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House panel advances bill requiring civic-literacy course for public university graduates
Summary
The House Education Committee advanced Representative Gant’s bill requiring a three-credit course on foundational American documents for all graduates of Tennessee public universities; sponsor and witnesses said it aims to address civic knowledge gaps while institutions retain instructional authority.
Representative Gant urged the committee to approve a measure requiring public universities to ensure graduating students complete a three-credit course covering foundational American documents and a cumulative final exam.
"Students earning a bachelor's degree from a Tennessee public institution should have a working understanding of the Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of Tennessee, the Declaration of Independence, the Federalist Papers ... and Dr. Martin Luther King's 'Letter from Birmingham Jail,'" Gant said in committee, adding the requirement would not increase total degree hours or interfere with accreditation.
Dr. Michael Polyoff, president of the American Council of Trustees and Alumni, testified in support and cited national surveys showing gaps in civic knowledge among college students. "Right now, only three Tennessee universities have a requirement for a course in US history or government," he said, and pointed to survey findings that he said show troubling civic illiteracy.
Members questioned implementation and cost. Lou Hanaman of the Tennessee Higher Education Commission told the committee the requirement could be fitted into existing general-education credit buckets rather than adding hours. Representative Glenn and others pressed whether the bill would require multiple courses or a single course with specified topics; sponsors said the intent is one required course that covers the listed documents and themes.
Several members expressed skepticism about the fiscal note. Representative Gant said institutions could absorb much of the work with current faculty and asked fiscal review to reassess assumptions about hiring costs.
The committee voted to move the bill to Finance (17 yes, 1 no). The bill requires governing boards to incorporate the requirement and to report annually to the General Assembly on compliance; it directs the Institute of American Civics at the University of Tennessee to provide a template curriculum but preserves institutional instructional authority.
The committee debate focused on three implementation questions: whether the requirement would add credit hours to degrees (sponsors said no), whether the course would be partisan (sponsors and witnesses said the statutory list of documents is nonpartisan and institutions determine instruction), and the accuracy of the fiscal estimate for course rollout. The bill now goes to Finance for further consideration.
