Ohio’s public schools could see their state funding yanked if they use student names and pronouns that aren’t aligned with their birth gender unless they have written permission from their parents.
Under House Bill 190, the Given Name Act, schools could face repercussions if administrators, employees or contractors ask students for their preferred names and pronouns, Cleveland.com reported. It would also punish schools if adult employees or contractors request students to use a pronoun that is inconsistent with the adult’s birth sex.
“We just believe that parents have a say. It’s more than a notification. It’s not good enough for a school to notify me that my son wants to go by a different name,” Cleveland.com quoted state Rep. Josh Williams, R-Sylvania Twp., as saying. “I think it’s essential that you get parental permission in order to do that. I think that’s a parent’s choice, and a parent’s right on how they raise their children. So I would like to see it go a bit further.”
The legislation, which doesn’t apply to the Buckeye State’s private schools, tasks the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce with establishing a process for someone to submit a complaint about an alleged violation by a public school, its employees or contractors.
The measure empowers the department to investigate the complaint and report its findings to the director of education and workforce. The department will withhold 10% of state foundation aid each month for schools violating the measure until the school complies.
A violating school must report to the director within 45 days of the department determining that the school or its employees violated the measure to affirm its compliance. When a school or its employee knowingly violates the measure, parents or guardians may bring a cause of action for injunctive relief and possible reasonable attorney’s fees and costs.
The proposal was met with mixed reactions on Cleveland.com’s Facebook page.
“Why are we not focusing on the 70%+/- that can’t read, write or do math at a minimum standard instead of this nonsense?” one commenter asked.
“No freedom of speech? This is just ridiculous. Let the kids be themselves. Government overreach is getting out of control,” another posted.
“Good. Stop the insanity and delusions already,” a third person commented. “Your preferred name is the one given to you on your BC and you’re either born a male or female, no gray area there.”
The measure, the latest Buckeye State proposal centered on LGBTQ+ and social issues, builds on House Bill 8, the Parents’ Bill of Rights, which Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed in January and takes effect April 9.
It bars schools or any third parties operating on behalf of a school or district from instructing “sexuality content” to students in kindergarten through third grades. It requires schools to implement parental notification and review policies for “sexuality-related content” and student health care, such as counseling services.
The parental Bill of Rights follows another high-profile bill DeWine signed in November: Senate Bill 104, the Protect All Students Act. It stipulates that Ohio’s primary and secondary schools and higher education institutions must designate restrooms for use only by biological males or females.
Following DeWine’s signing of Senate Bill 104, Columbus City Schools started using the names listed on students’ birth certificates rather than the ones they preferred.
DeWine also signed House Bill 322 in January, which creates a new grooming offense. It allows prosecutors to seek criminal charges against anyone who demonstrates a pattern of inappropriate behavior toward minors.
Earlier this year, Ohio lawmakers signed off on Senate Bill 1, the Enact Advance Ohio Higher Education Act. It would require state institutions of higher education to bar any DEI orientation or training courses unless the institution submits a written request for an exception.
