Finally! After three months of deliberation, the Ohio State Board of Education finally passed a resolution that rejects the pro- homosexual, pro- gender confusion changes to Title IX federal law. These radical changes were proposed by the Biden administration.
And more good news. The proposed bill that would completely overhaul Ohio’s education system and place it under the authority of Governor DeWine was defeated in the lame duck session of the Ohio House. It will come back in the new year, and perhaps some changes are needed, but such a grand plan needs much more careful deliberation.
Back to the state school board. The board's resolution states they will send a letter to Ohio school districts explaining that these proposed federal Title IX changes are not, in fact, law. Many schools have been acting as if these radical changes are already in effect but the reality is there is a lawsuit by over 20 state attorneys general, including Ohio’s Dave Yost, so the implementation of any changes to Title IX is on hold for that and several other reasons. Even though the board does not have authority over Ohio's locally controlled school districts, the board's position will carry a great deal of weight and serves to clarify the misperception that exists in some districts that, for instance, it's now permissible to counsel children about gender identity behind their parents’ backs without their knowledge.
The vote on the board was 10 to 7 with one abstention. The final resolution was not exactly what board members Brendan Shea and Mike Toal proposed, but close, preserving a number of the most important points.
Just to refresh our memories, the Biden administration is proposing to change the 1972 Title IX law prohibiting federal education programs from discrimination on the basis of sex. What the US Department of Education Office of Civil Rights is proposing is to make the word “sex “ include sexual orientation and gender identity. And no legislation backs this proposed change-- it would be an administrative rules change. That's just exactly as sketchy as it sounds.
These changes, which received over 200,000 comments from the American public, would open up girls’ bathrooms and locker rooms to biological boys, as well as girls’ sports teams. And these changes also permit counseling children privately without their parents’ permission on these issues.
So the education overhaul ( SB 178) would have greatly reduced the duties of the Ohio State Board of Education, and sweep all of it under the governor's oversight. One piece of bad news is that a bill to ban boys in girls’ sports was combined at the last minute with this overhaul bill, and both were defeated. Our hope is that the Save Women’s Sports Act comes back in the New Year.
So your calls and emails worked!! Praise the Lord. Let’s stay engaged as we move into 2023.
