Tennessee Advances Bill on Undocumented Student Enrollment

The Tennessee Senate has passed a bill that mandates school districts to create policies banning cell phones in classrooms, with specifics left to individual districts. Separately, SB836 is advancing through the Tennessee legislature, allowing schools to verify students' immigration status and potentially charge tuition for undocumented students wishing to enroll. This bill conflicts with the Supreme Court's Plyler v. Doe decision, which prohibits denying public education based on immigration status. Critics argue the bill could jeopardize federal funding and violates the Civil Rights Act by discriminating based on national origin. Supporters, including Sen. Bo Watson, justify it as necessary due to increased costs for English Language Learner programs. The bill narrowly passed the Senate Education Committee and now proceeds to the finance committee for further consideration.