(a) No person shall be refused admission into or be excluded from any public school in this state on account of race, creed, color, sex or national origin.(b)(1) No student shall be assigned or compelled to attend any school on account of race, creed, color or national origin, or for the purpose of achieving equality in attendance or increased attendance or reduced attendance, at any school, of persons of one (1) or more particular races, creeds, colors or national origins.(2) No school district, school zone or attendance unit, by whatever name known, shall be established, reorganized or maintained for any such purpose.(3) Nothing contained in this subsection (b) shall prevent the assignment of a pupil in the manner requested or authorized by the pupil's parents or guardian.(4) Nothing in this section shall be deemed to affect, in any way, the right of a religious or denominational educational institution to select its pupils exclusively or primarily from members of that religion or denomination, or from giving preference in selection to such members or to make such selection of its pupils as is calculated to promote the religious principle for which it is established.Acts 1970, denomination, or from giving preference in selection to such members or to make such selection of its pupils as is calculated to promote the religious principle for which it is established.Acts 1970, ch. 474, §§ 1, 2; 1976, ch. 446, § 1; T.C.A., §§ 49-1770, 49-1771.
Tennessee Legal Code