English-only backer Crafton named to human rights commission

A former Metro councilman known for spearheading Nashville's failed English-only referendum is set to serve on the board of the Tennessee Human Rights Commission after receiving an appointment from Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey.

Eric Crafton, long ridiculed by Democrats for his unsuccessful push in 2009 to make English the official language of Metro government, will begin his service on the nine-member volunteer board Friday after getting the nod from Ramsey last month.

Immigrant rights activists have criticized the selection, but Ramsey contends the former Bellevue-area councilman is ideal for the role.

"A devoted public servant and veteran, Eric Crafton is exactly the kind of individual our state needs on the Human Rights Commission," Ramsey said in a prepared statement. "I am confident that Eric's unique qualifications and viewpoint will be of great assistance as the Human Rights Commission carries out its important mission to safeguard all of our citizens from discrimination."

The human rights commission, which has an office of 29 state employees, is tasked with enforcing state and federal laws prohibiting discrimination. That includes investigating complaints of discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations based on race, disability, gender, age and other factors.

The governor appoints five of the commission's board members, while the speakers in the House and Senate appoint two each. There are three representatives for each of Tennessee's three grand divisions. Crafton will serve the final two years of a six-year term.

In a statement, Stephanie Teatro, co-executive director of the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition, said Crafton is best known for his "unsuccessful efforts to establish government policies that discriminate against individuals based on the language they speak

"Appointing him to the commission that safeguards human rights is like the fox guarding the henhouse," she said. "It also sends a confusing message to foreign-born communities across the state about Tennessee's real commitment to protecting human rights."

Crafton, who lost recent elections for Metro school board and Davidson County Juvenile Court clerk, served on the council from 1995-1999, and again from 2003-2011.

During his final term, he launched Davidson County's English-only referendum — which voters ultimately rejected by a margin of 57 percent to 43 percent. That push came after then-Mayor Bill Purcell in 2007 vetoed similar legislation that the council had approved.

"The human rights commission serves an important role," Crafton said. "I think I've earned the reputation of being somebody that's fair-minded and somebody that does his homework."

Crafton, whose wife was born in Japan and whose brother-in-law is a naturalized citizen from Mexico, downplayed criticism of his appointment. He said the referendum — which he still calls "English First" — was meant to help many immigrants learn English and save public dollars by eliminating interpreter and other city services.

"That had nothing to do with human rights at all and everything to do with trying to codify an official language for (non-emergency) government business," Crafton said.

"It was never meant to be a mean-spirited thing like it was portrayed as being," he added. "Like I told members of the council, I've got at least as much diversity in my family as anybody in here."

In recent years, the human rights commission's role has garnered attention from some Republican lawmakers, who last year proposed renaming it as the Tennessee Affirmative Action Commission. Legislation outlining that change did not pass, however.

Reach Joey Garrison at 615-259-8236 and on Twitter @joeygarrison.