Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-1019 prohibits certain concepts from being included or promoted as part of a course of instruction or in a curriculum or instructional program or included in supplemental instructional materials used by public schools in Tennessee. The department promulgated emergency rule 0520-12-04, which became effective on November 8, 2021, providing how the department will implement the law. The emergency rule includes requirements for each local education agency (LEA) and public charter school and the process for filing a complaint alleging an LEA or public charter school has violated Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-1019.

Fill out the form and return it to the Benton County Board of Education, 197 Briarwood Street, Camden, TN. It should be addressed to the Director of Schools.

Prohibited Concepts in Instruction Complaint Form

The rule and other education rules may also be accessed on the Tennessee State Board of Education’s (TNDOE) website. The Complaint Form may also be accessed on the TNDOE's website.

General complaints about the subject matter or age appropriateness of textbooks and instructional materials that do not allege that concepts are being or have been included or promoted in the course of instruction, curriculum, instructional program, or in supplemental instructional materials of an LEA or public charter school, in violation of Tenn. Code Ann. § 49-6-1019 must follow the locally adopted policy for addressing such complaints.