Tennessee pastors stand against bill restricting flags in classrooms

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Tennessee pastors have taken a public stand against a new bill up for discussion today.

The Tennessee Senate’s Education Committee will meet at 3 p.m. on Feb. 21 to vote on whether or not to pass SB 1605, a bill prohibiting the display of any flags other than the U.S. and official Tennessee state flag in public schools.

The bill is sponsored by Rep. Gino Bulso (R-Brentwood).

Pastors across the state have actively voiced their disapproval of the proposed legislation.

“As a Christian pastor, I believe no matter their backgrounds, races, or where they live in the state, every child deserves to attend a safe and welcoming school where they can learn and grow,” said John Gill, pastor at the Church of the Savior, UCC in Knoxville. “We are a richly diverse state made up of citizens and families of many different backgrounds and perspectives, all of whom deserve to feel at home in our state and have the constitutional right to free speech.”

Last September, the Williamson County School Board discussed the potential removal of Pride flags from classrooms in the district. Former students, parents, teachers, and other interested citizens argued both for the flags to be allowed and for them to be removed.

Pastor Gill released the full statement below on behalf of the Southern Christian Coalition:

“As a Christian pastor, I believe no matter their backgrounds, races, or where they live in the state, every child deserves to attend a safe and welcoming school where they can learn and grow. We are a richly diverse state made up of citizens and families of many different backgrounds and perspectives, all of whom deserve to feel at home in our state and have the constitutional right to free speech.

“Unfortunately, Governor Lee and Tennessee’s supermajority legislature, with a bill championed by Representative Gino Bulso, are planning to ban all flags, and even stickers, from classrooms across the state with the exception of the American, Tennessee, and some other flags dictated by them, which apparently may include Confederate flags.

“This effort is a huge waste of government time and effort that should be focused on the concrete needs and concerns of Tennesseans, like the cost of food and rent, affordable housing, access to medical care, and so on. It is yet another example of government intrusiveness into school classrooms and the lives of the citizens and families of TN. And it’s just their latest attempt to create and exploit divisions and fears among us so they can hold onto power, denying us the basic freedoms, resources, and respect all people deserve, such as fully funded public schools and safe communities. But we will not let them continue to divide us.

“As a pastor, it’s my job to promote the Christian teaching to love our neighbors as ourselves, which in our time certainly must include ensuring that our educational spaces celebrate every individual’s inherent worth. So I am here to join with parents, community members, and elected leaders to come together across race and other differences to stop this harmful legislation and instead continue to ensure that as a community, we will safeguard our children’s freedom to be themselves, and to learn and thrive in school, with the unfettered guidance of both their families and educational professionals.”

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