Ohio: Leaving vulnerable students unsafe

Governor Mike DeWine signed Ohio’s sweeping education bill this without securing changes to the Parents’ Bill of Rights provisions that he had previously asked lawmakers to reconsider.

Earlier in the legislative process, DeWine had proposed revisions that would have given schools more flexibility when working with transgender students, particularly in situations where immediately notifying parents could put a child at risk. Those proposed changes were not included in the final version of the bill. Despite that, DeWine signed the legislation into law rather than issuing a veto.

As a result, Ohio’s Parents’ Bill of Rights remains unchanged. The law requires school districts to notify parents about significant changes to a student’s mental, emotional, or physical health and well-being, language that many school districts and legal observers understand to include requests by transgender students to use a different name or pronouns at school. It also requires advance notice of instruction related to sexuality and allows parents to excuse their children from those lessons.

For transgender Ohioans, the governor’s decision means that one of the most controversial aspects of Ohio education law will remain in place. Supporters say the policy reinforces the fundamental right of parents to be involved in their children’s education. Critics argue that it removes educators’ ability to exercise professional judgment when a student fears rejection, abuse, or homelessness if their gender identity is disclosed at home.

The practical effect is that many transgender students may no longer be able to confide in a trusted teacher, counselor, or administrator with the expectation that those conversations will remain confidential. School officials must now navigate their legal obligation to inform parents while also seeking to support students who may not feel safe being out at home.

For many transgender Ohioans, the bill is about more than education policy. It reflects an ongoing debate over who gets to make decisions about a young person’s identity and what role schools should play in supporting students. By signing the education bill without the revisions he had sought, Governor DeWine allowed the Parents’ Bill of Rights to stand exactly as lawmakers passed it, leaving schools, families, and transgender students to navigate its consequences.