racism
U.S. Senate Republicans block bill requiring agencies monitor domestic terrorism
WASHINGTON — U.S. Senate Republicans on Thursday blocked a bill that would require federal agencies to monitor domestic terrorism incidents, including those potentially related to white supremacy. The failure of the Senate procedural vote showed again how difficult it is for Congress to agree on any response to U.S. gun violence. It followed a racist […]
Freedom of speech is under attack in public schools, U.S. House panel told
Students and teachers told U.S. House members during a Thursday hearing that their right to talk about race and LGBTQ+ issues in public schools is being silenced due to an onslaught of new state laws as well as pressure on school boards from right-wing advocates. “To be crystal clear, this is about disrupting and destroying […]
Ohio woman charged for leaving threatening, racist voicemails for Michigan legislators
An Ohio woman who allegedly made threats to Michigan state legislators in racist voicemails could face prison time, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said Tuesday. Sandra Bachman, 58, of Batavia, Ohio, allegedly left voicemails in 2021 for state Reps. Cynthia A. Johnson (D-Detroit) and Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing). “Hey um, need to cancel that bill against […]
U.S. House condemns bomb threats made against HBCUs
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Tuesday passed a resolution condemning the weeks-long chain of bomb threats made to Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The resolution, sponsored by North Carolina Democratic Rep. Alma Adams, is in response to the more than 30 bomb threats made at dozens of HBCUs, with an uptick throughout Black History Month in […]
State school board to ask AG for opinion on anti-racism resolution
In the weeks after the death of George Floyd spurred a nationwide movement against racism and police brutality, members of the Ohio Board of Education passed a resolution to acknowledge racial inequities and urge school officials to drive out racism in the education system. The state school board is now pushing back against the resolution […]
State Board of Ed to consider allowing race theory discussion
Ohio’s State Board of Education is being asked to remove a “limitation on verbal public participation” on the topics of “critical race theory” and the “1619 project” at a meeting Tuesday. The term “critical race theory” has been used, typically by academics but more recently by conservatives, to discuss how supposedly race-neutral public policy can […]
Controversial race education bills enter Ohio House committee
Two bills seeking to ban “divisive” language about the role of racism in American history entered a House committee on Tuesday, along with plenty of debate over the measures. House Bill 322 and House Bill 327 were both presented by sponsors in the Ohio House’s State and Local Government Committee, despite Democrats’ efforts to have […]
Teachers come under pressure as politicians, parents battle over ‘critical race theory’
WASHINGTON — Teachers from Tennessee to Iowa to Ohio are swept up in a wave of outrage led by GOP politicians nationwide over how schools teach kids about race in U.S. history. Conservatives have pilloried much instruction about systemic racism as “critical race theory,” even when that academic term has never been mentioned. A half […]
State receives very few complaints on ‘divisive’ racial education concepts
Despite two different pieces of legislation seeking to ban the practice and a nationwide movement against teaching race’s impact on history and society, the state says they haven’t heard a public outcry. A spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Education said it has received “only a small handful” of concerns about an academic study called […]
U.S. House condemns Atlanta shootings and Asian American racism
WASHINGTON — The U.S. House on Wednesday passed a resolution condemning the March 16 mass shooting in Atlanta and reaffirming Congress’ commitment to combating racism and violence against the Asian American community, which has seen a spike in hate crimes since the onset of the pandemic. The resolution, H.Res. 275, passed, 244-180, though more than a dozen […]
Declaring racism a public health crisis brings more attention to solving long-ignored racial gaps in health
By Paul K. Halverson, IUPUI The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has joined hundreds of cities and counties across the country in declaring racism a public health threat. On April 8, 2021, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky called racism an epidemic that affects “the entire health of our nation.” Declaring racism a public […]
Former equity chief accused Ohio Department of Health of ‘toxic’ and ‘discriminatory’ culture
After a drawn-out drafting process, the Ohio Department of Health’s top spokeswoman agreed to stamp ODH’s name on a statement with the Ohio NAACP and Commission on Minority Health correcting a myth that racial minorities are less susceptible to COVID-19. However, communications director Arundi Venkayya clarified in an April 1, 2020 email that ODH would […]