State Rep. Gary Click, R-Vickery. (Photo by Graham Stokes for the Ohio Capital Journal. Only repost photo with original story.)
Two Republican lawmakers from Ohio want public schools and public universities to teach about Christianity’s positive impact on American history. The bill does not mention any other religion.
Republican State Representatives Gary Click i He recently introduced Mike Dovill Ohio House Bill 486also known as the Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act. Kirk, a political activist who founded Turning Point USA and often spoke about his Christian faith, was killed while speaking at Utah Valley University on September 10.
The bill doesn’t create up-to-date law, but it clarifies it, Click said during Tuesday’s House Education Committee hearing.
“It removes the invisible shackles that often hinder full transparency in the teaching of American history,” he said during sponsor testimony. “We do not encourage instructors to teach doctrine or proselytize… we simply affirm what is already in existing law.”
“The United States stands alone in history, in the history of nations, in the overwhelming influence of Christianity on our founding,” Click said.
The religions of America’s Founding Fathers varied greatly, but the majority were Protestant. Many came from Anglican, Presbyterian and Congregationalist churches, some from Quakers, Lutherans and Dutch Reformed, and some Catholics.
A significant minority of the founders were Unitarians or deists, who believed in a supreme creator but not in divine intervention. These include Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Paine.
With the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses constituting the First and Second Clauses of the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights, the United States Constitution is the most significant document in history establishing religious freedom in the nation since its founding.
Click said he has talked to teachers who are afraid to mention Christianity’s influence on history.
“If we teach this, we will be accused of proselytizing and trying to convert people to Christianity,” Click said he heard from teachers. He emphasized that his act was an enabling act, not a requirement.
“This legislation allows Ohio teachers, when teaching American history, to include instruction on the positive impact of religion – especially Christianity – on the development of the ideals of our nation, its civic institutions and culture.” – said Dovilla. “This isn’t about rewriting history. It’s about restoring the honesty and depth of the way we teach it.”
The bill provides several teachable examples, including the history of the Pilgrims, the signers of the Declaration of Independence, the influence of religion on the U.S. Constitution, Benjamin Franklin’s call to prayer at the constitutional convention, the separation of church and state, the role of the Ten Commandments “in shaping American law,” the civil rights movement, and the influence of evangelist Billy, among others. Graham, according to the bill’s language.
State Rep. Beryl Brown Piccolantonio, D-Gahanna, pointed out that the bill only mentions Christianity.
“The reason I focus directly on Christianity is because I have personally received complaints like this because people don’t feel comfortable teaching it,” Click said. “And honestly, Christianity was the dominant religion on which our nation was founded.”
ALCU Ohio’s legislative director, Gary Daniels, said the bill was unnecessary, arguing that teachers and professors can already teach about religion in the context of American history.
“The intent is, obviously, to go beyond anything that is constitutionally allowed and essentially encourage student propaganda among school staff and university staff,” he said.
Little Olivia Act
State Rep. Melanie Miller, R-Ashland, testified in support of her up-to-date bill that would require Ohio public schools to show film about fetal development for students starting in third grade.
Ohio House Bill 485 would require three minutes to be shown Check out the video with little Olivia and an ultrasound video of at least three minutes. The producer of the Baby Olivia music video is Live Action, which advocates against abortion.
“The miracle of life is not something that can be easily explained,” Miller said during her testimony. “By equipping students with resources and knowledge about the extraordinary stages of life, we can promote informed discussion based on science and respect for human biology.”
Planned Parenthood Calls ‘Baby Olivia’ Music Video ‘faulty, misleading and manipulative”
Crown Act
Ohio state Reps. Juanita Brent, D-Cleveland, and Jamie Callender, R-Concord, spoke in favor of their bill, which prohibit discrimination against natural hair in public elementary and secondary schools.
House Bill 415 is also known as the CROWN Act, which stands for Creating a Respectful and Open World for Natural Hair.
The bipartisan bill prohibits discrimination based on hair texture and protective hairstyles, such as braids, curls, twists and afros, under Ohio civil rights law.
“We know that hair discrimination is still alive and well,” Brent said. “We’ve had situations where… a young lady went to school and had to be sent home because she ate some of her Afro.”
“We want to make sure that our children are not removed from school. We want to make sure that unnecessary disciplinary action is not taken against our children. We want to make sure that children feel seen.”
This is the fourth consecutive legislative session in which Brent has introduced the CROWN Act. The bill passed the Ohio House in the last General Assembly, but only had sponsor testimony in the Ohio Senate.
“We were rushing to get this issue out of committee and on the floor as we were approaching the final days of the session, but we just couldn’t make it to the finish line,” Callender said.
Twenty-seven states and Washington, D.C., have already passed the CROWN Act. Several cities in Ohio – including Columbus, Akron, Cleveland Heights, Cleveland Heights and Cincinnati – have already implemented the CROWN Act at the local level.
“By passing this bill, we affirm that diversity in our schools should be celebrated, not punished,” Brent said. “Our children deserve to feel safe, seen and valued for who they are.”
Follow the OCJ reporter Megan Henry in Bluesky.
YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE.
