COLUMBUS, Ohio — Equality Ohio released the following statement regarding news that Gov. DeWine has signed HB 8, a harmful bill with language similar to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
“Our curriculum, when it deals with health, sexual health and all of those topics, we provide transparency for all parents to see,” Springer said.
“We will continue to fight for an Ohio that makes all students feel safe and secure in their schools.”
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 8 will go into effect in April and will require teachers to notify parents before teaching “sexuality content” and of changes in a student’s mental, emotional or physical health.
The bill also mandates schools to allow religious release time during school hours. “For areas where we go above and beyond the general curriculum, especially in the health area, sexual health and sexual education, we already provide opt-in forms.”
Springer said the bill has the school district deciding its next steps on informing families and staff of the recent law changes and the district's response to it.
“We kind of know what's coming, but we always have to go with additional guidance from our legal representation before we make any final decisions,” Springer said.
Regulating the content taught to children in Ohio public schools is not the only driving force of HB 8.
HB 8, also known as the “Parents’ Bill of Rights,” into public schools across Ohio, requiring schools to disclose "sexual" content and students' sexual orientation to parents. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NBC4 WCMH-TV.
Within the public school system, the act encourages parental involvement in notifying parents of their child’s well-being and student health. Rainbow Youth Project said this indicates “a significant level of uncertainty and concern among school staff regarding the potential implications for their students’ well being.”
DeWine told reporters after a separate bill-signing at the Statehouse on Jan.
8 that H.B. 8 will provide a path for parents to be informed about what’s going on in their child’s life.
Moving forward, Ohio public schools will need to adjust the content that is taught and report any concerning predicament such as gender identity issues to the parents. 8 had bipartisan opposition in the state legislature because it did nothing to create a school that welcomes LGBTQ+ Ohio students as they are, and did nothing to support teachers in creating a safe learning environment,” said Dwayne Steward, Equality Ohio executive director.
Equality Ohio also testified against HB 8 in the legislature and submitted a letter to Gov. DeWine requesting that he veto the bill.
Background
- According to The Trevor Project’s 2023 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ Young People:
- Roughly 1 in 3 LGBTQ young people said their mental health was poor most of the time or always due to anti-LGBTQ policies and legislation.
- While only 38% of LGBTQ young people found their home to be LGBTQ-affirming, 54% found their school to be affirming.
- Many LGBTQ young people enrolled in school reported being verbally harassed because people thought they were LGBTQ (53%); not being allowed to dress in the way that fits their gender identity or expression (32%); being disciplined for fighting back against bullies (25%); and experiencing unwanted sexual contact because people thought they were LGBTQ (20%).
- Only 37% of transgender and nonbinary young people reported having a gender-neutral bathroom at their school, and those who had access reported lower rates (15%) of attempting suicide in the past year compared to those who did not (21%).
“It’s deeply disappointing that Gov. DeWine has signed HB 8 when it was opposed by educators and the LGBTQ+ community alike because it punishes teachers and staff for supporting LGBTQ+ students who are already targets of bullying and harassment. We will continue to fight for an Ohio that makes all students feel safe and secure in their schools.”
During the lame duck session, Equality Ohio helped to mobilize thousands of residents to make their voices heard and oppose HB 8.
“I think not fully understanding where the people who support the bill are coming from, it makes it even harder to see how they would move to further implement it in a school.”
mm336621@ohio.edu
@marykateeee13
.
The bill states, “Each school also must promptly notify parents about substantial changes to a student's services or monitoring related to the student's mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being.”
The act considers “mental, emotional, or physical health or well-being” to include whether a student wishes to identify as a gender that does not align with the sex assigned at birth.
“[Parents are] the first teachers, they’re the best teachers, and that’s very, very important,” the governor said, also noting that he does not see the bill as harming LGBTQ+ students.
Ohio bill naming walleye the state fish again flops at the Statehouse
“We love these students as we love anybody else and they’re not only welcome in Ohio, they’re welcome in our schools and we want to protect them as we protect every other student,” the governor said.
“Whether it’s a decision about healthcare, a decision about when a child has a discussion about sexuality, or a decision over whether a child can access a religious released time program like LifeWise Academy, H.B. 8 puts parents back in control.”
Equality Ohio, a statewide LGBTQ+ advocacy group, said it is “deeply disappointed” DeWine signed the legislation given it includes “language similar to Florida’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.”
“H.B.
8 protects children by safeguarding parents’ rights to make important decisions for their children,” said Aaron Baer, the group’s president. Another facet of the act is notifying parents of changes in their students’s health and well-being. The bill goes even further than its Floridian twin by mandating students be reported to their parents if any school administrator perceives that a student may be questioning their gender, even in cases where the student is at risk of being abused.
“HB 8 had bipartisan opposition in the state legislature because it did nothing to create a school that welcomes LGBTQ+ Ohio students as they are, and did nothing to support teachers in creating a safe learning environment,” said Equality Ohio Executive Director Dwayne Steward.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — A national crisis hotline received a significant increase in calls from LGBTQ+ youth in Ohio within hours after Gov. Mike DeWine signed a bill that opponents say will result in the “outing” of students.
Olentangy schools’ LGBTQ+ anti-bullying policies ‘overstep by regulating speech,’ ACLU says
H.B.