Ohio House Bill 616, introduced by two Republican state lawmakers, would mandate controversial changes to portions of Ohio’s Revised Code that sets standards for public schools.
The bill is similar to Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill, which banned instruction on gender identity and sexual orientation in grades K-3. That bill was signed into law by Florida’s governor in March 2022.
The bill would ban instruction on “sexual orientation or gender identity” in K-3 public classrooms and would restrict instruction on race in the state’s public schools.
The Columbus Metropolitan Club invited the two sponsors of HB616, Ohio State House Representatives Jean Schmidt and Mike Loychik, to participate in this panel, but did not receive a response to its invitations.
This CMC forum was recorded live on June 1, 2022.
The speakers are:
Maria Bruno, Public Policy Director, Equality Ohio
Scott DiMauro, President, The Ohio Education Association
Bruce Hooley, Host of The Bruce Hooley Show
Densil Porteous, Executive Director, Stonewall Columbus
Troy McIntosh, Executive Director, The Ohio Christian Education Network, The Center for Christian Virtue
The host is Anna Staver, State House Reporter for The Columbus Dispatch/USA Today Gannett Ohio Bureau.
This forum was sponsored by Hannah News Service.
The forum partners were WBNS 10TV and The League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus, with support from The Columbus Dispatch.