The Tennessee Legislature has passed a bill barring school districts in the state from teaching "critical race theory."
Legislators approving the measure said the theory teaches such topics as white privilege and that one race bears responsibility for past actions against another race.
Also approved was a bill that sets up a new way in which a three-judge panel will hear constitutional claims against state law. In such a case, the Tennessee Supreme Court will name two judges from other jurisdictions in the state to join the judge assigned the case to hear the matter.
Currently, those matters are decided by chancellors in Davidson County.
Republican legislators felt the Davidson judges are too liberal, and there should be involvement by judges throughout the state.
An initial idea to name a permanent three-judge panel was set aside in favor of the state Supreme Court appointments.