A policy change by the Tullahoma City Schools Board of Education has led to claims online that LGBTQ+ Pride flags are being banned from public schools.
The school board did vote in October 2025 to modify its policy on displays within schools. The revised policy restricts the flags and other displays, such as banners and pennants, to only the United States flag or the Tennessee state flag, unless the display is directly related to the curriculum or a school-sanctioned event.
While the policy does not explicitly mention Pride flags, the decision was prompted by a teacher displaying a Pride flag in their classroom. This issue was specifically cited as the reason for the policy discussion during the board meeting where the vote took place.
The policy passed unanimously. The text of the policy states that no flag or display other than those of the United States and Tennessee may be displayed unless it is an official country, state, TCS school, higher education, post-secondary institution, or U.S. military branch flag used solely for educational purposes. Other flags, including those that are political, cultural, or personal, are prohibited unless directly linked to curriculum or a school-sanctioned event.
This development follows a broader trend in Tennessee, where Republican lawmakers have sought to limit the display of Pride flags in schools. In June 2026, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee signed a resolution that redesignated June, commonly observed as LGBTQ+ Pride Month, as “Nuclear Family Month.”
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