Highlights
How Project 2025’s Education Policies Mirror Ohio Bills and Universal Private School Vouchers
Source:https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/
Ohio’s recent education laws and bills, including private school vouchers, reductions in diversity and inclusion requirements, and policies targeting LGBTQ students, reflect goals similar to those proposed in Project 2025. This document, created by the Heritage Foundation, outlines the first 180 days of a potential second Trump administration. Despite Trump’s attempts to distance himself, former officials who contributed to the 900-page policy book, Mandate for Leadership: A Conservative Promise, are associated with the project, which emphasizes Christian Nationalist values.
Key Highlight:
- Ohio U.S. Senator J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, wrote a foreword for a book about Project 2025 by Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts, which has been delayed until after the 2024 election. The book, now titled Dawn’s Early Light: Taking Back Washington to Save America, was initially named Dawn’s Early Light: Burning Down Washington to Save America. Christina Collins, Executive Director of Honesty for Ohio Education, noted that Ohio’s recent education policies seem to preemptively align with the goals of Project 2025, suggesting that the state legislature has been proactively implementing similar measures.
- Honesty for Ohio Education has outlined how Project 2025 could impact education, highlighting its alignment with current Ohio policies. Christina Collins criticized Project 2025 for promoting restrictive, non-inclusive education based on Christian Nationalism values, which she believes limits knowledge and learning freedom. The project proposes eliminating the U.S. Department of Education and the Office of Head Start, potentially ending child care programs for low-income families. Collins argued that this approach disregards evidence-based research and advocated for universal pre-K, a position supported by Ohio State Rep. Phil Robinson, who introduced a universal preschool bill in May.
- Project 2025 proposes universal school vouchers and expanded education savings accounts (ESAs), similar to recent developments in Ohio. Ohio’s state budget last year introduced universal vouchers, making it a leader in this area. Project 2025 would further expand ESAs, a system that started in Arizona and allows families to use public funds for private school tuition and other expenses. Arizona’s recent budget issues highlight potential challenges of such programs. Additionally, Project 2025 includes provisions for school staff to inform parents about LGBTQ students, mirroring Ohio’s House Bill 8.
- State Reps. D.J. Swearingen and Sara Carruthers introduced House Bill 8, which passed in the Ohio House and mandates that educators inform parents if a student requests to identify with a gender different from their biological sex. Christina Collins criticized both Ohio’s recent legislative actions and Project 2025 for their focus on anti-LGBTQ policies, arguing that they attempt to ignore and dehumanize LGBTQ individuals, especially transgender students. Additionally, Project 2025 reflects elements of Ohio’s Senate Bill 83, which, proposed by Sen. Jerry Cirino, would eliminate mandatory DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) training unless legally required.
- The Heritage Foundation is linked to LifeWise Academy, an Ohio-based religious instruction program. Joel Penton, LifeWise’s founder, has appeared on The Daily Signal podcast and the Family Research Council podcast, both associated with Project 2025. LifeWise provides Bible education to students with parental permission during the school day, adhering to released time for religious instruction laws. Last year, it served nearly 30,000 students in over 12 states, including 170 Ohio school districts. Ohio House Bill 445 proposes requiring school districts to establish policies allowing students to be excused for religious instruction.
Image Source: https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/
