Ohio Republican State Representative Jean Schmidt, who just introduced a new, expansive, and purposefully vague “Don’t Say Gay” bill refused to talk to reporters Tuesday as she ran away from them insisting she was in a big hurry to go to the Senate.
“I’ve got to go to the Senate, please don’t harass me,” Rep. Schmidt begged reporters.
When asked why she introduced the possibly unconstitutional legislation Rep. Schmidt refused to answer, ignoring the question. When another reporter asked why she didn’t “want to talk about this bill,” Schmidt continued her fast pace and again refused to answer.
HB 616, for which Schmidt is one of two original co-sponsors, is similar to Florida’s possibly unconstitutional law but also bans other top GOP targets, including Critical Race Theory (CRT), The 1619 Project, “Inherited racial guilt,” and “Diversity, equity, and inclusion learning outcomes.”
It places those bans and ones on sexual orientation and gender identity into an umbrella category called “Divisive or inherently racist concepts.”
The Columbus Dispatch adds Schmidt’s legislation “would ban discussion on sexual orientation and gender identity until fourth grade in all public and most private schools.”
Older kids could discuss these issues, but “any curriculum or instructional materials on sexual orientation or gender identity” would have to be “age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”
Watch Rep. Schmidt refuse to talk to reporters: