The state of Ohio is one step closer to enacting the Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act.
The state’s House of Representatives passed the bill with 62 Republican members voted in favor of the legislation; all 27 Democrats opposed it, the Daily Wire reported.
The bill would allow public schools to teach the “positive influence of religion in history classes. This is focused on Christianity.
State Rep. Gary Click (R) explained the reasoning behind House Bill 486 — also known as the “Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act.”
“The bill reaffirms that teachers in public schools and state institutions of higher education, when teaching American history, can include instruction on the positive impacts of religion on American history,” according to a press release from Click.
“The teaching of the historical, positive impact of religion on American history is consistent with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution. An accurate and historical account of the influence of Judeo-Christian values on the freedom and liberties ingrained in our culture is imperative to reducing ignorance of American history, hate, and violence within our society,” the bill stated. “Accurate historical instruction regarding verifiable, historical impacts of religion on American history is factual and is not proselytization or a violation of the First Amendment.”
The bill is named after Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, who was a devout and outspoken Christian. Kirk was assassinated while speaking on the Utah Valley University campus Sept. 10.
“Charlie was a committed Christian, whose life and work will serve as a testament to the power of conservative ideals combined with a legacy of faith for generations to come,” Click said.
“It’s essential that we highlight the positive influence religion has had throughout our history – uniting communities, enriching our shared values, and safeguarding our First Amendment rights as Americans to speak and worship freely,” said Republican state Rep. Michael Dovilla, who co-sponsored the bill with Click.
Not all are agreeing with the bill by touting separation of church and state.
The Ohio American Civil Liberties Union said the bill “is obviously designed to paint Christianity in the most positive light while deliberately avoiding the negative.”
“The ACLU of Ohio submits HB 486 is, at a minimum, unneeded,” the organization continued. “Politicians leaning on schools and universities to teach their version of Christianity and religion is an idea rejected centuries ago, and for good reasons.”
Gabe Guidarini, chairman of the Ohio College Republican Federation, saw it otherwise.
“This bill does not impose a belief system, it simply allows teachers and professors to include historical truths that have too often been neglected — how faith shaped the resolve of the pilgrims, guided our Founders’ convictions, inspired movements that provided us the liberties we enjoy today and informed the moral fabric that has bound our republic together since its birth.”
The bill is now headed to the state Senate. Republicans hold a 24-9 majority.
