A bill to prevent school boards from being able to remove religious books from school libraries is advancing through the Tennessee legislature.
State Rep. Greg Martin, R-Hixson, said he chose to sponsor house bill 1085 because he believes religious freedom is under attack in the United States.
Martin said he has watched politicians speak disparagingly about religious freedom in recent years and is concerned about a lack of respect for various religions across the country.
“I think it’s really important that we have diverse points of view when it comes to religion that’s accessible to our students,” Martin said by phone.
(READ MORE: Under Tennessee’s stricter school library law, some books quietly disappear)