Public schools in Ohio’s biggest city scrap trans bathroom policy to comply with law

Ohio’s most populous city will no longer let males use girls’ bathrooms in its public schools.

Columbus, the state capital with more than 900,000 people and public schools serving over 46,000 students at 113 schools, rescinded its pro-transgender bathroom policy Tuesday to comply with a new Ohio law that goes into effect Feb. 25.

“The district remains committed to ensuring each student is empowered for success as a citizen in a global community while also following the law,” school board President Michael Cole told Cleveland.com. 

The vote came after state Attorney General Dave Yost sent a letter promising swift legal action if the district chose to ignore the law. 

“Compliance with Senate Bill 104 is not optional, and time is of the essence as the effective date is quickly approaching,” Yost wrote. 

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed the measure into law last November. It requires K-12 and college students to use the bathrooms and locker rooms at public and private schools that correspond with their anatomical sex. 

The news comes as Ohio Republicans also push for expanded educational freedom, especially for autistic and disabled students. 

State Sen. Sandra O’Brien, R-Ashtabula, recently introduced a measure that would provide $38 million annually for additional education savings accounts. 

“Many students who would otherwise attend a non-government school are not able to afford tuition at that school,” O’Brien told Cleveland.com. “Students with these scholarships have effectively been put at a disadvantage because of their need for the autism or Jon Peterson scholarship.” 

Senate Bill 44 would make families with children already eligible for the Autism or Jon Peterson Special Needs scholarships eligible for the EdChoice or Cleveland scholarships. It would provide an extra $8,407 annually for high schoolers and $6,167 for elementary and middle school students. 

Jon Peterson and Autism scholarships vary in value from $9,585 to $32,445 annually, as educating students with special needs is more expensive. 

Sen. Catherine Ingram, D-Cincinnati, worries about those costs. 

“It is something to stop and think about because there is tuition on top of the services, and the Jon Peterson was intended to take care of the services,” Ingram said during a Senate Education Committee hearing last month. 

However, many Christian schools and associations support the legislation, including the Catholic Conference of Ohio, the Ohio Christian Education Network, Heritage Christian School in Canton, Granville Christian School, Ross County Christian Academy, Calvary Christian School in Logan County and Bishop Watterson High School in Columbus.