Local Education Agencies

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Displaying Historical Documents in Schools

This bill requires local education boards and charter schools to display the Ten Commandments, a sentence from the Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution's preamble in each school building.

What This Bill Does

• Requires local education boards and public charter schools to put up displays of the Ten Commandments, part of the Declaration of Independence, and the U.S. Constitution’s preamble.
• Specifies that these documents must be displayed together prominently in a place where students can easily see them, like entryways or cafeterias.
• Sets rules for how big the text should be (at least 26-point font) to make it easy to read.
• Encourages groups and individuals to donate money or materials for these displays.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local boards of education
• Governing bodies of public charter schools

Terms To Know

LEA

Local Education Agency, which is a local board of education.

Preamble

The introduction or beginning part of an important document that explains its purpose.

Limits and Unknowns

• Does not specify what happens if schools do not follow the requirements.
• Does not provide funding for implementing these displays, but encourages donations.
• Applies to Tennessee only and starts in July 2025.

Official Summary Text

For the 2025-2026 school year and each subsequent school year, this bill requires each local board of education and governing body of a public charter s
chool to require their schools to display the Ten Commandments, the first sentence of the second paragraph of the preamble to the Declaration of Independence, and the preamble to the United States Constitution in a prominent location in each school buildi
n
g.
The
first sentence of the second paragraph of the preamble to the Declaration of Independence
reads, "
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their
c
reator with certain unalienable rights, that
among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
"

This bill requires each local board of education and governing body of a public charter school to determine the size and placement of the
items
described above as long as the three
item
s are d
isplayed together prominently
in
a school entryway, cafeteria, or common area where students are likely to see the display
,
with text displayed in
at least 26-
point
font,
and in a style and manner that is easy for students to see and read.

This bill enco
urages fraternal and other organizations or individuals to donate the funds or materials for the displays.

Current Bill Text

<BillNo> <Sponsor>

SENATE BILL 151
By Pody

SB0151
001225
- 1 -

AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49,
relative to education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE:
SECTION 1. Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 49, Chapter 6, Part 20, is amended by
adding the following as a new section:
(a) Each local board of education and governing body of a public charter school,
as defined in § 49-13-104, shall require all schools in the LEA and the public charter
school to display the Ten Commandments, the first sentence of the second paragraph of
the preamble to the Declaration of Independence, and the preamble to the United States
Constitution in a prominent location in each school building in order to educate students
on the significance of the Ten Commandments to the principles and ideals of the United
States of America, as established in its founding documents.
(b) Fraternal and other organizations or individuals are encouraged to donate
the funds or materials necessary for the display required in subsection (a).
(c) Each local board of education and governing body of a public charter school
shall determine the size and placement of the display required in subsection (a);
provided, that the items described in subsection (a) must be displayed together,
prominently, with text displayed in a font size no smaller than least twenty-six (26) point
and in a style and manner that is easy for students to see and read.
(d) As used in subsection (a), "prominent location" means a school entryway,
cafeteria, or common area where students are likely to see the display.
SECTION 2. This act takes effect July 1, 2025, the public welfare requiring it, and
applies to the 2025-2026 school year and each school year thereafter.