A new Tennessee state law named after the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk is set to take effect in just days - and it is drawing national attention.
The Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act, signed by Governor Bill Lee in April, goes into effect July 1.
According to a statement from the House Republican Caucus, the law authorizes local education agencies, public school teachers, and faculty at public institutions of higher education to provide instruction on the positive impacts of Christianity on American history.
Specific topics now permitted include the Mayflower Compact, references to divine authority in the Declaration of Independence, the influence of religious leaders on the nation's founding, and the history of the national motto, "In God We Trust."
State Rep. Mark Cochran (R-Englewood), who sponsored the legislation, was clear that the law does not require a new curriculum or mandate classroom instruction.
"The primary motivation for the legislation was really to set some reassurance for our teachers," Cochran said, "to make sure those folks who want to teach these concepts know there's nothing wrong with that."
Cochran also said that "Christian leaders and beliefs were undeniably foundational in the creation of the United States" and that the nation's history "deserves to be taught accurately and completely."
The law is named in honor of Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA, who was assassinated in September 2025.
Similar legislation carrying his name has also been advancing in Ohio, where a separate bill passed the state House and is currently before the Senate.
Teachings under the Tennessee law are set to begin in the Fall 2026 semester.
For Christian educators and families across Tennessee, the law represents a formal acknowledgment of what many have long believed: that faith and American history cannot be fully separated.
