WASHINGTON—Today, Reps. Mark Green and Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee introduced the No Obscene Teaching in Our Schools Act, also known as the NOT in Our Schools Act, which prohibits all federal funds from being disbursed to schools that are in violation of state laws on material deemed harmful to children.
Rep. Green wrote this legislation after the Williamson County, Tennessee School Board muted seven parents during a meeting, which prevented them from sharing that their children had been exposed to explicit material in libraries and classrooms. Texas, South Carolina, Virginia, and many other states report similar issues.
Rep. Green said, “This bill protects our children from extremely offensive material being discovered across the United States, including the State of Tennessee, while giving the power back to the states to redistribute federal dollars away from schools breaking state laws. Ensuring families can decide what is best for their children while compelling states to enforce their own laws is absolutely critical. I’m proud to have Rep. Harshbarger join me in introducing this important legislation.”
“This bill puts our children first by ensuring no federal funds go to schools that neglect their duty to educate and protect our children from explicit materials. If schools break the law, parents should have flexibility with those dollars. By providing the option to return funding or divert funding to a 529 plan, my legislation is a crucial step in ensuring our children’s safety doesn’t take a backseat.”
Rep. Harshbarger said, “The Federal Government should not be rewarding schools that violate the laws of their state. I’m proud to cosponsor a bill that enhances the power of the States in determining appropriate curriculum and protects Tennessee children from dangerous rhetoric that is creating divisions in our society.”
Governor Bill Lee has also been working to address this issue at the state level by working alongside the Tennessee legislature to craft a bill that ensures our children aren’t subjected to harmful materials at school. The Age-Appropriate Materials Act of 2022 sets a framework for all public school libraries that offers transparency regarding the books and materials children can access. The bill also creates a standardized review framework to ensure school library collections are periodically evaluated for age-appropriateness.
The legislation has passed the Education Committee, both chambers, and is headed to Governor Lee’s desk for signing.
###
