I applaud the Tullahoma City Schools (TCS) administration and Board of Education (BOE) for revising Board Policy (BP) 4.400 for the Flag and Other Displays policy in Fall 2025. Section 1 of this policy allows only the USA or state of TN flags to be displayed in or on TCS buildings, including classrooms, with certain exceptions for other flags used solely for educational purposes. Section 2 of the policy prohibits political, cultural, or personal flags or other displays from being displayed in or on TCS buildings unless directly related to the curriculum or other schoolsanctioned event or program. This policy led to removal of an LGBTQ flag from a Tullahoma High School (THS) classroom.

In February 2026, as part of an art class or club, the THS Rock was painted with the acronym BLM (Black Lives Matter). BLM is a leftist political organization promoting causes often funded by globalist organizations, such as George Soros’ Open Society Foundations. In the public’s eye, having BLM on the Rock implies TCS/THS supports BLM. Pictures of BLM on the Rock circulated on social media along with public complaints about why this political display was allowed on THS grounds.

I emailed the Director of Schools (DoS) and BOE about BLM on the Rock and recommended they revise the Flag and Other Displays policy to prohibit such political displays on TCS school grounds. However, the DoS, BOE Chairman, and the board’s legal counsel will not pursue my recommendation, stating policy enforcement by administrators would be very difficult on THS grounds (covering all parking lots, practice fields, game fields, tracks, courts, etc.); there is potential for viewpoint discrimination; and the Rock is a student space where they are encouraged to create and express themselves within certain bounds. Well, many Tullahomans consider those unspecified bounds to have been far exceeded by painting BLM on the Rock. The DoS and BOE should reassess their policies and make appropriate revisions to prevent similar political displays on public TCS school grounds in the future.