Legislative Recap: Defending Parental Rights and Local Control of Our Schools

Parents, not bureaucrats, have the fundamental right to direct the upbringing, health, and education of their children. This session, we passed several measures to put parents back in the driver's seat and protect children from agendas that have no place in our classrooms.

HB 2082 protects parents who raise their children in a manner consistent with the child's biological sex. The law specifies that a parent's or legal guardian's action of raising, guiding, or instructing their child in a way consistent with the child's biological sex cannot serve as the basis for certain court findings, does not constitute child abuse, neglect, or endangerment, and cannot be treated as a negative factor when a court determines custody in the best interest of the child.

HB 1666 ensures students, teachers, and school employees are not forced to use honorifics like "Mr." or "Mrs." that do not align with an individual's biological sex. The bill builds on a 2025 Tennessee law on pronouns and extends civil liability immunity and protection from disciplinary action for any teacher, professor, or school employee who declines to participate in these mandates. This applies to public schools, colleges, universities, and state government across Tennessee.

HB 1664 strengthens our 2025 law that shuttered diversity, equity, and inclusion departments at entities across Tennessee. State agencies, counties, cities, metropolitan governments, and public higher education institutions must now submit an annual attestation to the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury that they are in compliance and do not maintain offices or departments promoting discriminatory preferences. Compliance is no longer optional. It is documented and verifiable.

HB 1886 requires public school districts and charter schools to adopt an internet acceptable use policy that includes safety protocols, parental communication guidelines, and safeguards against students accessing pornographic, violent, or self-harm-promoting content. Providers of digital or online resources contracted with schools must filter or block prohibited content. Parents must be notified if a student under 18 accesses a prohibited site using the school's internet. This is common sense. Schools should not be a back door for material that no responsible parent would allow at home.

HB 1822 ensures students can study the historical influence of biblical values in America. HB 1857 strengthens instruction on America's founding principles. HB 2393 limits unnecessary screen time in elementary classrooms. HB 1823 closes truancy gaps to keep students on track. HB 2146 puts driving privileges on the line for chronic absenteeism, giving parents and schools another tool to keep kids in their seats and learning.

Behind every one of these bills is the same principle: Parents, not bureaucrats, have the fundamental right to direct the upbringing, health, and education of their children. And as long as I am in Nashville, I will fight to keep it that way.