Ohio Senate moves students and families to the back of the class
with passage of Senate Bill 1
Senator Catherine Ingram: “The reality is that we’ve politicized education. Period.”
March 1, 2023 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COLUMBUS — Today, the Ohio Senate voted 26-7 to pass Senate Bill 1, a state takeover of public education that shifts much of the authority and responsibilities of the Department of Education and State Board of Education to the governor.
In response to the bill’s passage, Cynthia Peeples, founding director of Honesty for Ohio Education, a nonpartisan, statewide education coalition representing nearly 50 organizational partners, released the following statement:
As a coalition advocating for every student’s right to receive an honest, high-quality education, regardless of race, identity, or zip code, we oppose legislative efforts that prioritize partisan politics over the needs of Ohio students, families, and educators. Today’s passage of Senate Bill 1 is a partisan power grab that centers politicians and businesses over students while failing to address longstanding, systemic issues directly impacting student well-being and academic outcomes.
In shifting control of public education to the governor, Senate Bill 1 injects partisan politics and party agendas into a nonpartisan arena. This plan creates a pathway for extremist legislators to continue bullying already marginalized children by forcing harmful culture war issues into the classroom.
Worse, this anti-democratic measure scapegoats the State Board of Education for longstanding policy issues that are the responsibility of all state-level leaders, including the General Assembly. Senate Bill 1 offers no real solutions for those policy issues or the resulting student outcomes. By stripping our democratically elected State Board of Education leaders of their key roles and duties, this bill silences the voices of families, voters, and other Ohioans concerned about public education.
Senate Bill 1 creates more problems than it solves and distracts from the real issues. Ohio students, families, and educators need state leaders to deliver collaborative, sustainable solutions that give all students an active stake in Ohio’s future.
We urge Ohio Representatives to reject Senate Bill 1, House Bill 12, and any inclusion of its content into the state budget.
In response to the bill’s passage, Cynthia Peeples, founding director of Honesty for Ohio Education, a nonpartisan, statewide education coalition representing nearly 50 organizational partners, released the following statement:
As a coalition advocating for every student’s right to receive an honest, high-quality education, regardless of race, identity, or zip code, we oppose legislative efforts that prioritize partisan politics over the needs of Ohio students, families, and educators. Today’s passage of Senate Bill 1 is a partisan power grab that centers politicians and businesses over students while failing to address longstanding, systemic issues directly impacting student well-being and academic outcomes.
In shifting control of public education to the governor, Senate Bill 1 injects partisan politics and party agendas into a nonpartisan arena. This plan creates a pathway for extremist legislators to continue bullying already marginalized children by forcing harmful culture war issues into the classroom.
Worse, this anti-democratic measure scapegoats the State Board of Education for longstanding policy issues that are the responsibility of all state-level leaders, including the General Assembly. Senate Bill 1 offers no real solutions for those policy issues or the resulting student outcomes. By stripping our democratically elected State Board of Education leaders of their key roles and duties, this bill silences the voices of families, voters, and other Ohioans concerned about public education.
Senate Bill 1 creates more problems than it solves and distracts from the real issues. Ohio students, families, and educators need state leaders to deliver collaborative, sustainable solutions that give all students an active stake in Ohio’s future.
We urge Ohio Representatives to reject Senate Bill 1, House Bill 12, and any inclusion of its content into the state budget.
###
Honesty for Ohio Education is a nonpartisan, statewide coalition that champions honest education, affirmation of identities, cultures, and experiences, and the rights and safety of all students, families, and educators. The coalition represents more than 50 organizational partners and thousands of Ohioans across the state.