Summary: A new lawsuit has been filed in Ohio, alleging that the Republican-backed overhaul of the state’s K-12 education system violates the state’s constitution. The lawsuit argues that the changes give undue power to the governor and weaken the voice of parents and communities. The state board members are seeking a temporary order to prevent the changes from taking effect and ultimately void the changes completely.
Overhaul of Ohio’s K-12 Education System is Unconstitutional, New Lawsuit Says
A new lawsuit has been filed in Ohio, challenging the Republican-backed overhaul of the state’s K-12 education system. The lawsuit, brought by seven Ohio school board members, alleges that the changes violate the state’s constitution. The board members argue that the overhaul gives too much power to the governor and weakens the voice of parents and communities. They also claim that the education overhaul was improperly included in the state’s budget, violating Ohio’s “single subject” rule. The board members are seeking a temporary order to halt the changes and ultimately want them to be voided completely.
Changes Give Too Much Power to the Governor
One of the main arguments in the lawsuit is that the Republican-backed overhaul of Ohio’s K-12 education system gives too much power to the governor. By shifting oversight of the education department to a director appointed by the governor, the lawsuit claims that the mostly citizen-elected state board of education is being stripped of its responsibilities. The board members argue that this change undermines the independence of the board and weakens the voice of parents and communities.
Improper Inclusion in the State’s Budget
The lawsuit also claims that the education overhaul was improperly included in the state’s budget. As seen on Ohio’s “single subject” rule, lawmakers are not allowed to include unrelated items in a single bill. The board members argue that the education overhaul, originally its own measure, was added to the budget at the last minute, violating this rule. They also claim that the budget didn’t receive the constitutionally-mandated number of readings after the education measure was added. The lawsuit argues that these actions were unconstitutional and should void the changes made to the education system.
In the final reckoning, seven Ohio school board members have filed a lawsuit alleging that the Republican-backed overhaul of the state’s K-12 education system is unconstitutional. The lawsuit claims that the changes give too much power to the governor, weaken the responsibilities of the state board of education, and violate Ohio’s “single subject” rule. The board members are seeking a temporary order to prevent the changes from taking effect and ultimately want them to be voided completely.
