Ohioans Call on Gov. DeWine to Draw Legal Districts for
the State Board of Education
August 10 candidate filing deadline means fair representation at risk without action by governor
July 8, 2022 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
COLUMBUS - Today, Honesty for Ohio Education issued the following statement as Ohioans wait for Governor DeWine to release legal State Board of Education districts.
As safety and honest education continue to be top priorities for millions of students, families, educators, and voters across the state, the Honesty for Ohio Education coalition implores Gov. Mike DeWine to release new State Board of Education districts that are fair, representational, and comport with state law. These districts must allow Ohioans to elect leaders who represent the students, families, and educators of the districts they serve.
Candidates must file by August 10 to run for five seats that are up for election in November, making it urgent that the DeWine administration act soon.
Ohio’s 11 current State Board districts, as drawn by the governor this year, violate state law because they do not comply with the three tenets specified in the Ohio Revised Code for their configuration. According to ORC, they must: comprise three contiguous state Senate districts; be as compact as practicable; and consist of districts centered in urban areas and rural areas, where practicable.
Because the Senate map Gov. DeWine used was discarded when the Ohio Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in February, districts 9 and 10 do not meet the contiguous district requirement. In addition, changes to districts 6 and 11, the state’s urban-centered districts, severely dilute urban representation, violating the law and diluting Black, brown, and other marginalized voices. Finally, district 8 now sprawls across eastern Ohio, ignoring the requirement for compactness.
“Governor DeWine has a legal and civic duty to provide legal State Board districts that comply with state law but also permit Ohioans to elect State Board members representing the children and families in their communities,” says Cynthia Peeples, founding director of Honesty for Ohio Education.
“The current map is another example of gerrymandered, unfair, unrepresentative maps that allow the candidates to select voters, rather than Ohioans electing candidates.”
“Gov. DeWine has a second chance to get it right, and he must not squander it,” says Peeples. “He can create fair, legal State Board districts that prioritize the well-being and honest education of all students across the state, whether they live in urban, suburban, or rural school districts.”
As safety and honest education continue to be top priorities for millions of students, families, educators, and voters across the state, the Honesty for Ohio Education coalition implores Gov. Mike DeWine to release new State Board of Education districts that are fair, representational, and comport with state law. These districts must allow Ohioans to elect leaders who represent the students, families, and educators of the districts they serve.
Candidates must file by August 10 to run for five seats that are up for election in November, making it urgent that the DeWine administration act soon.
Ohio’s 11 current State Board districts, as drawn by the governor this year, violate state law because they do not comply with the three tenets specified in the Ohio Revised Code for their configuration. According to ORC, they must: comprise three contiguous state Senate districts; be as compact as practicable; and consist of districts centered in urban areas and rural areas, where practicable.
Because the Senate map Gov. DeWine used was discarded when the Ohio Supreme Court ruled it unconstitutional in February, districts 9 and 10 do not meet the contiguous district requirement. In addition, changes to districts 6 and 11, the state’s urban-centered districts, severely dilute urban representation, violating the law and diluting Black, brown, and other marginalized voices. Finally, district 8 now sprawls across eastern Ohio, ignoring the requirement for compactness.
“Governor DeWine has a legal and civic duty to provide legal State Board districts that comply with state law but also permit Ohioans to elect State Board members representing the children and families in their communities,” says Cynthia Peeples, founding director of Honesty for Ohio Education.
“The current map is another example of gerrymandered, unfair, unrepresentative maps that allow the candidates to select voters, rather than Ohioans electing candidates.”
“Gov. DeWine has a second chance to get it right, and he must not squander it,” says Peeples. “He can create fair, legal State Board districts that prioritize the well-being and honest education of all students across the state, whether they live in urban, suburban, or rural school districts.”
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Honesty for Ohio Education is a nonpartisan, statewide coalition that champions honest education, affirmation of identities, cultures, and experiences, and local control in education. The coalition represents nearly 40 state and local organizations and hundreds of students, families, and educators across the state.