sounds like a good law. Maybe teachers can direct more time teaching reading, writing, and math etc.

 

[Ana the Ist]

"Tennessee’s governor has signed a bill into law requiring schools to give parents a 30-day notice about any lessons that deal with sexual orientation or gender identity and allow the parents to opt their children out of that instruction."

--

The bill seems to be quite vague about what 'dealing with sexual orientation' means. It does have exemptions for:

(1) Responding to a question from a student during class regarding sexual orientation or gender identity as it relates to any topic of instruction; or

(2) Referring to the sexual orientation or gender identity of any historic person, group, or public figure, where the referral provides necessary context in relation to a topic of instruction.

But doesn't actually describe what is not exempt from this advance parental notification.

It doesn't seem to me that knowing that Oscar Wilde or Alan Turing were gay provides any particular context to the topics of literature or history or computer science, so presumably teachers/schools would have to send these messages out if they wanted to say that. I imagine that saying the Harvey Milk was gay would provide necessary context, but everything else about that lesson would presumably fall afoul of the law.

Given the vagueness of the law, it seems apparent that it's simply meant to have a chilling effect on teachers in their classrooms.

What's vague about it?

 

[Ana the Ist]

I think students, in protest, will start asking about sexual orientation for all their school lessons.

Better they learn nothing than have their teachers dictate lesson plans.

This is a bizarre reaction from the group that was all for safe spaces and trigger warnings oh so recently....

 

[renniks]

"Tennessee’s governor has signed a bill into law requiring schools to give parents a 30-day notice about any lessons that deal with sexual orientation or gender identity and allow the parents to opt their children out of that instruction."

--

The bill seems to be quite vague about what 'dealing with sexual orientation' means. It does have exemptions for:

(1) Responding to a question from a student during class regarding sexual orientation or gender identity as it relates to any topic of instruction; or

(2) Referring to the sexual orientation or gender identity of any historic person, group, or public figure, where the referral provides necessary context in relation to a topic of instruction.

But doesn't actually describe what is not exempt from this advance parental notification.

It doesn't seem to me that knowing that Oscar Wilde or Alan Turing were gay provides any particular context to the topics of literature or history or computer science, so presumably teachers/schools would have to send these messages out if they wanted to say that. I imagine that saying the Harvey Milk was gay would provide necessary context, but everything else about that lesson would presumably fall afoul of the law.

Given the vagueness of the law, it seems apparent that it's simply meant to have a chilling effect on teachers in their classrooms.

That's pretty cool. Always good to see a win for freedom!

 

[Desk trauma]

It will take a bit of time to scrub all references to husbands/wives of historical figures as well as all references to marriage from history books.

 

[Ana the Ist]

It will take a bit of time to scrub all references to husbands/wives of historical figures as well as all references to marriage from history books.

Is that necessary context?

 

[Aryeh Jay]

I read execute, might be time to start wearing my glasses.

 

[Bradskii]

It doesn't seem to me that knowing that Oscar Wilde or Alan Turing were gay provides any particular context to the topics of literature or history or computer science, so presumably teachers/schools would have to send these messages out if they wanted to say that. I imagine that saying the Harvey Milk was gay would provide necessary context, but everything else about that lesson would presumably fall afoul of the law.

Just to note that Wilde and Turing were both convicted of 'gross indecency'. Wilde was jailed and Turing accepted being chemically castrated in lieu of jail time. And commited suicide shortly after.

Maybe some parents in Tennesee wouldn't want their children to know about that. In context of course.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Just to note that Wilde and Turing were both convicted of 'gross indecency'. Wilde was jailed and Turing accepted being chemically castrated in lieu of jail time. And commited suicide shortly after.

Maybe some parents in Tennesee wouldn't want their children to know about that. In context of course.

They spend a lot of time on Wilde on Turing in your high school?

 

[Bradskii]

They spend a lot of time on Wilde on Turing in your high school?

Computer science didn't exists as a subject so I wouldn't have known about Turing in that respect. And we didn't do a comprehensive history of the Second World War so he wouldn't have been a name familar to me. And I can't recall covering anything Wilde did in English Lit.

Incidentally, homosexuality was still illegal when I was in school.

 

[Ana the Ist]

Computer science didn't exists as a subject so I wouldn't have known about Turing in that respect. And we didn't do a comprehensive history of the Second World War so he wouldn't have been a name familar to me. And I can't recall covering anything Wilde did in English Lit.

Yeah I think the Turing test was mentioned but I never got anything extensive on him either.

Incidentally, homosexuality was still illegal when I was in school.

Yeesh.

 

[Aldebaran]

Just to note that Wilde and Turing were both convicted of 'gross indecency'. Wilde was jailed and Turing accepted being chemically castrated in lieu of jail time. And commited suicide shortly after.

Maybe some parents in Tennesee wouldn't want their children to know about that. In context of course.

If they're teaching a history lesson that makes reference to Turing during WW2, the focus should be on his accomplishments and contributions. Why should his sexual preferences be the focus?

 

[essentialsaltes]

They spend a lot of time on Wilde on Turing in your high school?

The Importance of Being Earnest was the school play one year.

 

[essentialsaltes]

If they're teaching a history lesson that makes reference to Turing during WW2, the focus should be on his accomplishments and contributions. Why should his sexual preferences be the focus?

It does not have to be the focus, but the law makes it illegal to mention it (without 30 days notice). (Assuming, as you seem to do, that it is not relevant to the topic.)

 

[Aldebaran]

It does not have to be the focus, but the law makes it illegal to mention it (without 30 days notice). (Assuming, as you seem to do, that it is not relevant to the topic.)

As you mentioned in your exemption point #2:
(2) Referring to the sexual orientation or gender identity of any historic person, group, or public figure, where the referral provides necessary context in relation to a topic of instruction.

It would appear that mentioning it wouldn't be illegal. However, I could see how focusing on it, such as the teacher making it point to say something like, "See children? Gay people have made contributions in history, so if you're gay, you share something with Turing!" would be a cause for concern.

 

[Bradskii]

If they're teaching a history lesson that makes reference to Turing during WW2, the focus should be on his accomplishments and contributions. Why should his sexual preferences be the focus?

They wouldn't be. The focus would be on the way he was treated after dedicating so much of himself to help save the country and how he died.

He was given a posthumous pardon in 2013.

 

[Aldebaran]

They wouldn't be. The focus would be on the way he was treated after dedicating so much of himself to help save the country and how he died.

He was given a posthumous pardon in 2013.

The bill referenced in the OP seems to be about material that is focused on sexual orientation. The summary section not posted in the OP is more specific: (Bolding mine to highlight references)

"A parent or guardian who wishes to excuse the parent's or guardian's student from any portion of a sexual orientation curriculum or gender identity curriculum must submit a request in writing to the student's instructor, school counselor, or principal. A parent or guardian who wishes to excuse the parent's or guardian's student from all portions of a sexual orientation curriculum or gender identity curriculum must submit a request in writing to the student's principal. An LEA or public charter school will be prohibited from penalizing a student who is excused from any or all portions of a sexual orientation curriculum or gender identity curriculum for grading purposes if the excused student satisfactorily performs an alternative lesson that is assigned to the student."

It would seem that mentioning how or why Turing died would not be a violation.

 

[jayem]

The Importance of Being Earnest was the school play one year.

We read The Ballad of Reading Gaol in 12th grade. It was a favorite of our English lit teacher. But as best I recall, the reason Wilde was in prison was kinda glossed over.