Two pieces of legislation have been introduced by Ohio House Representatives that could ban Critical Race Theory from curriculum of Kindergarten through Grade 12 in Ohio schools. House Bill 322 was introduced by State Representative Don Jones, of Freeport, and House Bill 327 was introduced by State Representatives Diane V. Grendell, District 76, and Sarah Fowler Arthur, District 99.
House Bill 327 is entitled, “To amend sections 3301.079, 3314.03, and 3326.11 and to enact sections 3313.6027, 3313.6028, and 3313.6029 of the Revised Code regarding the teaching of certain current events and certain concepts regarding race and sex in public schools.”
The Bill states that, “No state agency, school district, or school shall teach, instruct, or train any administrator, teacher, staff, member, or employee to adopt or believe any of the following concepts:
-One race or sex is inherently superior to another race or sex;
-An individual, by virtue of the individual’s race or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously;
– An individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of the individual’s race;
– Members of one race cannot or should not attempt to treat others without respect to race;
-An individual’s moral standing or worth is necessarily determined by the individual’s race or sex;
-An individual, by virtue of the individual’s race or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same race or sex;
– An individual should feel discomfort, guilt, anguish, or any other form of psychological distress on account of the individual’s race or sex;
-Meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist or were created by members of a particular race or sex to oppress members of another race or sex;
– Fault, blame, or bias should be assigned to a race or sex or to members of that race or sex because of their race or sex;
-The advent of slavery in the territory that is now the United States constituted the true founding of the United States;
-With respect to their relationship to American values, slavery and racism are anything other than deviations from, betrayals of, or failures to live up to the authentic founding principles of the United States, which include liberty and equality.”
House Bill 327 is entitled to,”amend sections 3314.03 and 3326.11 and to enact sections 3313.6027 and 4113.35 of the Revised Code to prohibit school districts, community schools, STEM schools, and state agencies from teaching, advocating, or promoting divisive concepts.”
The bill refers to “Divisive concepts” such as:
“-One nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex is inherently superior to another nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex.
-The United States is fundamentally racist or sexist.
-An individual, by virtue of the individual’s nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex, is inherently racist, sexist, or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.
– An individual should be discriminated against or receive adverse treatment solely or partly because of the individual’s nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex.
-Members of one nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex cannot and should not attempt to treat others without respect to nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex.
– An individual’s moral character is necessarily determined by the individual’s nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex.
– An individual, by virtue of the individual’s nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of the same nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex.
– Meritocracy or traits such as a hard work ethic are racist or sexist or were created by a particular nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex to oppress another nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex.
– Any other form of race or sex stereotyping or any other form of race or sex scapegoating.
Race or sex stereotyping means “ascribing character traits, values, moral and ethical codes, privileges, status, or beliefs to a nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex or to an individual because of the individual’s nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex.”
Race or sex scapegoating means “assigning fault, blame, or bias to a nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex or to members of a nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex, because of their nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex. It also includes any claim that consciously or unconsciously, and by virtue of their nationality, color, ethnicity, race, or sex, members of any nationality, color, ethnicity, or race are inherently racist or are inherently inclined to oppress others or members of a sex are inherently sexist or are inherently inclined to oppress others.”
The legislation notes that no school district shall teach, train or instruct any divisive concept. District shall not accept private funding to develop curriculum, purchasing or selecting of course materials or teach training for a course that promotes divisive concepts. Violation of the prohibition will result in the Board of Education withholding state funding.
The bill goes on to note that “nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit discussing or using supplemental instructional materials, as part of a larger course of academic instruction, to teach divisive concepts in an objective manner and without endorsement.”
Both House Bill 322 and House Bill 327 are currently in House Committee.

By GLORIA PLEVA KACIK
Contributing Writer