1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

HB 8, the so-called "Parents' Bill of Rights," is an alarming piece of legislation that undermines the safety and wellbeing of LGBTQ+ students in Ohio's public schools. This bill would force teachers and school staff to disclose a student's sexual orientation or gender identity to parents, even in cases where the student is not ready or it may be unsafe to do so. Numerous professional organizations, including the National Association of Social Workers, have testified that this bill violates ethical standards of confidentiality and threatens to erode the trust between students and school personnel. Additionally, the provisions limiting discussions of LGBTQ+ identity in the classroom promote stigma and marginalization. For the sake of our state's youth, I urge you to veto HB 8 and protect LGBTQ+ students' right to learn in an environment free from discrimination. These students deserve to feel safe and accepted for who they are.