Ohio Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed 30 bills into law Wednesday, Jan. 8. One of those bills was legislation that requires schools to notify parents if their child’s gender identity does not align with their sex.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 22%
Center 47%
Right 31%
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
The new law also allows parents to opt their child out of instruction related to sexuality and gender. It further bans lessons on sexuality for students in kindergarten through third grade.
The legislation defines “sexuality content” as “any oral or written instruction, presentation, image or description of sexual concepts or gender ideology provided in a classroom setting.”
Point phone camera here
The bill emphasizes that “a parent has a fundamental right to make decisions concerning the upbringing, education, and care of the parent’s child.”
“If you’re a parent, you want to be informed with what’s going on in your child’s life,” DeWine said. “The parents are the best teachers, they’re the first teachers, the best teachers.”
Critics of the bill have dubbed it the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, drawing comparisons to Florida’s Parental Rights in Education law, passed and signed into law in 2022.
LGBTQ+ advocates in Ohio warn this law could put transgender children in danger if they come from unsupportive families.
Equality Ohio Executive Director Dwayne Steward expressed his disappointment in a statement: “It’s deeply disappointing that Gov. DeWine has signed HB 8 when it was opposed by educators and the LGBTQ+ community alike because it punishes teachers and staff for supporting LGBTQ+ students who are already targets of bullying and harassment. We will continue to fight for an Ohio that makes all students feel safe and secure in their schools.”
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Sign up for the newsletter today!
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
Civil rights advocates are planning to file a lawsuit, according to reports from WEWS News.
In addition to the gender identity provisions, the new law also mandates that public schools allow students to leave class for religious instruction.
Tags: Gender identity, LGBTQ, LGBTQ Rights, Mike DeWine, Ohio, Parental Rights in Education Act, schools, Transgender
[Lauren]
OHIO GOVERNOR MIKE DEWINE SIGNED 30 BILLS INTO LAW WEDNESDAY, INCLUDING ONE REQUIRING SCHOOLS TO NOTIFY PARENTS IF THEIR CHILD’S GENDER IDENTITY DOESN’T MATCH THEIR SEX.
THE LAW WILL ALSO ALLOW PARENTS TO OPT THEIR CHILD OUT OF INSTRUCTION THAT DEALS WITH SEXUALITY AND GENDER.
IT ALSO BANS SEXUALITY LESSONS FOR KINDERGARTENERS THROUGH THIRD GRADE.
THE LEGISLATION DEFINES “SEXUALITY CONTENT” AS “ANY ORAL OR WRITTEN INSTRUCTION, PRESENTATION, IMAGE, OR DESCRIPTION OF SEXUAL CONCEPTS OR GENDER IDEOLOGY PROVIDED IN A CLASSROOM SETTING.”
THE BILL STATES “A PARENT HAS A FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT TO MAKE DECISIONS CONCERNING THE UPBRINGING, EDUCATION, AND CAR OF THE PARENT’S CHILD.”
“IF YOU’RE A PARENT, YOU WANT TO BE INFORMED WITH WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR CHILD’S LIFE,” DEWINE SAID. “THE PARENTS ARE THE BEST TEACHERS, THEY’RE THE FIRST TEACHERS, THE BEST TEACHERS.”
CRITICS OF THE BILL DUBBED IT THE “DON’T SAY GAY” BILL – COMPARING IT TO FLORIDA’S PARENTAL RIGHTS IN EDUCATION BILL, PASSED AND SIGNED INTO LAW IN THE SUNSHINE STATE IN 2022.
LGBTQ ADVOCATES IN OHIO SAY THIS LAW WILL PUT TRANS CHILDREN IN DANGER IF THEY HAVE UNACCEPTING FAMILIES.
EQUALITY OHIO EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DWAYNE STEWARD SAID IN A STATEMENT, “IT’S DEEPLY DISAPPOINTING THAT GOV. DEWINE HAS SIGNED HB 8 WHEN IT WAS OPPOSED BY EDUCATORS AND THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY ALIKE BECAUSE IT PUNISHES TEACHERS AND STAFF FOR SUPPORTING LGBTQ+ STUDENTS WHO ARE ALREADY TARGETS OF BULLYING AND HARASSMENT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR AN OHIO THAT MAKES ALL STUDENTS FEEL SAFE AND SECURE IN THEIR SCHOOLS.”
CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATES PLAN TO FILE A LAWSUIT, WEWS NEWS REPORTS.
THE NEW LAW ALSO INCLUDES A PROVISION MANDATING PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO PERMIT STUDENTS TO LEAVE CLASS FOR RELIGIOUS INSTRUCTION.
Media Landscape
See how news outlets across the political spectrum are covering this story. Learn more
Left 22%
Center 47%
Right 31%
Bias Summary
- Malesuada elementum himenaeos felis orci nam sodales nostra neque purus cubilia magna ex vulputate interdum, montes sagittis finibus curabitur eget dignissim hac inceptos placerat convallis maecenas ut.
- Tincidunt class molestie accumsan iaculis posuere sem ultrices vel praesent taciti convallis euismod felis, congue netus quisque tortor donec a in purus semper ex lorem lacus.
Bias Comparison
The Left
et neque himenaeos turpis pharetra platea sem adipiscing bibendum ultrices sollicitudin elementum dis, tellus feugiat facilisi ipsum curae ultricies aliquet tristique commodo rutrum viverra.
The Center
donec mi fames diam himenaeos finibus elementum nisi dui purus malesuada sagittis habitant, vitae vestibulum mollis curabitur suspendisse a cubilia sapien enim lobortis.
The Right
pulvinar pharetra etiam euismod quis urna rhoncus, eros nulla gravida feugiat.
Report an issue with this comparison
Bias Distribution
38 other sources covering this story
Total News Sources
38
Leaning Left
7
Center
15
Leaning Right
10
Last Updated
3 months ago
Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
