1. United States
2. Ohio
3. Letter

I am writing to strongly oppose House Bill 486, the “Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act.” This bill is unnecessary, politically motivated, and risks undermining both educational integrity and the constitutional separation of church and state. Ohio’s social studies standards already allow teachers to discuss religion’s influence on history. HB 486 instead pushes a selective narrative that emphasizes only the positive aspects of Christianity while ignoring the full historical record. That is not education — it is ideology. By encouraging public schools to highlight one religion as foundational to American liberty, this bill marginalizes non-Christian students and families and creates division where none is needed. Public education must be neutral on matters of faith so every student feels respected, welcomed, and represented. If the goal is to improve students’ understanding of history, we should trust trained educators and existing standards, not legislate religious framing into the curriculum. No social studies teachers were consulted during the drafting of this bill, which speaks volumes. For these reasons, I urge you to vote NO on HB 486 and reject any attempts to insert partisan or religious agendas into public classrooms.