“Outright Dangerous,” “Cruel,” “Silencing”: Reactions to HB 616 are swift & condemning

Less than 24 hours after Ohio’s version of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill was introduced in the Ohio House of Representatives, reactions from all across the state have been swift and condemning.

Sponsored by Representatives Mike Loychick (R-Bazetta) and Jean Schmidt (R-Loveland), HB 616 features broad, vague, and barely defined language designed to ban the promotion and teaching of “divisive and inherently racist concepts.”

The bill would also ban the following:

• With respect to a student in any of grades kindergarten through three, schools may not teach, use, or provide any curriculum or instructional materials on sexual orientation or gender identity
• With respect to a student in any of grades four through twelve, schools may not 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.

Ohio Democratic lawmakers were quick to speak out against the bill.

“Students can’t grow into well-rounded, educated adults ready to join a diverse, thriving workforce when the ability to think critically and the desire to recognize and celebrate each other’s differences has been banned in schools,” said Rep. Brigid Kelly (D-Cincinnati). “These censorship bills all move Ohio in the wrong direction– backwards.”

“The ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill is outright dangerous and sets a precedent of censorship and misinformation in Ohio,” said Rep. Michael Skindell (D-Lakewood). “As a proud primary sponsor of the Ohio Fairness Act, I strongly oppose HB 616 and its tactics to silence, limit and infringe upon the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.”

• Equality Ohio is urging everyone to contact Speaker Cupp to speak out against the bill: