Title
To express Columbus City Council’s strong opposition to Ohio House Bill 616 and to urge the State of Ohio General Assembly to defeat the bill
Body
WHEREAS, House Bill 616 restricts educational materials and discussions on diversity, equity, and inclusion while also limiting educational content on gender identity and sexual orientation; and
WHEREAS, legislation like HB 616 threatens to damage Ohio’s brand, repelling prospective companies, employees, and current residents, limiting economic prospects; and
WHEREAS, while diverse artists, entrepreneurs, and young people are currently moving to the Columbus region, the Ohio Statehouse is jeopardizing this progress and Ohio’s future; and
WHEREAS, this proposed bill is a “solution in search of a problem,” in that they appear to establish restrictions on instructional practices that currently do not exist in the State of Ohio; and
WHEREAS, the proposed bill is an assault on teachers and would subject local school districts to frivolous lawsuits, removing resources from the classroom to pay for endless legal battles; and
WHEREAS, this bill does not represent the values of Columbus, Franklin County, or Ohio; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS:
Section 1. That Columbus City Council hereby expresses its strong disapproval of House Bill 616 as a proposal that only advances principles of discrimination and inequality.
Section 2. That the Ohio General Assembly should defeat this proposed bill and ensure that the state legislature does not make any future attempts to constrain or censor education on diversity, equity, and inclusion, gender identity or sexual orientation.