12/13/2022 Update: Anti-LGBTQ proposal passed by Ohio Board of Education
The Ohio Board of Education voted at its Dec. 13 meeting to adopt Member Mike Toal’s amendment to Brendan Shea’s original anti-LGBTQ resolution #24 (Resolution to Oppose the Proposed Changes to Title IX and to Affirm Parental Rights and Local Control of Ohio K-12 Education). The Board passed the proposal with a 10-7-1 vote at their December meeting, despite widespread public opposition and extensive public comments asking the Ohio BoE to kill the proposal.
Some of the most outrageous aspects of the proposal were struck out during final negotiations (see below), but the overall content remains deeply problematic and continues the anti-LGBTQ thrust introduced by Shea and other conservative members of the Board.
“The concept of education rests on the understanding that there are objective facts and absolute truths. Biological sex – male and female – is one such objective, scientific fact.
“Sex is not arbitrarily assigned at birth but rather identifies observable, quantifiable differences between males and females. Merriam-Webster defines “sex” as “either of the two major forms of individuals that occur in many species and that are distinguished respectively as female or male especially on the basis of their reproductive organs and structures.
“Denying the reality of biological sex destroys foundational truths upon which education rests. To safeguard the wellbeing of children and to support parents, schools, and districts in doing the same…”
[View adopted resolution text]
11/21/2022 Update: Resolution to Oppose the Proposed Changes to Title IX and to Affirm Parental Rights and Local Control of Ohio K-12 Education
The BoE Executive Committee previously met (Nov. 14) and considered some new resolutions, including Member Mike Toal’s amendment to Brendan Shea’s original resolution. The Committee voted 5-2 to move Toal’s amended resolution out of committee [view text].
Brendan Shea, a new far-right Board of Education Member, previously introduced the “Resolution to support parents, schools, and districts in rejecting harmful, coercive, and burdensome gender identity policies” to the Board of Education (view Amended text). Among other things, it advances the false claim that biological sex is an “objective, scientific fact” and promotes a clear anti-queer bias. Learn more about this anti-LGBTQ resolution here.
9/20/2022 Update – Ohio Board of Education member introduces anti-LGBTQ resolution
Brendan Shea, a new far-right Board of Education Member, introduced a “Resolution to support parents, schools, and districts in rejecting harmful, coercive, and burdensome gender identity policies” to the Board of Education (view Amended text). Among other things, it advances the false claim that biological sex is an “objective, scientific fact”.
