New Tennessee law named after Charlie Kirk allows teachers to discuss Christianity’s role in American history

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A new Tennessee law set to take effect July 1 will give educators additional assurance they can teach about Christianity’s influence on the founding of the United States without fear of violating state policy.

The Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act, sponsored by State Rep. Mark Cochran (R-Englewood), allows public school teachers and faculty at public colleges and universities to discuss the role Christianity played in shaping American history.

“I think it’s almost impossible to teach American history without acknowledging Christianity’s impact on it,” Cochran said.

The law allows instruction on topics including the Mayflower Compact, references to divine authority in the Declaration of Independence, the influence of religious leaders on the nation’s founding, and the history of the national motto, “In God We Trust.”

Cochran said the legislation is not intended to require a new curriculum or mandate classroom instruction.

“The primary motivation for the legislation was really to set some reassurance for our teachers to make sure those folks who want to teach these concepts that they know there’s nothing wrong with that,” he said.

The measure is named after conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Cochran said lawmakers chose the name to honor what he described as Kirk’s commitment to civil discourse and Christian conservative values.

While supporters said the law provides clarity for educators, some education leaders question how much impact students will actually see in the classroom.

“I don’t think they are going to notice much,” said JC Bowman, CEO and executive director of Professional Educators of Tennessee.

Bowman said the law appears to be more about providing guidance and protection for teachers than dramatically changing what students are taught.

One challenge, he said, is the lack of classroom materials available to educators interested in teaching the concepts outlined in the legislation.

“That’s my biggest complaint about this,” Bowman said. “I mean, we passed legislation, and we go down that path towards something, and there’s not enough material already done.”

Cochran said the Tennessee Department of Education is expected to provide guidance on implementation, but Bowman warned schools could interpret the law differently without clear direction.

“Academic freedom is really an important discussion to have, and I think the legislators are good at doing that, but we have to make sure we don’t censor people,” Bowman said.The law takes effect July 1, ahead of the 2026-2027 school year.