Ohio’s public K-12 schools are now the focus of a legislative effort by state lawmakers to ban diversity, equity and inclusion.
SB 113 is similar to different legislation that's already passed the legislature. In March, Gov. Mike DeWine signed into law a bill that bans DEI programs in hiring, training, and teaching at Ohio's public colleges and universities. That law also bans professors from striking.
Now, state Sen. Andrew Brenner (R-Ostrander) has introduced a bill aimed at K-12 public schools in Ohio. He said DEI elements in Ohio's public elementary, middle and high schools is harmful for students of color.
“Instead of helping students excel based on their effort and ability, DEI teaches them that their race is their defining characteristic. [...] DEI in education is a modern form of racial discrimination," Brenner said.
Brenner pointed to poor performance in urban school districts with higher numbers of students of color as a sign DEI is not working.
Student and administrative opposition
Liz Kirby, superintendent of the Cleveland Heights/University Heights school district in Northeast Ohio, said her district has a combination of gifted students, students with disabilities and students who are English learners. She said it is important for students and teachers in her district to understand each other and communicate effectively. And to do that, she says some training, which might be considered DEI education, is necessary.
“If we can’t have any training or orientation around students who have unique needs based on those identifications, then we are, without question, holding them back from high student achievement and high growth,” Kirby said.
The president of the Cleveland Heights/University Heights School Board, Malia Lewis, said the bill's language is vague.
“At the board level, we read these laws and go ‘Well, what do they mean?’ and then the question is what did they intend, what do we intend, and how do you continue doing what matters most for students within the constraints of this legislation?” Lewis asked.
Cavan Bruce is a freshman in the Cleveland Heights/University Heights school district. He says the district has a lot of supportive programs for students with mental, emotional, and physical challenges.
“There’s just no way to define it and the nature of the bill itself is confusing and frankly, just seems to be a bunch of political buzz words being thrown around,” Bruce said.
Emmanuel Gutirrez, also a freshman at the same school, said he’s afraid some of his school's most meaningful classes could be in jeopardy if this bill passes, including a class on the lessons of the Holocaust.
Jesse Bowling is against the bill. As a biracial student, he says the bill is an attempt to oppress people like him.
“It is trying to oppress people who are considered 'different' and it is unacceptable,” Bowling said. “It is just evil.”
Kennedi Brown, another freshman at the school, described this bill as “a big punch to the face,” adding it will make it harder for different groups of students to understand and interact with each other.
“It won’t allow students to have individuality. I feel like it is very dehumanizing,” Brown said.
Bill proponents
Lisa Breedlove Chaffee, a member of a group called Parents Rights in Education, said there are faith-based and alternative programs that are available that will make all students feel accepted and valued.
“DEI often reduces inclusion and can discriminate against conservative and Christian groups, leading to exclusion, rather than inclusion,” Chaffee said.
Tim Throckmorton, the National Director of Church Engagement and Community Impact for the Family Research Council in Washington D.C., gave written testimony for the bill, saying DEI policies and practices have hurt the traditional, nuclear family. Throckmorton said this bill would get rid of what he calls a "New Gen Marxist" theory that he said is now being perpetuated in K-12 schools.
“Marxists believe that humankind can be perfected, and that utopia can be attained here on earth (whereas Christians know that humans have been sinful since the fall and only will experience paradise in the new heaven and new earth),” Throckmorton said.
Jennifer Valley, a member of Worthington Parents United, is another supporter of the legislation. She said it’s not a matter of scrapping diversity or not achieving fairness. She said children can get a good education without the elements of DEI that she said make people oppressed, while others feel like oppressors.
“You just make people feel awkward, make people feel self-conscious. It’s like Black and white people now, it’s like you have to be careful they don’t think I’m prejudiced or something. You know, why do we have to draw the distinctions?” Valley asked.
Brenner said schools shouldn’t be drawing those types of distinctions through DEI.
“They create a hostile learning environment. DEI initiatives tell students that some are inherently privileged while others are perpetually victims, fostering resentment rather than unity,” Brenner said.
What's next
There hasn’t yet been opponent testimony on the legislation. But there will likely be a lot of controversy about this bill when opponents are allowed to testify on it. More than 700 people showed up to testify against the bill that outlaws DEI at the college level.
