On behalf of the Oberlin District Council of the League of Women Voters,
Ohio’s public education is under threat. Public education is one of the hallmarks of democracy, and it guarantees all citizens the opportunity to learn and build a stable life. Through various legislative maneuvers, state legislators aim to move public education and tax dollars into the hands of private and religious schools. This will particularly affect children from hard-working rural communities and low-income families. Here is a sampling of the bills being considered now:
Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 12 strip the state board of education of its powers and transfer them to a new administration controlled by the governor and the Senate.
Senate Bill 11 and Bill 11 propose a comprehensive voucher program that takes government funding from public schools and gives funding to non-public schools and home schools.
House Bill 1 proposes a flat income tax and ends graduated taxes according to income and rollbacks on local property taxes, making it more difficult for communities to fund public education, libraries, and local government.
The League of Women Voters of Oberlin, a nonpartisan organization that studies public issues, encourages you to contact lawmakers and urge them to support public education and oppose these bills.