'Don't Say Gay' Bill Clears State Senate

The Senate voted 20-10 on Friday in favor of a bill that prohibits discussion of homosexuality in elementary and middle school classes. Its opponents, who have dubbed the measure the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, say it confuses state law, which already bans all sex education until high school.

“We have been steadfast in our desire to say that we should not have age-inappropriate material in K through eight,” said Sen. Andy Berke (D-Chattanooga). “What we’re doing here is passing something just to pass it.” In the state House, companion legislation did not advance out of committee; supporters have no plans to bring it up again until next year.

But Sen. Stacey Campfield (R-Knoxville), who has pushed the measure for several years, believes it is needed to ensure that homosexuality is not discussed until high school. The bill attracted nationwide attention and drew student protestors to the Capitol, including 13 youths who were on hand Friday.

The vote to approve SB 49 came after it was amended to ban discussion of gays and lesbians only in prepared materials and instruction - meaning teachers would be able to respond to questions about homosexuality without facing punishment.

“Teachers could respond to that, but they couldn’t be offering materials,” Campfield said. “They couldn’t say, ‘Today, we’re going to teach about homosexuality, lesbianism.’ That can’t be part of the course work.”

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