Shelby County Schools quietly enacted LGBT-inclusive protections in June of 2013

Did you know that when the Memphis City Schools were absorbed into the Shelby County School system, MCS students lost enumerated anti-bullying protections based on sexual orientation, gender identity and gender expression?

Anti-bullying protections weren't fully enumerated in Shelby County School policy at the time of unification.

In response, Tammy Ferguson Green (mother of a Shelby County School student) and Bri Kirwan (a Shelby County School student) spoke to the unified Memphis and Shelby County School Board on September 27, 2012 to urge revision of the anti-bullying policy.

Guess what? They listened.

It appears that the policy was quietly revised in June 2013 to include LGBT-inclusive protections against bullying.

Thanks Tammy! Thanks Bri!

Watch their presentation from September 27, 2012 below:

Senators Stacey Campfield and Brian Kelsey to elope to Massachusetts

Senators Stacey Campfield
& Brian Kelsey to tie the knot.

(4.1.2014) Qweerty.com reports that Tennessee Senators Stacey Campfield (R-Knoxville) and Brian Kelsey (R-Germantown) plan to marry after the 108th Tennessee General Assembly session adjourns this spring.

Capitol insiders revealed their secret plan to elope to the State of Massachusetts late yesterday. The couple plans to marry in a closed ceremony over Memorial Day weekend at the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury in Martha’s Vineyard. A West Tisbury office clerk, who grew up with Senator Kelsey at MUS High School in Memphis accidentally leaked the clandestine arrangements when confirming the wedding date with Senator Kelsey’s legislative assistant.

When asked about the wedding, Senator Kelsey stated, “Stacey and I just couldn’t wait any longer for full marriage equality to arrive in Tennessee.”

The happy couple plans to honeymoon in Provincetown following the ceremony.

A Nashville area realtor confirmed Tuesday morning that Kelsey and Campfield recently signed a contract on a quaint little bungalow in East Nashville. The couple looks forward to filling their home with arts and crafts furniture and hosting hot tub parties on the deck of their back yard this summer.

Registry listings for Campfield and Kelsey appear on the websites of Crate & Barrel, IKEA and Restoration Hardware. When asked about possible wedding gift options for the couple, Campfield stated that their “gift registries are really for close family and friends. I encourage marriage equality supporters to donate gifts in our honor to Tennessee Equality Project at http://tnequalityproject.org/donatetotep.”

Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey, leader of the State Senate, promised to host a wedding reception for the couple at the beginning of the 109th Tennessee General Assembly in Senate Chambers.