Rep. Stacey Campfield's proposed bill to ban homosexuality references in pre-k to eighth grade was killed in Tennessee Legislature on Tuesday, Feb. 19.  Campfield's bill would allow for heterosexuality to be taught in school, but not homosexuality. 

Campfield called his bill neutral, saying that it mainly targets moving the education of homosexuality from the classroom to the children's homes. 

"We are failing in a lot of educational areas, and we need to concentrate on those other areas," Campfield said. 

According to Campfield, his proposal would allow schools to focus upon weak areas in our educational system by removing the topic of homosexuality in the curriculum.  Campfield cites the Tennessee Education Association, National Education Association and complaint letters from two school districts as spurring him to action. 

A 2006 resolution by the NEA promotes the increase of acceptance of gays, lesbians, bisexuals and transgender people.  Jerry Winters, governmental relations manager and chief lobbyist of TEA, said Campfield did not understand the difference between acceptance and promotion.  TEA and NEA promote the teaching of acceptance of alternative lifestyles -Jerry Winters   TEA does not promote homosexuality, but it accepts homosexuality Winters said.  TEA opposes any legislation that mandates school curriculum explained Winters.  Campfield's bill would have given the government the power to restructure the education curriculum.     

"The legislature has a lot of work to do, and I'm glad they are able to focus on other issues," Indya Kincannon, vice chair of Knoxville board of education, said.  "I'm glad the bill is dead."

Subcommittee sent the bill to the State Board of Education, effectively killing the bill.  Campfield expressed disappointment at the decision because he felt his bill's purpose to move the hot topic of homosexuality to the more appropriate environment of a family's home as an important endeavor. 

Winters believes the bill's purpose was to get Campfield attention in this election year. 

"I don't think his bill was neutral; it should be left out of the legislature completely," Winters said.