Strong Opposition to HB 1491 / SB 1714: A Dangerous Attack on Religious Freedom

Strong Opposition to HB 1491 / SB 1714: A Dangerous Attack on Religious Freedom and the Constitution I am writing to express my unequivocal opposition to HB 1491 and its companion bill SB 1714, misleadingly titled the "Protecting Religious Liberty and Expression in Public Schools Act." This legislation is not about protecting religious freedom—it is about using the power of the state to promote one specific religion, Christianity, while violating the religious liberty of every student who does not share that faith. This bill fundamentally misrepresents the history of church-state separation and attempts to dismantle the Establishment Clause. It would force public schools to teach the Bible not as literature, but as objective history, including "the life of Jesus" and the "moral and ethical teachings of the Old and New Testaments." This is Sunday school, not secular education. While the bill claims these classes will not be taught as "religious dogma," declaring the life of Jesus as historical fact inherently advances religion under the guise of academics. The bill also mandates a daily "designated period of prayer and reading of the Bible or other religious text." Despite claims that participation is voluntary, requiring parents to sign a form waiving their right to sue demonstrates exactly how coercive and legally precarious this scheme is. Students face immense social pressure to participate, and the bill's explicit provision shielding schools from lawsuits confirms that lawmakers know this policy will inevitably violate constitutional rights. Even more troubling is the bill's attempt to weaponize the legal system against those who seek to protect their rights. By making plaintiffs potentially liable for legal fees if their case is dismissed, this bill intimidates everyday Tennesseans from challenging unconstitutional state action. This is an assault on access to justice. Students in Tennessee can already pray privately, read the Bible during free time, and take elective Bible-as-literature courses in dozens of districts. No one is stopping them. What this bill does is stop school officials from upholding the law, pressures children into religious participation, and invites lawsuits against schools that fail to promote Christianity enough. Religious freedom means the freedom from government-imposed religion as much as the freedom to practice one's faith. This bill protects neither. It protects only the agenda of lawmakers who wish to impose their beliefs on every child in Tennessee. I urge you to vote NO on HB 1491 and SB 1714 and to uphold the constitutional principle that government must remain neutral in matters of faith.