HB 322, 134th General Assembly

UPDATE

House Bill 322 was not passed during the 134th General Assembly, which ended in December 2022. The language of this bill may be re-introduced in a future legislative session.

SPONSOR
​ State Rep. Don Jones
​
​TARGETS
School Districts

PROHIBITS
Inculcation of Controversial Content
Related to Race, Sex, Current Events

​IMPACTS​
Model Curriculum & Curricula Standards
Teaching, Instruction, Discussion
Affirmation of Systemic Racism & Identities
Current Events & Controversial Issues
Course Credit, Action Civics, Service Learning

HB 322 Details​

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​Ohio House Bill 322
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Ohio House Bill 322 (HB 322) is pending legislation that prohibits the teaching, instructing, promoting, and advocating of "Prohibited Concepts" that center on race and sex, in Pre K-12 schools.

Bill Specifically Targets: 
  • School Districts
Why these bills hurt...
​
Students
Families
Educators
Ohio
Democracy

Sponsors & Committee

Primary Sponsor: 
Ohio State Rep. Don Jones (R-Freeport), District 95

​Introduced: May 25, 2021  
Referred: June 10, 2021 to House State and Local Government Committee
Hearings: 
  • June 15, 2021 - Introduced HB 322 and Heard Sponsor Testimony | WATCH
  • June 23, 2021 - Heard Proponent Testimony | WATCH
  • September 22, 2021 - Heard Proponent, Opponent, Interested Party Testimony | WATCH

Bill Prohibits Controversial Concepts:

  • One race or sex is inherently superior to another
  • An individual is inherently racist, sexist, oppressive (consciously or unconsciously) by virtue of their race or sex
  • An individual should be discriminated against solely based on race
  • Members of one race cannot or should not attempt to treat others without respect to race
  • An individual’s moral standing or worth is determined by their race or sex
  • An individual bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of their sex or race, by virtue of being the same race or sex​​
  • An individual should feel guilt, anguish, or psychological distress based on their race or sex
  • Meritocracy or hard work ethic are racist or sexist, or created by members of a particular race or sex to oppress members of another race or sex
  • Fault, blame, or bias should be assigned to a race or sex (or members of that race or sex) because of their race or sex
  • The advent of slavery in the US constituted the true founding of the US
  • Slavery and racism are anything other than deviations, betrayals, or failures to live up to the authentic founding principles of the US, including liberty and equality​

Bill Specifically Prohibits:

Model Curriculum, Standards, Textbooks​
  • State Board of Education from adopting any model curriculum regarding Prohibited Concepts
  • Approving use of, or carrying out, standards of curricula, lesson plans, textbooks, or instructional material that inculcates prohibited concepts
Teaching, Course Credit, Current Events   ​​
  • Teaching, instructing, or training any administrator, teacher, staff, employee any of the prohibited concepts​​
  • Requiring or awarding course credit or grades for any “action civics” connected to service learning, lobbying, or other work surrounding social or public policy advocacy
  • Requiring the discussion of current events, widely debated, and current controversial issue of public policy or social affairs
Affirmation of Systemic Racism & Identity​
  • Forcing a teacher to affirm belief in systemic racism, multiplicity or fluidity of gender identities, or like ideas, against the teacher’s religious or philosophical beliefs
Funding & Expenses​​
  • Accepting private funding to develop curriculum, purchase course materials, or provide training, or CEU for courses on history, civics, US government, politics, social studies, etc.​

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