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SB 937

Education - As enacted, prohibits a public school, LEA, or teacher, employee, or contractor of a public school or LEA from requiring a student, teacher, employee, or contractor of the public school or LEA to provide the individual's preferred pronouns; makes related revisions. - Amends TCA Title 4; Title 8; Title 9, Chapter 8; Title 29, Chapter 20 and Title 49.

114th Regular Session (2025-2026) Introduced by Paul Rose

Tennessee law prohibits public schools from requiring students, staff, or contractors to provide or use preferred pronouns, effective immediately.

Pub. Ch. 453
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Bill Summary · SB 937

Legislative bill overview

SB 937 prohibits Tennessee public schools, school districts, teachers, and contractors from requiring any student, teacher, employee, or contractor to disclose or use preferred pronouns. The bill amends multiple sections of Tennessee code and became effective May 9, 2025.

Why is this important

This law directly impacts how schools can address gender identity and pronoun use in educational settings. It affects school policies, staff training, student records systems, and day-to-day classroom interactions across all Tennessee public schools, potentially influencing similar legislation in other states.

Potential points of contention

  • Interpretation of "requiring": Unclear whether the prohibition applies only to mandatory disclosure or also restricts voluntary pronoun use in classroom settings, email signatures, or school communications
  • Student mental health and safety: Concerns that restrictions on pronoun accommodation may negatively impact transgender and non-binary students' wellbeing and school engagement, versus concerns about parental rights and age-appropriate discussions
  • Implementation challenges: Schools must clarify policies on how teachers can acknowledge student identity while remaining compliant, and how this interacts with existing anti-bullying and anti-discrimination policies
  • First Amendment implications: Questions about whether prohibiting pronoun use in some contexts conflicts with free speech rights of teachers and students who wish to use them voluntarily

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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