Does Ohio’s proposed religion education bill ignore Christianity’s scandals and sex abuses – Cleveland.com

A proposed bill in Ohio would allow teachers to focus on the positive impact of Christianity on American history, but the hosts of the Today in Ohio podcast say the bill should also empower teachers to focus on the negative impacts.
Otherwise, hosts say, the bill is a dangerously one-sided approach to religious education in public schools.
House Bill 486, also known as the Charlie Kirk American Heritage Act, would encourage teaching about Christianity’s positive influences in American history. Sponsored by Republicans Gary click of Sandusky and Mike Dovilla of Berea, the bill claims teachers currently hold back on teaching about Christianity’s role in history out of fear of being accused of proselytizing.
“Look, if we want to teach about the history of Christian religion in United States, let’s do it. But it’s not just the positive impacts,” podcast host Chris Quinn argued. “Let’s talk about the negative impacts. Let’s talk about the mega Christian churches of the 70s and 80s in which the pastors were doing all sorts of sleazy things and ended up getting defrocked. Let’s talk about the Catholic Church’s abuse of children left and right with the sex scandals that we’ve reported on repeatedly.”
The podcast hosts took particular issue with the bill’s selective approach to history, which they argued amounts to propaganda rather than education. Quinn emphasized that the good and bad aspects of Christianity’s influence are “pretty much co-equal” and that you “can’t segregate out and just say you’re going to teach about the positive parts without talking about the bad parts.”
Panel member Lisa Garvin added other examples of Christianity’s darker historical impact that would be conveniently overlooked. She mentioned missionaries who worked to erase the culture of Native Americans and have them embrace the white culture. She also mentioned smallpox blankets, which were blankets contaminated with smallpox that were given to Native Americans to spread the disease.
The bill’s naming after Charlie Kirk, a controversial conservative activist and commentator, drew additional criticism from Garvin, who called it “the biggest dog whistle you ever heard in your life.” Laura Johnston pointed out that Kirk isn’t even from Ohio, questioning why the state would name legislation after him.
While the proposed legislation states it wouldn’t allow teachers to say Christianity is superior to other faiths, the podcast hosts remained deeply skeptical about the bill’s true intentions and impact, and its omission of non-Christian religions.
“Christianity is an integral part of American history and world history, but there are a lot of downsides and you have to have the context,” Johnston said.
The bill has been introduced as many states engage in contentious debates about how religion, history, and social issues should be taught in public schools. Critics argue that bills like this represent attempts to inject particular religious and political viewpoints into classrooms under the guise of historical education.
Quinn summed up the panel’s position succinctly: “Teach away, but teach the whole history. Let’s not hide the parts you don’t like.”
Listen to the conversation here.
Listen to full “Today in Ohio” episodes where Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with Editorial Board member Lisa Garvin, Impact Editor Leila Atassi and Content Director Laura Johnston.
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