Changing the name of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission to the Tennessee Affirmative Action Commission

Earlier in the semester, the Tennessee Human Rights Commission was hosted by Rhodes College to give a public report on the stance of issues of interest to the TNHRC and Tennesseans. Among these topics were: violence against women, civil rights abuses faced by people experiencing homelessness, discrimination facing minorities and people with disabilities, discrimination and underemployment concerns facing Tennesseans, and challenges faced by undocumented youth in TN. This forum showed that it does not have one specific focus that is takes on the issues concerning Tennesseans.

A letter published in The Tennessean by a past chairman of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission explains how problematic it would be to change the name to the Tennessee Affirmative Action Commission. The title itself is misleading and would cause much controversy as it implies that that [Affirmative Actions] is its one true mission. The TNHRC does enforce anti-discrimination laws in employment, housing, and public accommodations but it does enforce affirmative action.

Over the past 50 years, the TNHRC has increased its visibility by partnering with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the US Dep’t of Housing and Urban Development which allows the commission “to enforce Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the American with Disabilities Act and the Title VIII of the Fair Housing Act.” The conclusion made by Mr. Wiggins, leads to some interesting discussion behind the motives of SB2054.

Would changing the name of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission to the Tennessee Affirmative Action Commission lead to a reduction in funding? Would there be a change in case reporting? Naming and branding make a big difference. We know that Affirmative Action is a highly controversial topic—why change the name and restructure the way the members of the commission are appointed? There are many sections of SB2054 that are problematic, the main one being the name change of the commission.

http://www.tennessean.com/article/20140302/OPINION03/303020036/Tennessee-Human-Rights-Commission-s-name-shouldn-t-changed

http://www.capitol.tn.gov/Bills/108/Bill/SB2054.pdf