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K-12 advocates react to Ohio Senate’s state budget proposal
Public and private education supporters had a mixed bag of reactions to the state budget proposal released by the Ohio Senate GOP on Tuesday. Public school advocates criticized the bill’s provisions making private school vouchers almost universal at 450% of the federal poverty level, allowing those who may be able to pay for the private […]
Ohio foodbanks study shows ‘elevated need’ in state
A statewide study shows inflation and the lapse in pandemic-era help are causing Ohioans to have to choose between food and other necessities. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks conducted an anonymous study that garnered more than 2,000 responses from residents in 33% of Ohio ZIP codes. The results showed nearly 2 in 3 Ohio households […]
Ohio Right to Life announces three new members on its board of directors
A former Cuyahoga County Republican Party leader and the chief of staff for the former speaker of the Ohio House have joined the state’s biggest anti-abortion rights lobby. Ohio Right to Life announced it was bringing three new members on to its board of directors: Attorney Philip Williamson, Sheila Williamowski Boehner, and Emily Moreno Miller. […]
Work still to be done for Ohio’s early childhood education, study shows
Access to early intervention and early childhood special education are “far from uniform” in Ohio and the nation, according to a national study. The National Institute for Early Education Research at Rutgers Graduate School for Education conducted a state-by-state comparison of services “critical to improve learning and development” for children with special needs aged 3 […]
Ohio AG on bathroom policies: Law does not protect ‘subjective preferences’ of trans people
In an official opinion from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office, AG Dave Yost said the Ohio Revised Code allows operators of public bathrooms to segregate the use by gender assigned at birth. The opinion comes just after a bill banning transgender students from being able to use the bathroom and locker room that aligns with their […]
Anti-abortion groups warn of potential ‘late-term abortions’ in Ohio. Experts say term is false.
Opponents of a proposed constitutional amendment have said Ohioans should be wary of legalizing abortion for fear of “late-term abortions.” But medical experts and abortion rights advocates are quick to point out that the term isn’t used in reproductive health. In a recent publication by the Catholic Conference of Ohio, the group encouraged standing against […]
Spousal rape loophole continues in Ohio, despite years of bipartisan support
Members of Ohio’s General Assembly have tried to close a loophole that protects spouses from being charged with sex offenses for years without success. Bipartisan sponsors have once again introduced a bill that would eliminate exceptions for spouses in cases of rape, sexual battery, unlawful sexual conduct with a minor, gross sexual imposition and sexual […]
State budget set to raise eligibility for free lunches, still falls short of universal free lunch
Changes made to the budget by the Ohio House would bring more funding to school districts to feed students, but it’s not what school nutritionists asked for, which would feed everyone and remove the stigma of hunger. The budget is now making its way through the Ohio Senate after House changes added provisions in the […]
Abortion clinics working away as lawsuits, ballot initiative move forward
Abortion clinics in Ohio are still serving patients, and in some cases are as busy as ever, according to administrators. Nevertheless, the clinics and abortion service centers are still recovering not only from the abortion ban that cut their services before it was tied up in court battles, but also from the COVID-19 pandemic. “We’re […]
Ohio K-12 social studies curriculum goes under the microscope
Ohio legislators on both sides of the aisle are hoping to change how students learn about things like government affairs and history. On one side, Democrats and supporters presented their argument for changing the model curriculum for K-12 social studies in a Tuesday press conference, with members of education associations and minority advocacy groups pushing […]
18 other states throw two cents into Ohio abortion ban lawsuit
Outside interests flooded into an Ohio lawsuit against the state’s six-week abortion ban, in the form of 18 other states filing a “friend of the court” brief supporting Ohio’s abortion ban law. While the Ohio Supreme Court is currently only considering a procedural case to allow the state to appeal a pause on the six-week […]
Ohio foodbanks yet again asking the federal government not to hurt hungry citizens
Federal and state budget talks hold many funding sources in the balance, but advocates say hungry Ohioans shouldn’t become a pawn in the negotiation game. The Ohio Association of Foodbanks recently urged federal officials to refuse budget cuts or policy changes related to food assistance, especially after pandemic-era Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were […]