A Tennessee school board voted to enact a policy that banned LGBTQ+ Pride flags and allowed only the United States flag or Tennessee state flag to hang in public schools.
The Tullahoma City Schools Board of Education voted to change the district’s policy regarding flags and other displays such as “banners, pennants, digital signs, etc.” in October 2025. The policy effectively restricted any displays to that of the American flag or Tennessee flag unless “directly related to the curriculum or other school-sanctioned event or program.”
The policy does not call for a ban or removal of Pride flags specifically (although the issue stemmed from complaints about a teacher who displayed a Pride flag in their classroom and was explicitly mentioned as the cause of the discussion within the meeting during which the policy was voted on).
A rumor that a school board in Tennessee voted in favor of removing LGBTQ+ Pride flags from public schools swirled online in July 2026.
People on social media posted about the alleged policy change and claimed the school board voted to allow only flags for the United States and the state of Tennessee.
In sum, the claim was mostly true. During a Tullahoma City Schools Board of Education meeting on Oct. 21, 2025, the board voted to enact a policy that effectively restricted any displays of flags to the American flag or Tennessee state flag unless “directly related to the curriculum or other school-sanctioned event or program.”
The policy does not include language calling for a ban or removal of Pride flags specifically. However, the issue stemmed from complaints about a teacher who displayed a Pride flag in their classroom and was explicitly mentioned as the cause of the discussion during the board meeting in which the policy was voted on.
During the meeting, which is available to view on the school board’s website, the policy passed unanimously. The voting on what is referred to as “Board Policy 4.400” can be seen at the 1:22:00 mark.
The policy, which was read during the board meeting at the 1:07:00 mark, stated in full:
In order to regulate flags and other displays (ex., banners, pennants, digital signs, etc.) on any/all campuses within Tullahoma City Schools and to ensure a conducive and respectful educational environment, the following guidelines have been established:
1. No flag or other displays (ex., banners, pennants, digital signs, etc.) other than that of the United States of America and state of Tennessee may be displayed in or on Tullahoma City Schools buildings, including classrooms, unless it is an official country, state, TCS school, higher education, post secondary institution, or United States military branch flag used solely for educational purposes.
2. Any other flags or other displays (ex., banners, pennants, digital signs, etc.), including but not limited to political, cultural, or personal, are prohibited from being displayed in or on Tullahoma City Schools buildings unless it is directly related to the curriculum or other school-sanctioned event or program.
3. The American Flag and State flags shall be displayed in accordance with proper flag etiquette as outlined by the United States Flag Code and applicable state regulations.
4. The display of flags shall be maintained in good condition and replaced when necessary to ensure proper representation and respect.
5. Any requests for exceptions to this policy must be submitted in writing to the principal/designee for consideration. Organization, club, team sponsors or coaches must submit for exceptions to display any flags connected to their team, club or organization. Within this written request, a clear image of the flag or other display shall be provided, along with clear justification for the requested exception, how it connects directly to club, organization, team or classroom, and the duration for the display.
6. If the principal/designee denies the request, this can be appealed to the Director of Schools/Designee within five business days of the original denial. The Director of Schools/Designee will respond to the appeal request in writing with a decision within five business days. The Director of Schools/Designee’s decision will be final.
7. Any approved request may be revoked by the principal/designee in the event of significant or material disruption within the school day.
The Superintendent, in collaboration with school administrators, shall oversee the implementation of this policy across all Tullahoma City Schools’ buildings. School personnel shall ensure compliance with this policy and address any violations promptly and appropriately. Educational initiatives may be undertaken to inform students, staff, and the broader school community about the significance and proper display of the American Flag and Tennessee State flag, as well as the rationale behind this policy, if applicable.
Prior to the board’s vote, the committee heard comments from the public in support of both sides of the issue. The public comments can be viewed in the recording of the session beginning at the 16:55 mark.
The meeting minutes available to view in the agenda for the board’s meeting the following month, on Nov. 11, 2025, show further documentation that the board approved the new policy.
Republicans in Tennessee had tried to remove Pride flags from schools for years prior to the school board’s vote. In June 2026, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee signed a House joint resolution effectively changing June from the widely observed LGBTQ+ Pride Month to “Nuclear Family Month.”
We reached out to the members of the Tullahoma City Schools Board of Education for further comment on the policy and will update this article if we hear back.
