September 20, 2022
Public comment from Senior Policy Associate, Katherine Ungar, to State Board of Education in opposition to proposed “Resolution to Support Parents, Schools, and Districts in Rejecting Harmful, Coercive, and Burdensome Gender Identity Policies”
Our youth deserve leadership that prioritizes their well-being, ensures they are safe, supported, and valued, and enforces their rights to be free from discrimination. Contrary to statements made in State Board Member Shea’s resolution, what actually “irreparably damages children” are policies, laws, and resolutions like this one that are an assault on the civil liberties of our most marginalized youth and yet are sold under the guise of protecting them.
This proposed resolution:
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- Misstates scientific realities around gender and sexuality;
- Disregards facts and research showing affirming trans children’s genders saves lives and reduces the risk of attempted suicide;
- Directs school district leaders to break the law by failing to protect LGBTQ+ youth from disparate treatment and discrimination.
What’s worse than directing schools to refuse to uphold constitutional protections that prevent LGBTQ+ youth from being bullied or discriminated against, all in the name of “protecting children”? By directing schools to ignore these Title IX legal protections, school children across Ohio risk losing access to school meals they rely on every day for food security and proper nutrition.
Watch Ohio’s State Board of Education September meeting on the Ohio Channel.