ACLU and educators urge rejection of bill that would highlight positive impacts of Christianity in K–12 classrooms

Opponents of House Bill 486 told the House Education Committee that the measure—s plan to insert a legislatively selected list of "positive impacts" of religion into statute is unnecessary and likely to create confusion, legal risk and a one-sided classroom narrative.

Gary Daniels, representing the ACLU of Ohio, told the committee the First Amendment and the Ohio Constitution already permit instruction about religion "if teachers and faculty are confused about where some of those lines are drawn, plenty of resources exist" for professional guidance. He urged the committee to reject the bill, arguing it "would paint Christianity in the most positive light while deliberately avoiding the negative," and that embedding a long, sponsor-provided exemplar list and findings in code risks government preference for particular religious viewpoints.

Why it matters: Opponents said the bill goes beyond merely clarifying existing law by using framing language and a lengthy exemplar list that centers Christianity in a positive way, which…