NASHVILLE — A Republican lawmaker said today he has withdrawn a bill recognizing the Association of Classical and Christian Schools as a church-school accrediting body after learning the group’s founder has defended Southern slavery as “a relationship based upon mutual affection and confidence.”
“We moved it back to the Calendar Committee,” Sen. Brian Kelsey, R-Germantown, said in a brief interview as he left the Senate chamber. “I’m not going to pursue it this year.”
Asked whether the bill was dead after he looked into assertions by Sen. Jeff Yarbro, D-Nashville, regarding past writings of Doug Wilson, founder of the Association of Classical and Christian Schools, Kesley said, “yeah, I never heard of him.”
Kelsey’s bill sought to add the Association of Classical and Christian Schools to the state’s list of accrediting organizations for church-related schools.
The group’s website lists 15 Tennessee private schools as among its members nationwide.