TN HB1822

LEAs, public charter schools, and public school teachers may provide instruction on the "positive impacts of religion on American history" when teaching American history, with the same permission extended to faculty at public institutions of higher education.

Permitted topics include the history of the Pilgrims and Mayflower Compact, religious references in the Declaration of Independence, the religious views of the Founders, the First and Second Great Awakenings, George Washington's farewell address on religion, and the Ten Commandments' influence on American law.

Additional authorized subjects cover religion's role in the Civil Rights Movement (citing Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglass, and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.), the influence of Billy Graham, and the history of "In God We Trust" and "under God" in the pledge.

The General Assembly declares that teaching religion's "historical, positive impact" is consistent with the First Amendment and does not constitute proselytization.

Effective July 1, 2026, applying to the 2026-2027 academic year and thereafter.