They're hoping this bill passes quietly. We're making sure it doesn't.
What is SB0836?
Senate Bill 0836 (SB0836) is a legislative proposal in Tennessee that seeks to allow public schools to deny enrollment or charge tuition to students who cannot provide proof of U.S. citizenship or legal immigration status. This bill directly challenges the 1982 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Plyler v. Doe, which affirmed the right of all children, regardless of immigration status, to access free public education.
If enacted, SB0836 would set a dangerous precedent, enabling the exclusion of undocumented children from public schools and undermining the principle of equal protection under the law. The bill has passed the Tennessee Senate and is currently under consideration in the House.
At Pedals for Pencils, we believe that education is a fundamental right, not a privilege contingent upon immigration status. We stand against SB0836 because it threatens to erode the inclusivity and accessibility of our public education system. Our mission is to raise awareness about this bill’s implications and to support all students’ rights to learn and thrive.
If politicians can quietly exclude children from schools, they'll dismantle the public education system piece by piece.
They're counting on our silence. We're not giving it to them.
Why We're Speaking Up
We created Pedals for Pencils because legislation like SB0836 can’t pass quietly. If politicians learn they can exclude kids from public schools without public backlash, they’ll keep going—cutting funding, limiting access, and dismantling public education piece by piece. And they won’t stop.
This isn’t just a Tennessee problem. Similar bills have been proposed in states like Texas and Florida. These attacks on immigrant students and public schools are spreading—and too often, no one hears about them until it’s too late.
Grace’s friends up north haven’t heard of SB0836. Some teachers at Kate’s school haven’t either. That silence? That’s by design. That’s what they’re counting on.
But we’re not going to let that happen. We’re making noise. We’re putting in the miles. And we’re not backing down.