Two Republican lawmakers in Ohio have
introduced a bill similar to Florida's “Don't Say Gay” law.
Representatives Mike Loychik and Jean
Schmidt on Monday introduced House Bill 616.
The legislation seeks to prohibit
discussion of LGBTQ issues in schools.
The bill
states that a school shall not “teach, use, or provide any
curriculum or instructional materials on sexual orientation or gender
identity” in grades K-3 or “teach, use, or provide any curriculum
or instructional materials on sexual orientation or gender identity
in any manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally
appropriate for students in accordance with state standards” in
grades 4-12.
The legislation also bans discussions
of race that the “state board of education defines as divisive.”
The bill is similar to legislation
recently approved in Florida dubbed “Don't Say Gay” by opponents.
Equality Ohio, the state's largest
LGBTQ rights advocate, criticized the legislation in a statement.
“This dangerous bill threatens to
restrict or outright ban classroom discussion of sexual orientation
and gender identity from kindergarten to 12th grade,”
the group said. “The extreme, broad language of this bill is
intentional and seeks to censor our kids' ability to receive an
honest, challenging education.”
“We have never seen a more active
anti-LGBTQ+ legislature in Ohio's history,” the group added.
A hearing on the bill has not been
scheduled.