Cleveland Reporter

Ohio Value Voters has endorsed Jim Renacci for governor and Joe Knopp for lieutenant governor amidst controversy over education. 

The group stated that parents in Ohio are worried about critical race theory (CRT), comprehensive sex education (CSE), and social emotional learning (SEL) being taught to their children in schools. Conversely, Ohio Education Association President Scott DiMauro disagrees and says that schools are already not teaching CRT. 

“It’s not a K-12 curriculum" DiMauro said, according to WOUB Public Media. "Critical race theory is a theory that comes out of higher education, mostly out of the realm of law, that looks at the impact of inequity and racism on the law and how that has had an impact on opportunities for students throughout the years. We see that in the form of segregation and redlining, and things like that has a direct impact on schools, but that’s not part of our curriculum."

On the other side of the debate, President of Ohio Value Voters John Stover says this is a vital gubernatorial election. 

"It is critical to the future of Ohio to elect Jim Renacci as Ohio’s next governor," Stover said. "House Bill 327 is another important bill, which is stalled in committee, that should be passed by the General Assembly and signed by the governor. This bill will address the indoctrination of critical race theory in Ohio’s classrooms. Jim Renacci has committed to signing this bill.”

HB 327 was proposed in May and is mainly sponsored by Republicans Diane V. Grendell (Chesterland) and Sarah Fowler Arthur (Ashtabula). The last motion on the bill was in June, when it was referred to the state and local government committee. The text of the bill reads that its purpose is to change areas of the Ohio Revised Code to "prohibit school districts, community schools, STEM schools, and state agencies from teaching, advocating or promoting divisive concepts."

If elected, Renacci vows to change the education system in Ohio and put parents back in control of their children's educations in the state. Renacci has promised to abolish Common Core, CSE, SEL, and racially divisive teachings in schools. He also is behind the right of home-schooling and wants parents to have better education options.

Renacci is a businessman and at one time owned the Columbus Destroyers Arena Football Team. He won election to U.S. Congress in 2010 as a member of the Tea Party movement. He faces off against incumbent Gov. Mike DeWine in the Republican gubernatorial primary on May 3. 

DeWine, 74, was former governor John Kasich's choice for successor. His record of political office includes tenures in the Ohio State Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, U.S. Senate and as Ohio attorney general and Ohio lieutenant governor.